The relevance of the arts

17 Fevereiro 2016, 10:00 • Cecília Maria Beecher Martins

Introduced the topic of the importance of reflective contact with the arts by watched Prof Robert Sapolsky's (Stanford University - Why Zebra's don't get Ulcers 2003) video on hierarchies in baboon communities and the effect of hierarchy on stress levels and health.Discussed the video and its outcomes in class. Then divided students into groups of 4-5 and each individual group discussed one of the 10 points below. Then one member of the group presented their ideas and there was a general class discussion of each point.

Why the Arts are important by Dee Dickinson

Taken from the School of Education, Johns Hopkins University

available at http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizons/strategies/topics/Arts%20in%20Education/dickinson_why_arts.htm

 

 

1. They are languages that all people speak that cut across racial, cultural, social, educational, and economic barriers and enhance cultural appreciation and awareness.

 

2. They are symbol systems as important as letters and numbers.

 

3. They integrate mind, body, and spirit.

 

4. They provide opportunities for self-expression, bringing the inner world into the outer world of concrete reality.

 

5. They offer the avenue to "flow states" and peak experiences.

 

6. They create a seamless connection between motivation, instruction, assessment, and practical application--leading to deep understanding.

 

7. They are an opportunity to experience processes from beginning to end.

 

8. They develop both independence and collaboration.

 

9. They provide immediate feedback and opportunities for reflection.

 

10. They make it possible to use personal strengths in meaningful ways and to bridge into understanding sometimes difficult abstractions through these strengths.