Required Text:
Selected Text: Edwards, L. C. (2006). The Creative Arts: a process approach for teachers and children. (4th Ed.) Merrill.

Course Description:
This course will be a student-centered course designed to explore artistic expression in early childhood and elementary classrooms. This course is designed to help aspiring early childhood teachers become knowledgeable about methods for teaching art, music, and physical exploration, and become skillful in integrating art, music, and physical exploration activities into the curriculum. Course content will include an examination of models of teaching and methods that are specific to each of the three disciplines, as well as models for appropriately integrating these expressive arts throughout the curriculum. The main emphasis of the course will be on cultivating an understanding of and appreciation for various modes of expression through a review of written material and through a range of hands-on artistic experiences..

Educational Philosophy:
I cannot simply teach you what you need to know about helping children to express themselves artistically. In order for you to effectively learn about children's expression in school you must be willing to be an active participant in the learning process. Therefore this will be a completely student-centered course. As a class we will all be responsible for agreeing on the structure of the course: what we read, what experiences we engage in, what we discuss, what assessments are used and how they are graded. My role will be a facilitator and coordinator. I will be available to provide you with a variety of resources that can assist you in learning, including outside artists. Your job will be to utilize these artists and these resources, ask questions, pursue your own learning and help me to know what you do and do not understand.
I have set aside time for office hours so that I can help. You may also drop in unannounced any time I am in the office. Furthermore, I have included my email address in order to encourage your questions and comments, and my home phone number in case you encounter pressing questions or problems. How much you learn in this course will be directly proportional to your personal motivation and level of involvement.

As a result of participating in this course, prospective teachers will be able to:
• demonstrate a functional understanding of the teaching methods, instructional strategies and models of learning specific to art, music, and physical exploration.
• design lessons that appropriately integrate expressive arts activities throughout the curriculum.
• experience an increased sensitivity to and awareness of the need for the expressive arts in the early childhood classroom.
• analyze and discuss current issues in art, music, and physical activities.
• demonstrate professionalism in joining in and trying new expressive arts activities.
• recognize the difference between process oriented student-centered art projects, and product oriented teacher directed "craft" projects.
• display the ability to recognize a variety of art media, techniques and processes, and demonstrate an understanding of how to use them appropriately with young children.
• demonstrate an increased feel for the aesthetics of art appreciation.
• understand the visual arts as they relate to the world's history and cultures.
• demonstrate an understanding of methods for fostering singing, movement, and playing musical instruments in their own classrooms.
• recognize the importance of early musical experiences as a means of fostering cognitive development.
• display developmentally appropriate methods for responding to music.
• recognize techniques for helping students create music.
• demonstrate their understanding of musical terminology.
• demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of physical exploration methods designed to foster gross and fine motoric development.
• recognize methods for fostering movement and fitness literacy.
• demonstrate methods for assessing students' physical developmental needs.
• demonstrate the ability to conduct one’s self professionally in and out of class.
• recognize the importance of fun for learners of all ages

Course Requirements
This course will be interactive and hands-on. It is expected that students will come to class ready to explore and to express themselves. The course will utilize a number of different types of assignments and learning experiences: class attendance, readings and contribution to class discussions: lesson plans and a final project that involves a microteaching performance for your peers.

Attendance. You are expected to attend and actively participate in each class. Because some materials presented in class will not be contained in the readings and we will engage in many expressive experiences, it is important that you attend every class.

Reading Assignments. This is a student-centered course, which means that classes will revolve around the interests and ideas that you bring to the class. Therefore it is important that you come prepared to contribute to discussions, and prepared to express yourself in the workshops. All supplemental readings are on electronic reserve and the password is easy to learn.You are expected to read the assigned chapter in the textbooks and any other designated readings BEFORE each class period. This will give you time to formulate questions and ideas that you may have about the readings and allow you to more fully participate during that class period. I also strongly encourage you to explore other relevant resources and to share them with your peers.

Final Project.
As a culminating project, at the end of the semester you will be asked put together a microteaching presentation/activity for your peers. The purpose of these short lessons will be for you to model expressive art curricula, and to receive feedback on your lessons from your peers. This lesson plan must be written using the COE lesson plan format and must involve a topic that reflects the traditions of the culture of your choice. You are expected to accompany your presentation with a written copy of the lesson plans (including rationales) that you can distribute to your peers prior to the presentation. I recommend that you work in teams of two or three on collaborative projects. On Dec. 1st or 8th , you will be asked to do a short 5 minute (per person) presentation of your topic in which you describe the expressive techniques that you have developed for one or more of your lessons and walk us through a short expressive element of your lesson. A rubric is available that will be used to evaluate your project.
I expect each group to submit a written paragraph describing the project idea that can be distributed to the class for feedback no later than Oct. 20th. After the presentation each class member will provide written feedback to each group regarding their presentation and their lesson plans.
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Grades
Option 1.
Final grades in this course will be based on a written self-assessment you will submit at the end of the semester. Criteria for self evaluation will include professionalism (attendance, participation, collaboration), quality of written work (final project), preparation for class, quality of class contributions (discussions, collaboration, microteaching), and level of personal growth. A rubric has been developed for the assessment of the final project/presentation. On October 20th each student will submit a midsemester personal evaluation indicating how they are progressing in meeting course goals. On Dec. 15th you will submit a self-assessment that will include a final grade for yourself. This assessment will include a reflection on the feedback from your presentation received from peers . Where in most cases this will be the final grade you will receive, I reserve the right to submit an alternative final grade if I believse there is a lack of veridical connection between the work completed and your self-evaluation.

Option 2.
Assessment in this course will be based on your preparation, participation, and final project. On October 20th each student will submit a midsemester personal evaluation indicating how they are progressing in meeting course goals. The rubric for the final project will be used as a formal assessment tool. A final grade will be determined by adding up points based on these three elements..

Assessment Elements:
1. Attendance (20 points)
2. Preparation for class and quality of contributions (30 points)
3. Final Project (50 points)

Final grades will be based on the following scale:

Special Needs
It is the class' wish to fully include persons with special needs in this course. Please let me know if you need any special accommodations in the curriculum, instruction, or assessments of this course to enable you to participate fully. I will try to maintain confidentiality of the information you share with me.

Class Schedule