Art

Mission/Goals of the Art Program
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The art program in Baltimore County has Paintbrushes Clipartevolved from a program that was primarily product oriented (painting, drawings, sculptures, prints) to one that emphasizes five outcome areas that aim to develop visually literate individuals. These outcome areas include aesthetic education, art history, creative production, aesthetic criticism, and habits of mind. Instructional experiences are provided that enable students to experience visual problem solving, decision making, and experimentation with media. Through these experiences, students develop the foundational skills that establish confidence in communicating visually, empowering them to think and respond critically, creatively, and independently. Visual art education provides children with developmental opportunities unique to the art classroom that enrich and support other curriculum areas. It is the goal/mission of the art program to ensure that children develop confidence in their ability to visually create and express ideas.

An Art Program for Children, Grades PreK-5, serves as the foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools’ sequential art program for grades PreK-12. It introduces children to the visual world through the exploration and discovery of their world, the world of others, and experimentation with materials.  Through exploration and discovery, students begin to use skills of perception and observation, begin to develop visual literacy, begin to understand and appreciate the art of peoples of the world, and experiment with the artistic process. The Baltimore County Public Schools PreK-12 Art Learning Outcomes and Indicators are aligned with the National Standards for the Arts and the Maryland Essential Learner Outcomes for the Visual Arts. In their PreK-5 art experiences, students will develop the foundational knowledge, skills and attitudes that will enable them to:

1. BECOME AESTHETICALLY RESPONSIVE
By analyzing the art of others and developing an awareness of the visual qualities of their environment, students will become perceptive and responsive to the visual world and the visual work of self and others.

2. UNDERSTAND THE HISTORICAL, CULTURAL, AND SOCIAL CONTEXTS OF ARTWORKS
By studying and analyzing the artworks of various cultures and societies, students will understand the value of art in their lives and the contributions of artists/artisans to the cultural heritage of self and others.

3. BECOME CREATIVE, EXPRESSIVE, AND PRODUCTIVE
By applying visual knowledge, exploring and mastering the use of media, and creating and expressing visual ideas, students will develop confidence in their ability to generate ideas and communicate them in visual form.

4. MAKE INFORMED JUDGEMENTS ABOUT ART
By analyzing and discussing the qualities and purposes of art, students will develop visual literacy and develop competence in making decisions about the visual environment and the art of self and others.

5. DEVELOP PRODUCTIVE HABITS OF MIND

By practicing critical and creative thinking and effectively using materials to express ideas in visual form, students will develop productive artistic behaviors that will enable them to make meaningful contributions to their society.

“Art helps people to discover the sanctuary within themselves.”