Artful Learning

ART bears many definitions. When perusing the definitions here offered in the, New Oxford American Dictionary, 2nd Edition, it becomes clear how inclusive ART is, including the once used meaning of BE.
"art 1 |ärt|
noun
1. the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power
• works produced by such skill and imagination
• creative activity resulting in the production of paintings, drawings, or sculpture
2 ( the arts) the various branches of creative activity, such as painting, sculpture, drawing, music, literature, and dance : the visual arts, the art of photography.
3 ( arts) subjects of study primarily concerned with the processes and products of human creativity and social life, such as languages, literature, and history
4 a skill at doing a specified thing, typically one acquired through practice : the art of conversation.

art 2
archaic or dialect 2nd person singular present of BE.

APOGEE Learning Enhancement Training Systems™ since its founding in 1983, has consistently integrated the academics and the arts. All teaching methodologies are inclusive of the arts. The patterns that exist between mathematics, language, music and the arts have prompted numerous studies to be commissioned to establish their interrelationship. The findings reported in, "Learning, Arts, and the Brain, The Dana Consortium Report on Arts and Cognition, Organized by Michael Gazzaniga, Ph.D." most certainly speak to the significance of the arts to learning, development and behavior. Presented here is a summary of what the group has learned.

"1. An interest in a performing art leads to a high state of motivation that produces the sustained attention necessary to improve performance and the training of attention that leads to improvement in other domains of cognition.

2. Genetic studies have begun to yield candidate genes that may help explain individual differences in interest in the arts.

3. Specific links exist between high levels of music training and the ability to manipulate information in both working and long-term memory; these links extend beyond the domain of music training.

4. In children, there appear to be specific links between the practice of music and skills in geometrical representation.

5. Correlations exist between music training and both reading acquisition and sequence learning. One of the central predictors of early literacy, phonological awareness, is correlated with both music training and the development of a specific brain pathway.

6. Training in acting appears to lead to memory improvement through the learning of general skills for manipulating semantic information.

7. Adult self-reported interest in aesthetics is related to a temperamental factor of openness, which in turn is influenced by dopamine-related genes.

8. Learning to dance by effective observation is closely related to learning by physical practice, both in the level of achievement and also the neural substrates that support the organization of complex actions. Effective observational learning may transfer to other cognitive skills."

Reference: http://www.dana.org/uploadedFiles/News_and_Publications/Special_Publications/Learning,%20Arts%20and%20the%20Brain_ArtsAndCognition_Compl.pdf

Respectful of the preferred activity and learning style of the student and providing appropriate opportunities commensurate with age, grade, interest level, competency, and experience, each APOGEE session progresses, integrating the art, craft, music, dance, poetry, or sport activity with the particular academic task at hand. A spontaneous script, a brain-storming web, fostering mutual dialogue, brings a social studies, science, or language arts activity to new life. Mastery of any and all subject content is supported by assuring that all words, terms, instructions, directions, are fully understood, defined, and demonstrated.

The APOGEE student learns that (1) one is to know the meaning and the particular context of each word in an assignment, in an instruction, in what is read, heard or demonstrated. No word that is not fully understood is to be glossed over. Every word is to be 'cleared' for understanding, application and relevance. This is true of all endeavors in all subject areas, academic, craft, technology, and in all the arts. Unless the what, when, how, is clear, readiness for action and/or learning will be compromised. The achiever learns that (2) there is to be 'mass' to what is learned, how does this idea, concept, object, function, in the world of action, interaction, purpose? The achiever learns that (3) there is a 'gradient' to all learning. One needs to identify what the prerequisite skills are for each step, each requirement, each expectation. All concepts are presented with application to the student's everyday life and experience. All is indeed considered artful learning.

APOGEE Learning™

Provides a supportive, nurturing learning environment.

For more information on services
provided for all learning needs:

http://www.apogeelearning.com

Inquiries Welcomed
Call for your FREE Introductory Consultation.
845-359-9056
toll free: 1-866-228-8663
1-866-ACU-TONE

Registration being accepted for:

The APOGEE Achiever Program
The Academics and the Arts
~Soar To Success This Summer~

•Individualized Subject Tutoring•
•Study Skills and Mastery Strategies•
~Reading~
~Mathematics~
~Writing~
~Organization~
~Communication Skills~
~Assignment Management~
~Stress Management~
~Relaxation, Attention and Focusing Exercises~
~Achievement Goals~
~All Ages ~ All Grades ~ All Subjects~
~PSAT~ SAT ~ All Test Preparation~
~Coaching~

• Inquiries welcomed •
• Call or post •
• All Questions Answered •

Teaching and that Seizable Moment

A seizable moment, a child's enthusiasm, interest, pleasure, curiosity, desire to share, and so the door of learning welcomes response, interest, support from peers, parents, family, and teachers. A seizable moment calls for the willingness to be spontaneous, to appreciate the potential in that moment of interest and attraction.

A six year old student, Grace, inspired by the rose bushes in her front yard was encouraged to share her love of her flowers. She was asked about the color, the smell, the touch, the feel of her roses. She shared her delight and her impressions. All that she shared was used to create a 'brain storming web" - one thought - one word - one impression - one experience - noted and all connected to the roses. From this "brain storming web" each line of a poem was conceived. The challenge was to create a poem with rhyme, a style she loves for its flowing feel and the inner song it sings to her. Imagery, word usage, spelling, structure, form, rhyme, all integrated in this session of language arts.

She described the leaves, with green pointed ends that pinch, the stems with thorns, the sweet candy smell, petals that fall looking beautiful, hers being 'special roses.' She recounted the joy she had when gathering fallen petals and throwing them up to the sky. Line by line, words in rhyme, a poem was created. She bloomed with delight as she presented her poem, "Special Roses," to her father, reading it with prideful joy.

Special Roses
by
Grace

At my front door there does grow
Two beautiful rose bushes in a row

Sweet candy is their special smell
Beauty is the story they tell

Thorny may their branches be
Careful, they do not hurt me

When the wind blows a rose in bloom
Petals upon the ground come real soon

I gather the petals and off they fly
Spreading their joy up to the sky

Upon the ground they do rest
Yes, the Rose, a flower I love the best.

APOGEE Learning™ sessions are designed to have a child create, expand, integrate, their own experience, rather than filling in blanks on a preconceived workbook activity page. The child's needs, academic goals, interests and everyday experiences are drawn upon, creating a truly individualized learning hour.

Image credit: http://www.grantlinegarden.com/images/young-gardeners-club-girl-smelling-rose.jpg

APOGEE Learning™

Provides a supportive, nurturing learning environment.

For more information on services
provided for all learning needs:

http://www.apogeelearning.com

Inquiries Welcomed
Call for your FREE Introductory Consultation.
845-359-9056
toll free: 1-866-228-8663
1-866-ACU-TONE

Registration being accepted for:

The APOGEE Achiever Program
The Academics and the Arts
~Soar To Success This Summer~

•Individualized Subject Tutoring•
•Study Skills and Mastery Strategies•
~Reading~
~Mathematics~
~Writing~
~Organization~
~Communication Skills~
~Assignment Management~
~Stress Management~
~Relaxation, Attention and Focusing Exercises~
~Achievement Goals~
~All Ages ~ All Grades ~ All Subjects~
~PSAT~ SAT ~ All Test Preparation~
~Coaching~

• Inquiries welcomed •
• Call or post •
• All Questions Answered •