Class Reaction: The Artistic-Aesthetic Curriculum

The discussion on Maxine Greene’s “The Artistic-Aesthetic Curriculum” was very constructive in presenting an alternative view to the grammar of schooling through the arts. I found her insight on the importance of the arts very useful and valuable as a future educator. The classroom discussion as well as the article provided various enlightening aspects on the benefits of incorporating the arts into classroom curriculum. I agree with Greene, the arts are a valuable and integral part of education and should be brought into the realm of the classroom.
As stated in class, the arts can serve as a bridge to other subjects. This is a valuable tool and can be even more valuable in helping students who may not be interested in a particular subject area to become stimulated, motivated and interested in the subject. An unpopular subject such as math can become alive through the arts even at an early age. For instance, a kindergarten student who does not enjoy math can be presented with a song that incorporates math through counting or grouping. Similarly, a student could be introduced to a painting with various shapes and instructed to identify the shapes or describe the relation of one shape to another. These important math concepts can be aided through the use of the arts in a manner that is beneficial to the student. While seemingly simple gestures, integrating the arts into the classroom in areas such as math, can make a substantial difference in the relationship the student develops with math. It is crucial students develop a positive relationship with mathematics early on as well as other subjects to ensure they have a strong foundation to build upon. The arts provide a way to allow such vital foundations to be formed. Although this approach provides a challenge to the grammar of schooling and thus meets opposition, by introducing such a radical and drastic change from traditional schooling, the arts are essential in student development. Integrating the arts into the classroom can offer great benefits to students and society as a whole.