The Art Program at Golden Brook School

"I would guess that everyone has seen the life of a least one child changed by the power of a brushstroke, the discipline of a dance step, the expressive opportunities of music, and the searing courage and vitality of the theater.  We know that to fill full lives, all children, indeed all people, need opportunities to experience, appreciate, create, and reflect upon art." 

 -Ramon Cortines

The arts are essential in any education system. They encourage creativity, imagination, and expression. The arts bring us closer to our human spirit through self expression and self discovery.

A very integral part of the arts is the visual art component.  Children learn to communicate and express themselves through their artwork.  Art allows children to celebrate their ancestry as well as other cultures around the world.  Along with multiculturalism, art history opens other doors of awareness and appreciation of the movements and periods in art and the many artists who influenced them.

The Art Program at Golden Brook School begins in Transition and continues through the Second grade.  The students have art class once a week, where they will have the opportunity to practice their skills in a variety of hands on activities.

The curriculum is based on art elements and principles, such as color, shape, pattern, texture, balance, and proportion.  It is set up in a sequential way for students to expand on their prior knowledge from year to year. 

Throughout the year the students will be introduced to many different media such as watercolors, tempera paint, oil and chalk pastels, and clay.  Through experimentation, my hope is that the students will gain knowledge and understanding of the various media and techniques, as well as an appreciation for art.

Many of the art lessons throughout the year are integrated throughout the Transition, First, and Second grade classrooms. The integration of art throughout the curriculum provides children with the opportunity to see the meaningful relationships between the core disciplines of history, science, mathematics, and language.

My goal every year has been to create an atmosphere where the children feel like artists, whether it is through working with clay, paint, or oil pastels.  I hope to inspire and share my love of art with the students on their lifelong journey of discovery.

-Jennifer Proulx