ABSTRACT
Due to educational institutions’ different missions, philosophies, resources, and levels of support, no one-size-fits-all approach or master key exists that can solve all teaching and learning obstacles. This chapter describes the importance of art education in classroom and community settings and explains how quality instruction fosters students’ lifelong learning skills. It aims to identify the value of comprehensive art education in students’ lives with its connections to the National Visual Arts Standards and big ideas. Students learn effective ways to make curricular choices that include selecting concepts, processes, materials, and learning strategies. The chapter provides an overview for cultivating student learning in the classroom and beyond. It discusses methods to offer students personally-driven curricular choices, encourage them to raise questions, and find creative solutions as they connect artistic concepts, behaviors, and techniques with issues of social ethics and multidisciplinary studies. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
