My Philosophy

The Intellectual Capacity of Children

Children have a great desire and capacity for learning. Even the most difficult information can be mastered by them when presented correctly. Children are motivated by story, by participation, and by fun.

A child’s ability to read and write often develop more slowly than their thirst for knowledge and this should not limit their exposure to the richness and complexity of art and history. ARTK12 is committed to seriously challenging their intellect without frustrating their abilities.

Children Learn Through Stories.

Educational narratives have been successfully employed by educators since the dawn of time in the form of myths and legends. Stories not only keep a child riveted on the subject matter, but they provide a framework in which to store and retrieve bits of knowledge. Stories make information palatable and stories make information stick.

At ARTK12 our books are fun, and interesting.

Children Learn by Doing

At ARTK12 we believe that art should not just be admired, it should be produced. Each project in the ARTK12 curriculum allows children to reproduce the piece of art being studied.

Recreating the art allows children to learn about the piece from a practical perspective and adds to their respect for the art and the artist. Children not only read about the person or event or era that created the piece of art, but also recreate the art on their own, which greatly enhances their understanding and retention.

Student playing the forgery game.

Student playing the forgery game.

Learning is Fun

At ARTK12 we believe that learning is fun. If we engage children while they learn, they will enjoy the process. Games are an ideal way to make learning fun. Each art unit in the ARTK12 curriculum employs two different games to entertain and educate students.

While playing the Forgery game, students have to study the art intensely, examining every detail and in doing so, they learn without even realizing it.  The Bingo game reviews the “who” and “what” of each piece of art weekly challenging the students to retain the information.

Education is Fun

We believe that education is fun, and ARTK12 is all about tapping into each child’s unique learning process. Knowledge and wisdom are gifts that should delight, not bore children. To be fascinated by the world is a very childlike trait and it is the goal of ARTK12 to open up the world of art to children with innovation, purpose and, yes, even fun.

View American Art History Curriculum

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