VISION OF THE VISUAL ART PROGRAM OF SAINT
CLEMENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Preface
Artists
. . . are some of the most effective workers for mankind’s salvation, since
they nourish a person’s sense of spirituality. When man contemplates art and
its beauty, he abandons himself to it as a source of inspiration. His spiritual sense is heightened. He feels and senses the fascination of pure
spirituality. He glimpses God, who is
the origin and goal of all created spirituality. …
The arts of our time - of all peoples and nations
find freedom of expression in the church, as long as they serve God with due
reverence and honor. (Pope John Paul II)
Helping
students to develop an aesthetic sense, teachers can bring them to a deeper
awareness of all peoples as one great human family. ...artistic works...spring
from the depths of the human heart, revealing its lights and its shadows, its
hope and its despair. In the upper
grades, a teacher can bring students to an even more profound appreciation of
artistic works: as a reflection of the divine beauty in tangible form.
I integrated these statements and following documents to compose the 2008 revision of the
Vision of the Saint Clement Visual Arts Program:
·
·
1995 Philosophy of Catholic
Education,
·
1996 Philosophy of Catholic Art
Education
·
1996 Art Goals.
·
The 1995 National
Visual Arts Standards
·
The 1996
·
The Saint
Clement: 1998 Educational Direction
Statement and
·
1999 School Self Study
·
Lujan M. Ed,
Michael L. Power Words for Critical
Thinking, Mentoring Minds 2005
·
The 2007 Art
GLEs, grade level benchmarks for the Fine Arts Content Standards in the Show-Me Standards for Missouri Schools.
·
Pontifical
Council for Social Communications,
Aetatis Novae, On Social Communications on the Twentieth Anniversary of
Communio Et Progressio,
·
Benedictus XVI,
"Children And The Media: A Challenge For Education,"
·
The 2007 Saint
Clement Media Literacy Goals.
Education is the integrated development of an individual that takes place throughout life. Educators promote growth in the (1) spiritual, (2) moral, (3) intellectual/aesthetic, (4) emotional, (5) physical and (6) social domains. Through this growth, in Christ, we advance the glory of God.
The curriculum at each grade level provides for the 4 art disciplines (art production, criticism, aesthetics and history), the 4 categories of art processes (drawing, painting, sculpture, graphics) and crafts, links with other school subjects, including religion (contemplative and active issues), and the eight intelligences of students.
VISION OF THE VISUAL ART PROGRAM OF
SAINT CLEMENT
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
1. God has given us all artistic intelligence. This is the ability to visualize and imagine,
to think intuitively and creatively, and to process, experiment with, and enjoy
abstract visual information. Abstract
visual information is the non-verbal language of art. It enables us in unique ways to participate
with God in the continuing action of creation, creating society and ourselves
and to celebrate the variety in His creation.
2. We understand that God loves each person as
his child. We realize each person is
worthy of our reverence and appreciation, and at times this calls for
self-censorship and selfless actions.
3.
By experiencing great visual icons and art masterpieces, we acquire knowledge
of historical and cultural developments that occur as a result of varying needs
and aesthetic points of view. We develop
and use vocabulary and criteria for viewing, describing, decoding, responding
to, and evaluating the content, context and function of artwork, including
media images.
4. We identify and grow toward our aesthetic
potential through art adventures appropriate to our age and learning styles. By
putting best efforts into artistic imagination and exploration, we perceive
many ways to solve problems and provide answers by making thoughtful choices
among these. We perceive and give form
to what is going on in our souls.
Through this expression, we enhance Christ-like bravery to dream,
create, encourage others, express ourselves, and challenge ourselves to share
our best.
5. We sharpen our perception of the world around
us. Through the drawing, painting, sculpting, crafts and graphics processes we
develop techniques in using a variety of traditional and electronic art media.
6. We grow in our ability to use the nonverbal
language of art for effective communicating.
We share our vision with others in and out of the classroom. We grow in our ability to understand the
nonverbal language of art as it helps reveal the human spirit. We appreciate the contributions of other
artists and the dignity of all peoples as one human family.
[1] Cf. St. Augustine, De libero
arbitrio, II, 16,42. PL 32, 1264.