The AEM Project
The AEM Project
Embedded Files
The AEM(Art Education Matters) Project aims to illuminate a crucial perspective often underrepresented in the discussion of art education advocacy: the students.
Working with Nancy Lehnhart, JSD Art Specialist, I surveyed sixty fifth-grade students from the Juneau School District and personally interviewed nine of them, asking them questions about their art experience academically, mentally, and socially. Additionally, I collected photos of over 100 pieces of art from the five different elementary schools. The following video contains many of their responses, and images of student art from their elementary school district. This video is a tool for art advocacy, amplifying a voice that is often unheard, and illustrating how art positively affects the wellbeing of students.
Creating a Tool for Art Education Advocacy
Creating a Tool for Art Education Advocacy
At the time of originally brainstorming this project, the JSD Art program was in jeopardy of being cut due to budget constraints. Thus this project served as an opportunity to improve the JSD elementary art program as well as advocate for its importance in our district.
I personally interviewed nine of the sixtey students that were surveyed. With permission, I recorded the interview audio to compile into a video that truly emphasized the student voice, along with showcasing some beautiful art from the elementary schools in Juneau School District. The video has been shared online and I hope for it to become a resource and tool in fighting for art's place in education.
Analyzing the JSD Art Program
Analyzing the JSD Art Program
With the surveys and interviews conducted, I wrote a brief seven page report on patterns I recognized in the data. Another purpose of the surveys was to pinpoint any issues or weaknesses within the JSD Elementary Art Program. The students were able to personally express if they wanted to change anything in the program, and explain what they would like to do more of.
Students believe that art is important, and truly enjoy it as part of their education. I believe the evidence of my report strongly supports the importance of art in academics. Students displayed the positive effects of art in elementary education not only through their personal admiration for it, but additionally through the cognitive skills, mindful practices, experiences, and social interaction they have gained for their art education. Art education must continue to be involved in early academics. It immensely contributes to the foundational liberal arts education created to help students succeed.
- Except from JSD Elementary Art Program Report
Example of survey - I asked "f you could do more of any kind of art in elementary school what would it be?"
I gathered two major ideas from my research.
First, the prevalence of peer interaction in the students' art making was immense. I did not expect to be as prominent as it was. I believe that this aspect in elementary art could be utilized in new creative ways in teaching.
Second, I discovered a consistent slight imbalance by which students felt like they weren't able to express themselves as much as they’d like to in projects. This is a hard aspect to balance within the arts kits used, as they have main objectives of more academic and cognitive practices that they need to emphasize.
With those two major concepts/concerns in mind, I created a new art kits to include into the JSD elementary art kit database, experimenting with the peer interaction of art, and giving students extreme freedom in a project that educates them about expressions itself. These kits will began to be implemented in the district shortly.
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