Art Education

Philosophy

A comprehensive approach to art education at TMSA integrates four areas of study: art history, art criticism, aesthetics, and art production. Art education, as a subject in our elementary and middle school, is based on the belief that looking at, talking about, and studying art is as important as making art and production.

Goals

• Art education is embedded within contexts and cultures across time. We not only incorporate issues and concerns of cultural diversity, but we also celebrate and support them with hundreds of multicultural resources.
• An interdisciplinary approach to learning benefits all subjects. Art teachers are encouraged to work with interdisciplinary subject area teachers as well as other exploratory teachers to integrate curriculum content into art and art content into the curriculum.
• In keeping with a school-wide focus on both reading and writing across the curriculum, but are essential components of art education from elementary and middle school. 
• As hardware and software become increasingly accessible in both the elementary and middle school art labs, art teachers are guiding students to use technology in art education as a “medium” for art production, as well as for research and reporting.

Program Description

Locally adopted textbooks and text resources, including software, support the elementary and middle school art education curriculum. Fine art reproductions, slides, videos, books, art games, and other resources are readily available. The curriculum is fully consistent with the Georgia Performance Standards for Arts by the Georgia Department of Education.

Course Description

Curriculum and instruction for art education courses are tailored to meet the variety of experience levels within art our classes. Art textbooks designated as primary texts by grade level are often used interchangeably in both elementary and middle school, based on the needs of individual classes.

Visual Arts 6

Emphasis is on art to communicate personal meaning and developing skills in two dimensional and three-dimensional techniques such as: drawing, design, painting, and three-dimensional art. Students work to create art and study artworks, with information and activities integrated from art production, art criticism, art history and aesthetics.

Visual Arts 7

Emphasis is on communication through visual art. Students work in a variety of materials and approaches to create art and study artworks. Information and activities are integrated within this emphasis from art production, art criticism, art history and aesthetics.

Visual Arts 8

Emphasis is on art production and developing skills in drawing, painting and sculpture or ceramics. Information and activities are integrated from art history and aesthetics, as well.