Using the Arts to Learn
Arts Integration
Arts Integration is the use of arts as a teaching tool or methodology to teach content or when core content is used as source material to teach arts skills.
In the early 1800’s art was just music with a focus on sight reading and singing. That evolved toward the late 1800’s with drawing which was drawing figures, lines, and geometric shapes. In the late 1800’s Progressivism impacted the content in schools and achieved its impact in the 1920’s. Writing and English composition at that time was taught through rote memorization and rules of grammar. Literature was a list of classics which many felt was necessary to prepare students for college entrance exams. There was a big emphasis on math and science. The Social Efficacy movement then impacted curriculum by wanting to make it more relevant to the future of student’s lives and then the Child Centered movement impacted education by encouraging curriculum to look at the individual needs of students, abilities, and interests. John Dewey recognized that children instinctively sang, wrote, and spoke. This idea that it was instinctual impacted the arts in that the perspective changed and education was now looked at as not just focusing on the content goals of the subject areas but also on social growth to foster the well-being of everyone which would then in turn encourage learning. This was looking at “Whole Child” and the arts promoted fostering social growth. (Remer and Smith. 1992)
There became a clear distinction and divide between teaching of academic subject-based education and then the other side being creative self-expression. The concept of teaching theatre fit into the idea of subject based education where drama as a pedagogy fit into the idea of creative self-expressions which developed into Child Drama as defined by Peter Slade. This focused on child drama as a separate art form than how adults experience theatre. Child Drama included two forms of play: Personal Play (children imitating life) and Projected Play (children imagining). Brian Way impacted it being looked at in two ways, one being Theatre in Education or communication between the audience and actors, and Drama in Education or process-based experiences. (Slade, Peter. 1954)
Drama connects closely with child centered education and the notion of starting with the interest of the child interacting with the environment and problem solving. However, in the 1960’s and 1970’s education again became more focused on math and science, with many arts programs being cut.
TYA
Theatre for young audiences came out of looking at theatre in education as more product based. It is important not just to look at process and play but also at the importance of how we practice directing children, introducing children to see theater, and performing for young people. It is also important to note the importance of skill building and encouraging children to develop a values system around a sense of what beauty is. Product based theatre can also encourage the development of social skills, build confidence, and engage students in general in the learning environment.
Applied Theatre
Applied Theatre is a term which focuses on working in non-traditional communities typically in an out of school setting. It is thought of as having more of a social justice and advocacy lens. Augusto Boal impacted Applied Theatre with Theatre of the Oppressed, his practice inspired by Paulo Freire and Bertolt Brecht, ending with a legislative stand.
Resources
Booth, Eric. (2010/2020). The History of Teaching Artistry.
Gibbon, Peter. (2019). John Dewey: Portrait of a Progressive Thinker. National Endowment for Humanities. https://www.neh.gov/article/john-dewey-portrait-progressive-thinker
History of Education in the US. 2020. Center on Educational Policy. George Washington University. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED606970
Raber, Jessee. (2017). The Arts in Public Schools in the US. (BLOG) A Blog for American History. https://www.processhistory.org/raber-arts-public-schools/
Rodriguez-Velez, Teddy. Applying the Microaggressions Theory to the Theatre Arts and Theatre Arts Education. (2020) Linkedin.
Wisdom, Alex. John Dewey: Experience and Education. (Video). Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwIcl-G93Mo.
Additional Resources:
Historical perspective edited by Bennett, Reamer and Ralph Smith
Slade, Peter. (1954). Child Drama. London: University of London Press.