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= = Welcome to the Wikispace for Group 6, taking part in EDBED2004: Approaches to Teaching in the Arts. == = = =Listed below are the group members, their details and the area upon which they will be focusing.=

//**Click the group member’s name to see their personal wiki!** //

​ Jane Bennett – jmbennett3@bigpond.com // Jane is focusing her research on Visual Arts. //

Jessica Gilbert– jessicagilbert3886@yahoo.com // Jessica is focusing her research on Media Form in The Arts //

Kim Barratt – kim.barratt@bigpond.com // Kim is focusing her research on Dance // Teddy Mercer – teddy.mercer@gmail.//com// // Teddy is focusing his research on Performing Arts //

=Click below to see the minutes from our meetings:=

Week 8: BOOKCLUB. Jane Bennett

I decided to read the chapter in our text book on "Valuing the Visual Arts". It had great insights in the chapter regarding incorporating the arts into the classroom. The most interesting concept I discovered was that of ArtBlast. ArtBlast is a unit of art contensed down to one intense day. Starts off with the initial plan, through to the creations then the final exhibition at the completion of the day. Great idea for schools that don't have the resources or opportunities to incorporate art into early day curriculum. I also discovered a perspective of Franz Cizak on the influence we as adults and teachers have on children's art. "His appreciation of the natural artistic abilities of children led to the development of a pedagogy later known as free expression or self-expression, which was based on the premise that children are arists and that their art, like all art, is inherently valuable. And yet it was a vulnerable art, one easily corrupted by adult influences" (Sinclair et al, 2009. pp 132). Reference: Sinclair, C., N. Jeanneret, J. O'Toole (2009). **Education in the arts: teaching and learning in the contemporary curriculum**. South Melbourne: Oxford

=Week 8: Book club= Jessica Gilbert

I have chosen to read "Thinking through the arts" and looked at chapter 4: Art goes back to the begining. It showed the importance of providing art experinces for younger children as to develop their inner artist. Milroy recalls "I was obsessed with drawing. When I couldnt find paper and pencils, I would fish out small pieces of charcoal from the fire, and tear strips off the paper bark tree in our yard, and draw on that. I drew in the sand, on the footpath, and on the road, even on the walls when mum wasnt looking. One day our neighbour gave me a batch of oil paints left over from a stint in prison. I felt like a real artist." (Milroy. 1996:4) This left me with the impresssion that if we provide a wide range of materials for our students and if possible some items to keep and use at home allows them to feel more incontrol of their artist flair and allows them the ability to produce art and expres themselves when and how they would like. It's up to us as teachers to provide students with rich art experinces to stimulate and provoke interest and wonder. " There is also no evidence that children left to their own devices develop into artists or people who appreciate art...they need a person who understands their quest. Many educators now suspect that a school enviornment without adult guidance cannot adequatly nurture childrens artist abilities." (Milroy, 1997). So as teacher we need to guide and nurture artistic abilities and intrest to help children find their own inner artist.

Reference: Schiller, W. (2005). **Thinking through the arts.// Art goes back to the begining**. Gordon and Breach.