Cultural Context Teaching Suggestions:
Art Education that celebrates the pluralism of culture can be a rich resource for learning to appreciate, understand and effectively engage in our multicultural world. There are many approaches to demonstrating and fostering cultural awareness through art. Cross-cultural themes such as "Rites of Passage" or "Art's role in maintaining or changing traditions" can be explored. Various cultural celebrations and ceremonies could be studied, expanding understanding of particular cultural values and art forms. These traditions can be points of departure and inspiration for new authentic creations. Foremost, a desire to move beyond limited, or "outside" views, and timid or intolerant attitudes, must be kindled in students and a desire to learn about a diversity of viewpoints sparked. Fostering various artistic solutions in the classroom begins this process.
Projects that unite students' artistic authenticity with new cultural understandings contribute to expanded knowledge and individual creative resources. Children also benefit from learning about artforms, artists and a visual storytelling which they. They identify with whether poor or rich, male or female, or any ethnicity in the human family. The world's art can both affirm and expand children's identity as they grow to feel at home in the art of many cultures.
Teachers can model respect for multicultural art through showing a vast range of creative endeavors. Students can learn to be more aware of how group identity is influenced and displayed and self-concept affected by visual signs, symbols, and cultural concepts of beauty. They can learn to use tools, ideas and inspiration from the world of art to express themselves, their own emerging identities and a sense of community.
Teaching Suggestions