Author: Madeja, Stanley S. and Onuska, Sheila

Publication Year: 1976

Media Type: Report

Summary:

This book describes the elementary curriculum for aesthetic education developed by the Aesthetic Education Program of CEMREL, Inc. The material in the book is directed to both individuals interested in the design of an aesthetic education curriculum and those involved in implementing such a curriculum for the primary and intermediate grades. The curriculum is applicable to a normal elementary school population and can be taught by a classroom teacher or by an arts specialist. The audience for this book is specifically those individuals responsible for curriculum in a school setting - designers of curriculum, whether they be teachers, curriculum coordinators, principals or specialists in the arts.

Abstract:

This book describes the elementary curriculum for aesthetic education developed by the Aesthetic Education Program of CEMREL, Inc. The material in the book is directed to both individuals interested in the design of an aesthetic education curriculum and those involved in implementing such a curriculum for the primary and intermediate grades. The curriculum is applicable to a normal elementary school population and can be taught by a classroom teacher or by an arts specialist. The audience for this book is specifically those individuals responsible for curriculum in a school setting - designers of curriculum, whether they be teachers, curriculum coordinators, principals or specialists in the arts.

Specifically, this book defines the concept of aesthetic education and specifies goals for a total elementary program in aesthetic education. We begin with a discussion of what aesthetic education is, and then proceed to describe the nature of the curriculum in aesthetic education, the sources of content, the selection of content, and the placement of aesthetic education in the elementary school. The introductory portion of the book ends with a discussion of the goals of the aesthetic education curriculum.

The curriculum is divided into six levels of instruction keyed to students from kindergarten through sixth grade. Then the text outlines unit by unit the forty-four instructional units that make up the curriculum. Each unit is presented in terms of its content and instructional strategy. A list of concepts and objectives is provided for each unit. Following the description of the curriculum units is a general discussion of the role of aesthetic education in the elementary school. The text ends with three case studies in which teachers describe how aesthetic education worked in three different classroom situations.

It should be noted that each of the units described here has support materials that have been developed and tested. The published units are available commercially. However, we have not attempted to describe all of these materials nor all of the activities and teaching strategies applicable to each unit of instruction because of space limitations.

This curriculum represents an innovation - it is the first general education approach to all the arts at the elementary level. The curriculum uses all the art forms - dance, film, literature, music, theatre, and visual arts - as its content base and integrates this type of subject matter into an area of study that fits into the general organization of the elementary school. We hope that this book presents the aesthetic education curriculum in a way that will be useful to its audience.
(p. XV-XVI)

CONTENTS
Preface.
Aesthetic education program staff.
Staff associates.
National advisory committee.
Foreword.
Introduction.

Chapter 1. Aesthetic education. 

What is aesthetic education? 
Aesthetic education: an area of study. 
What are the sources of content for aesthetic education? 
Where is aesthetic education taught in the total curriculum?

Chapter 2. Cemrel's aesthetic education program. 

How was the curriculum developed? 
What are the goals of the curriculum? 
How is the curriculum sequenced?

Chapter 3. The curriculum units. 

Level 1. Aesthetics in the physical world. 
Level 2. Aesthetics and arts elements. 
Level 3. Aesthetics and the creative process. 
Level 4. Aesthetics and the artist. 
Level 5. Aesthetics and the culture. 
Level 6. Aesthetics and the environment.

Chapter 4. Relationships to general education. 

Goal: To develop aesthetic perception. 
Goal: to teach the arts. 
Goal: To create a better learning environment. 
Goal: to promote general education. 
Goal: to use the arts as general education.

Chapter 5. Case studies: Aesthetic education in the classroom. 

A third grade teachers view of aesthetic education. 
A Fifth/Sixth grade teachers' view of aesthetic education. 
A music specialist's view of aesthetic education. 
Kindergarten through sixth grade.

Appendix:
     Evaluation.
     Aesthetic education learning centers.
Bibliography.
Index.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Arts Education