Learning love and the arts

Learning, Love and the Arts The arts, it is said, cannot change the world, but they may change human beings, who might change the world Maxine Greene In a small school, nestled in the mountains of Appalachia, a second grade classroom began every day with a short centering Children would gather in a circle on the floor, sitting quietly and settling in for the day ahead The change in children’s energy from the busyness of arriving at school, hanging up coats, dropping book bags on the floor and entering the classroom easily transitioned to silence and stillness The morning centering was a key part of the day and prepared students by gathering together in a focused community practice On one such morning, I led students in a guided visualization to the center of their hearts to explore what existed in this interior space Children were gently guided to see a door that lead to the interior of their hearts Once inside, they were directed to look around and see what lived in this repository: emotions, sensations or an experience of a time when they felt loving or loved After a brief period, these children were asked to gently open their eyes and move silently towards the art materials in front of them Using white paper and colored markers, students were instructed to illustrate their experience Revelatory and insightful, each child’s drawing contained unique images that ranged LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS         from the concrete such as beloved pets, to swirls of color and shapes that abstractly represented the rich terrain of the children’s emotional life At the conclusion of the drawing period, students gathered in a circle to share their drawings and, gladly and without reluctance, provided detailed accounts that ranged from concrete and tangible objects to more abstract concepts such as fear, joy and happiness, represented in equally abstract shapes and colors The arts bridge the inner and outer worldly experiences with ease and clarity; the materials speak for the children in ways words could not Images, shapes and colors reveal emotionally rich, humanely essential, and loving representations of children’s inner lives made manifest in outward expression Artistic experience can be deeply profound, influential and academically rich in the lives of children Offering multiple pathways for learning and a vast array of symbolic language to strengthen self-understanding, the arts deepen learning using creative expression that is both unique and authentic In a society where commercialism deadens the senses and an educational system accentuates the cognitive at the expense of the affective, attending to the inner life of children is not only wise, it is essential Although the arts have often been considered the heart of the human experience, they are rarely the heart of school curricula In fact, the arts are often relegated to the periphery Conte (2001) asked most eloquently, “If all children were given the gift of the arts to explore their inner lives and develop their authentic voices, what would our communities be like and how would our culture change?” (p 78) Children are born with the ability to love Love is a form of intelligence (Lin, 2006), and as a pedagogical framework, it creates curriculum that opposes the fear school environments can engender in an era of assessment and accountability Love can offer an LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS         ideal that unites the emotional, spiritual and intellectual aspects of learning for children in today’s classrooms, and when art, with its repertoire of affective learning is bound with love, education is transformed Lin (2006) explained, Education in the 20th century has left us with many major problems that are beginning to have a serious impact We have trained people to use their minds sharply but have largely neglected to cultivate their hearts and souls with love and compassion (p ix) Teaching in this one-sided approach to development lays waste to the full capacity of the students in our care This narrow focus on education with an emphasis on certain academic disciplines, banishes the arts from schools dismissing the immense talents of children who not fit into narrow corridors of knowledge This obsessive culture of standardized testing established what Lin (2006) described as “spiritual wastelands” (p xi), school systems where students’ natural talents and imaginations are neglected and where the arts are viewed as non-essentials The goal of education should be to cultivate the full capacities of all children to ensure they live and lead authentic lives Robinson (2009) explained, “we're all born with immense natural talents but our institutions, especially education, tend to stifle many of them and as a result we are fomenting a human and an economic disaster” (n.p.) We have the tools to envision and enable such an education, but with the dominance on standardization and testing, we eradicate a key essence in our students−the heart, and the tools with which to nurture the heart−the arts Art is a powerful tool to integrate the cognitive and affective realms in education Ruskin (1893) explained, how by use of the head, heart and hand, art becomes a natural venue for teaching and learning that is holistic and embraces the totality of the human LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS         experience At the core of all artistic efforts is the concern to express and experience our humanity To be human means more than to be able to think; it encompasses the integration of all the senses and faculties we associate with the human person Arthur Efland, an art education historian, speaks to the benefit of the expressive nature of the arts He explained “that there are certain subjects that are good for thinking (logic and mathematics), whereas the cultivation of feelings [lies] mainly in the arts” (as cited in Davis, 2008, n.p.) Combining aesthetic and artistic explorations opens students to the complexity of their own experiences and enables them to make connections with the world in which they live Teaching and learning, in, through and about the arts aims to connect all dimensions of the human experience, embracing the “emotional, physical, ecological, cognitive, aesthetic, social, cultural, and spiritual aspects of the person” (Campbell, 2012) A pedagogy of love embedded with the arts creates experiences celebrating and strengthening cognitive and emotional intelligences while also affirming personal, cultural and spiritual values in the lives of children The Human Spirit and the Arts Art is not separate from life but represents an endless interaction with life In fact, the arts have been a part of the human experience since the beginning of time Our ancestors painted on the walls of caves, sang and performed ritual and celebratory dances Celebrating the invisible thread that connects humanity, the arts have been a method of documenting our history, providing meaning, and shaping our experiences across time As an essential part of humanity, the arts provide a continuous thread that connects generations through imagery, movement and voice (Dissanyake, 2001) Today art holds the same power to transform Through the process of making art, we engage in LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS         an experiential activity that affects us internally, touching upon emotion and thoughts while also offering a tangible object that serves as a source of inspiration Sidlin (as cited in Conte 2001) explained, When words are no longer adequate, when our passion is greater than we are able to express in a usual manner, people turn to art Some people go to the canvas and paint; some stand up and dance But we all go beyond our normal means of communicating, and this is the common human experience for all people on this planet (p 83) Historically, the arts have been used to express the relationship between the self or identity and one’s relationship to the world (Parsons, 2004) For children whose identities are being shaped and molded, the arts offer tools to make meaning, shape their experiences and empower children to become aware of their rich inner life and personal spirituality There is a growing body of research that suggests a contemporary understanding of spirituality that provides a foundation for students’ to explore universal and collective values such as “wisdom, compassion, loving kindness, joy, beauty [and] peacefulness” (Griffin, 1997, p 271) Children are schooled to know about facts and figures and events and places in society but rarely about themselves, let alone the nature of their full human potential The arts with their rich repertoire for exploring paradox, allowing inward focus and expressive investigations provide children with tangible and accessible tools to examine the spiritual questions of life that are an integral part of the human experience The arts aid the way children react to, record, and share their impressions of the world in which they live Today, according to Fowler (1994), the arts continue to strengthen LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS         identity and relationship to the world by humanizing the curriculum and strengthening interconnectedness of knowing through multiple modalities Through the arts, students are able to artistically and creatively envision a more just and loving community, by attending to their own internal development, as well as their relationships with others According to Fowler (1994), the power in the arts is that they can move [author italics] They serve as connectors that give understanding a human dimension They tell us about people—how they thought and felt and what they valued They help us to define ourselves and our times, as well as other people and other times (p 3) The arts engage the whole child and offer a plethora of possibilities for learning that are experiential and emerge out of “felt” knowing and discovery Deep learning can emerge through personal exploration and discovery when cognitive and affective are entwined in the learning environment As Fowler (1994) explained, “We are creatures of feeling as well as thought, and schools that recognize this basic fact and address it are better schools Science and technology not tend to our spirit The arts That is their role” (p 9) The arts provide a balance to the curriculum by nurturing our spirits and offering alternative ways of receiving and understanding information Balance is essential to effective educational design by recognizing that one dimension of learning and the human experience is not valued more than another and also acknowledges that experiential learning can provide self-knowledge Allowing visual and artistic exploration gives more depth and meaning to the curricula while also balancing the affective and cognitive domains Pedagogy of Love LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS         What is love and how can it be a guiding factor in education today? Lin (2001) defined love as “the very essence of our existence It is a great sense of oneness, nonseparation, all-inclusion, as exemplified by such attributes as compassion, respect, kindness, forgiveness, care, and service (p 15) A pedagogy of love, a concept articulated by Nel Noddings (1984), Paulo Freire (1998) and further articulated by bell hooks (2003), invites teachers to nurture an emotional connection with their students “A pedagogy of love empowers students, increases their competence, nurtures their whole self-image and confirms them as valuable human beings with worth and dignity” (Johnson, 2008, p v) When love becomes the foundation for all learning, we prepare students to understand a pluralistic world and their places within it This is not to say that we disregard academic integrity and excellence, but that we let love be the arbiter of academic brilliance, setting the course for expanding the mind and the heart Lin (2006) explained, Love knows no boundaries or limits It sees all existences as from the same source, as divine sparks of the universe.…It is a love that blends one’s life’s purpose with that of the whole of humanity, nature, and the universe (p 27) She continued by explaining how this love creates an expansion of our awareness shaping students in who they are and who they are becoming A foundation of love in the classroom establishes a safe and solid foundation for students to explore the complex, information rich and sometimes challenging facts and figures in the man-made and natural world Noddings (1984) introduced love as a pedagogical template and associated caring with the mother, or the feminine side of moral ethics rooted in, "receptivity, relatedness, LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS         and responsiveness," (p 2) She explained, "To care for another person, in the most significant sense, is to help him grow and actualize himself" (p 9) Noddings claims that the aim of the teacher should be to foster receptivity in children and to encourage them to see, touch and listen to the world around One approach she recommended is to organize curriculum around “caring for self, for intimate others, for strangers and global others, for the natural world and for nonhuman creatures, for the human-made world, and for ideas” (Noddings, 1984, p 1) When children have an opportunity to explore themes of caring in their classroom, the results not only create awareness and connection for the individual student but also for the larger community A culture of domination, like ours, must strive to teach children how to live in community and to understand our interconnectedness with each other and the natural world Hooks (1999) explained, “to be guided by love is to live in community with all life” (p 110) Teaching children to work collaboratively and caringly prepares them to work morally in a world that is complex and ever changing A pedagogy of love separates itself from mainstream educational practices that divide content into unrelated strands and designated periods for learning In such settings, students and curricula are treated like mechanized parts, moving from one subject to the next without connection and integration Like turning a water faucet on and off, current educational frameworks expect children to learn under these disparate start-and-stop conditions Traditional educational models rely heavily on standardized testing and rote memorization, often dampening children’s natural love for learning By allowing the full range of human experience to be valued and honored, classrooms with frameworks of love naturally foster receptivity and responsiveness in students Love LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS         creates an environment of unconditional acceptance, wherein children are free to express emotions and where risk-taking and expression are encouraged and applauded; in such classrooms, the arts are present and visible Freire (1998) stated we must “dare, in the full sense of the word, to speak of love without the fear of being called ridiculous, mawkish, or unscientific, if not antiscientific” (p xviii) Freire believed that emotion is a central aspect of teaching, and he calls this love; he explains, “it is not possible to be a teacher without loving one’s students” (p 15) Teaching with a pedagogical framework of love allows teachers and students to foster relationships by valuing the inner life, intuition, reflection, creativity, expression and imagination In turn, each of the aforementioned values touches upon emotional awareness, empathy, compassion and an understanding of the interconnectedness of all things Love not only strengthens the curriculum but also binds together the inner and outer life of the child Likewise art, with its expressive capacities, can deepen the relationship with the self and the understanding of the interconnectedness of all things Education must turn towards love in educating children to be citizens of the world Love is expansive and offers a framework to build upon the inherent gifts of children When coupled with the rich repertoire of the arts, love is given voice through creative experiences making love visible in the classroom It is not surprising then to find that the word “art” is embedded in the word “heart.” Engaged Minds and Open HeARTS If we love, we open ourselves to other emotions We don’t run from what we don't understand; instead, we feel Through the arts, connections emerge that engage both cognitive and emotional pathways The arts give voice to children’s emotions in a LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS     10     manner that is often inaccessible through words and which allows them to work through experiences that their blossoming spirits cannot yet fully comprehend “The arts are attempts to understand both the common (experienced by most or all) and profound (of great seriousness and significance) aspects of what it means to be human” (Deasy, 2005, p viii) Creating learning environments where children can translate their thoughts about their experiences using the arts expands their capacity to learn and grow emotionally and cognitively For example, in mathematics the study of geometry explores size, shape and the position of two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes, requiring spatial awareness and geometric reasoning Geometry is found in art, architecture, sculpture as well as nature; exploring geometry through the arts can provide an alternative to quantitative and precise answers, thereby expanding learning and offering a broader perspective and a broader vision of everyday geometry in the world When students are asked to explore answers to the same question through the arts, they become engaged in their learning and become active questioners through experiential learning As Fowler (1994) shared, When we involve students in creative problem solving, we invite their participation as partners in the learning process Instead of telling them what to think, the arts engage the minds of students to sort out their own reactions and articulate them through the medium at hand Their beings become embedded in the task so that they learn from the inside out rather than from the outside in (p 2) Artistic experiences open children to emotions and awareness, often in unexpected ways Developing well-rounded children through a balanced curriculum strengthens intellectual LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS     11     development and emotional capacity And when we invite students in their entirety to engage in their learning process, rather than telling them what to think, we empower them to draw upon their personal experiences to find solutions, make meaning and articulate these through artistic means Children are complex and constantly changing Therefore, an educational framework that is balanced holds enormous potential for creating “synthetical moments,” where there is a “reconstruction of the self and an experience of solidarity of the intellect, the body, the spirit, and the cosmos, as well as an intrinsic coherence of time, place, and meaning” (Pinar & Grumet, 1976, as cited in Slattery, 2006, p 242) The arts offer equilibrium between the various aspects of the self, allowing learning to take place through cognitive, affective and psychomotor experiences, honoring both the inner and outer worlds of children Facilitating learning and inclusion through the arts Schools are environments where the issue of marginalization of students is an ongoing challenge Marginalization occurs in schools when students are excluded from meaningful participation in coursework; expectations for academic success are below their competency level and instructional objectives fail to take into consideration the cultural, societal and best practices that would support academic growth (Freire, 2007) In such settings, the arts have been proven to be beneficial to students from economically disadvantaged circumstances and for those students who characteristically had difficulty learning in school (Deasy & Stevenson, 2005) There are always students who live in the margins despite access to classrooms with language rich environments, technology and resources; however, the arts provide vast educational potential and a multitude of LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS     12     learning and teaching opportunities to engage all students The arts are accessible to all students regardless of limitations that stand between the student, learning and achievement Marginalization of students takes on many faces; however, recent immigrants and refugees to the United States face multiple challenges due to their lack of English, along with cultural, academic and social differences in their new host country Their challenges are numerous, and their paths to success littered with unfamiliar roadblocks; these students must trust a system unfamiliar to them in their hopes of transitioning into their new life In such classrooms, the arts offer a powerful tool for enabling students to grow academically through personal discovery, make content connections and communicate through artistic expressions-regardless of the common shared language in the classroom English Language Learners (ELL) are often set apart from mainstream students in schools and cloistered in a singular classroom with varying ranges of language and academic skills Non-art teachers who integrate art experiences in the classroom allow children with different learning styles and abilities to participate in their own learning and create inclusive environments Fowler (1994) explained how the multiplicity of symbols that abound in art offer access to all students, regardless of race, class and culture Due to their symbolic language, but also their universal accessibility, the arts can soften lines of marginalization through their ease of access and understanding Sharing stories: Art, expeditionary learning and ELL students In a middle school classroom in Portland, ME, a young refugee student had recently arrived from his troubled homeland in Africa Small in stature for a middle school student, he was also shy and timid As a visiting teacher, he touched my heart in LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS     13     ways difficult to express I first met him dressed in clothing given to him by the local charity organization His shoes were too big for his feet and his clothing, equally large, from his petite frame Yet, he was one of the lucky ones who found his way to this loving middle school classroom Portland, home to a large population of refugees and immigrants from both African and Middle Eastern countries, has ELL classrooms crowded with displaced students from war-torn or economically disadvantaged countries The variables in this ELL classroom were many; multiple native languages were spoken and the circumstances that precipitated each student’s arrival were filled with a wide range of hardships Limited English was the common shared language, hampering learning and reducing connection and communication amongst students In this particular school, ELL students were regularly taken out of the art class to have individual tutoring in English; while beneficial to strengthen language acquisition, this instruction removed students from a class in which they could be expressive and successful without the use of written language Understanding the power of the arts to cross barriers and strengthen literacy skills, the ELL teacher invited art education teacher candidates from a local college to design an arts-integrated experience around the school’s expeditionary unit on buoyancy Working closely together, the classroom teacher and teacher candidates designed a unit on buoyancy for students recently arrived from places such as Burundi, Somalia, Sudan and the Egypt To teach vocabulary and the complex concept of buoyancy, each student constructed a three-dimensional symbolic “journey boat” using white drawing paper and uncomplicated paper-folding techniques Following the construction of their boat, each LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS     14     student personalized their boat using symbolic imagery and simple art materials such as colored pencils and markers to depict their place of origin, journey to America, and their individual hopes for the future The hull was ornamented with words and images representing their identity and memories of their lives before arriving in the United States, atop the boats mast small flags were placed representing their home country as markers of their place of origin, and the sails billowed with images that illustrated personal dreams and aspirations for their future course; contained within each boat was past, present and future Students were on task, engaged and animated despite limited experiences working with art materials; however, with individual attention from the art education candidates who guided students in using their head, hearts and hands, students confidence blossomed and grew The transformation in this ELL classroom was palpable and students enthusiasm and eagerness to participate in their learning demonstrated firsthand the power of the arts to transform the learning environment The art experience provided integration of the past and present, solidified the concept of buoyancy and offered a form of communication in a classroom where multiple languages were spoken and English a new common language The symbolic “journey boat” became a rich metaphor of each student’s journey, illustrating identity, culture and a rich inner landscape while also meeting content needs and vocabulary development When it came time for students to share their projects with their classmates, the transformation of these ELL students, from quiet and shy to excited and eager to share, was powerful, inspiring and emotionally rich Through the arts, students witnessed in their classmates bonds held in common with people regardless of class, culture and language, recognizing in each other shared struggles, triumphs and new beginnings In LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS     15     front of their peers, students beamed with pride as they showcased their boats and explained their symbolic imagery Change was evident and learning undeniable as students spoke using new words to demonstrate concrete knowledge of the concept of buoyancy Love was also present as students revealed aspects of their rich inner life that deepened connections and served to unify the class However, it was not only the students who were transformed, but also the teacher candidates who saw first-hand the power of the arts to transform learning in the classroom Furtell (1990) explained how art is a civilizing influence and a source of self-understanding that refines our capacity for understanding our neighbors In this classroom, the lines of marginalization were temporarily erased and replaced with hope, love, community and artistic expression The Power of the Arts As illustrated by the aforementioned story of the ELL classroom, artistic experiences can be deeply meaningful, resonant and significant in the lives of children When children learn in an integrated and connected method the learning emerges out of the experience through active discovery and investigation No two paintings will be alike, nor would two experiences be identical It are these qualities, that makes artmaking experiences in the classroom rich, strengthening connections across the curriculum as well as within the child Since Dewey (1934) and the beginning of the progressive education movement, the arts have played a significant role in education Dewey (1938) emphasized artistic experience rather than the product of art-making, arguing that almost any classroom activity could provide an artistic experience if it involved artistic skill and aesthetic characteristics; he defined arts experiences as promoting internal and cognitive freedom LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS     16     Vygotsky (1971) corroborated this view stating, “Art is a method of experiencing the making of a thing, but what is made is of no import in art” (p 57) The artistic experience as defined by Dewey and Vygotsky facilitates growth and new understanding through expressive qualities inherent in the arts The beaming faces of the ELL students as they shared their personal boats and the stories they contained with their fellow classmates clearly demonstrated the value of artistic experience in the classroom to effect growth and new understanding The arts complement learning because they teach divergent rather than convergent thinking: they ask students to come up with different solutions to a problem, an experience or a question The arts level the playing field and allow all students to participate and be successful In a study, entitled Champions of Change (Fiske, 1999), the effects of arts learning on students were demonstrated and researchers found that the arts could reach students that were “not fully engaged by other subjects and experiences” (Deasy & Stevenson, p xiii) The results of this study were so promising, a second research study was prompted: Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development (Deasy, 2002), which analyzed the effects of drama, dance, music, visual arts, and multi-arts experiences and “illuminate[d] the profound and complex intellectual and emotional processes involved in learning the arts, and the interrelationships between those process and student learning and development in other areas of school and life” (p xiii) Curriculum that includes more than traditional reading, writing and logical thinking widens the circle of learning and strengthens academic success for all students as evidenced in these two landmark studies LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS     17     It has long been heralded how the arts can bridge disciplines that operate independently, teaching students to see the relationship of knowledge and information regardless of the subject through expressive and engaged exploration of concepts and content Although some may regard art education as a luxury, simple art experience offer a variety building blocks for child development, by encouraging careful observations, exploration of multiple viewpoints, nuanced decision-making and aesthetic understanding Whether drawing, singing or dancing, children are developing visualspatial skills, which are more important than ever in today’s image-rich world When children are encouraged to express themselves, take risks and make connections across content area, they develop a sense of innovation that will carry them in to the future with the skills needed to understand the complexities and opportunities of modern life The arts offer a constructive process to building knowledge by allowing children to engage with their learning through active participation that strengthens their authentic voices, establishes a framework of creativity and innovation to prepare them for their future With the emphasis on standardization and testing in today’s schools, the arts, with their plethora of strengths can meet a range of learning objectives through integration into content area, furthermore, the arts can provide opportunities for collaboration and community development, whether a dance performance, theater or choral production or community mural Developing community while reaching towards a goal that is shared with the public instills pride, builds confidence, and strengthens connections with others The various modalities of the arts appear in schools in differing degrees and availability to students LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS     18     According to Robinson (2006), “Every education system on earth has the same hierarchy of subjects At the top are mathematics and languages, then the humanities, and the bottom are the arts Art and music are normally given a higher status in schools” (n.p.) Although not comprehensive, the following abbreviated list compiled by Conte (2001) illustrates the multiple pathways that exist for learning in and through the arts: Writing/poetry: journals (visual and written) dramatic scripts, rap, word art, fiction, non-fiction, creative writing Drama/theater: puppetry, circus, magic, traditional repertory, improvisation Dance/movement: traditional forms such as ballet, modern, jazz, tap, ballroom and hip-hop, and ethnic dance, creative movement and pantomime Music/sounds: classical, “world music,” instrumental, vocal, percussion and body percussion Visual arts: painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, textiles, quilting, weaving, jewelry, glass, ceramics, computer animation, book arts, papermaking Multi-media arts: film/video, photography, and a range of platforms and devices A Final Word Offered as examples of meaningful and engaged learning, the stories presented in this chapter −the children drawing what was inside their hearts or the ELL students tackling foreign concepts in a new language through art−demonstrated successful methods for educating whole beings By weaving together subject matter and the arts, children can make connections to all content areas using more than written language For example, the aforementioned drawings by children of the interior of their heart can evolve and become a dance of the heart pumping blood through the body to support LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS     19     science learning, poetry and writing that reflects on themes of love using text from around the world, or a global look at rituals that celebrate rites of passage and celebrations of love, all which can strengthen global connections and learning in the classroom For those who question the value of offering expressive avenues for learning, need only think more broadly in terms of what it is we want our children to learn as they grow into adulthood In a world that is rapidly changing and increasingly diverse, the benefits of the arts are essential in today’s classrooms by offering authentic learning that cultivates children’s emotional and spiritual well-being Each of us must question what we are educating for and reflect deeply upon the meaning and purpose of education To question a system that is well established means to act courageously and fearlessly in face of the restrictive and reductive aims of standardized schooling To create classrooms that shift the current paradigm away from fear and apathy towards classrooms that invite love and learning, balancing the curriculum with both affective and cognitive experiences, the foundation of love needs to be held firmly in place, and in such a space the arts are present in children’s lives Education is in crisis, the seams are tearing, children are falling behind and the industrialized and mechanized practices no longer fit The grading, testing and standardized curriculum that leave many students on the fringes must be replaced with a pedagogy of love that is strengthened through the arts to build classrooms where all students can learn, be expressive, work collaboratively and be valued for their individual gifts Fowler (1994) explained, “The arts are our humanity They are the languages of civilization through which we express our fears, our anxieties, our hungers, our struggles, LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS     20     and our hopes They are systems of meaning that have real utility (p 9) The arts offer a powerful tool for facilitating the transformation of education from mechanization to expression, from memorization to critical thinking, and acquiescence to excitement Through active engagement in the arts school cultures can be transformed and children can grow to be fully engaged, balanced and aware citizens who are filled with the capacity to love If we are to prepare children to have a rich inner life that acts as a compass for being in the world as agents of love and wisdom we must offer then the gift of the arts to explore their inner lives and develop their authentic voices , LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS     21     References Campbell, L (2012) Five emerging themes of holistic art education In L Campbell, & S I Seymour (Eds.), The heart of art education: Holistic approaches to creativity, integration, and transformation Reston, VA: National Art Education Association Conte, Z (2001) The gift of the arts In Lantieri, L Schools with spirit: Nurturing the inner lives of children and teachers Boston: Beacon Press Dalton, J., & Fairchild, L (2004) The compassionate classroom: Lessons that nurture empathy and wisdom Chicago, IL: Zephyr Press Davis, J H (2008) Why our schools need the arts New York, NY: Teachers College Press Deasy, R (2002, January 1) Critical links: Learning in the arts and student academic and social development Retrieved June 13, 2014, from http://www.artreachsandiego.org/research/CriticalLinks.pdf Deasy, R & Stevenson, L M (2005) Third space: When learning matters Washington DC: Arts Education Partnership Dewey, J (1934) Art as experience New York, NY: Pedigree Dewey, J (1938) Experience and education New York, NY: Macmillan Dissanayake, E (1992) Homo aestheticus: Where arts comes from and why Toronto: The Free Press LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS     22     Fiske, E (1999, January 1) Champions of change: The impact of the arts on learning Retrieved, from http://artsedge.kennedycenter.org/champions/pdfs/ChampsReport.pdf Freire, P (1998) Teachers as cultural workers: Letters to those who dare teach Boulder, CO: Westview Press Freire, P (2007) Pedagogy of the Oppressed New York: Continuum Fowler, C (1994, November) Strong Arts, Strong Schools Educational Leadership p 4-9 hooks, b (1999) Embracing freedom: Spirituality and liberation In S Glazer (Ed.), The heart of learning: Spirituality in education New York, NY: Tarcher/Putman hooks, b (2003) Teaching community: pedagogy of hope New York: Routledge Griffin, D.R (1997) Parapsychology, philosophy, and spirituality: A postmodern exploration Albany, NY: SUNY Press Johnson, P (2008) Pedagogy of love: Exploring emotion, spirit and intellect in the basic writing classroom (Unpublished doctoral dissertation) Indiana University of Pennsylvania Lin, J (2006) Love, peace, and wisdom in education: A vision for education in the 21st century Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Noddings, N (1984) Caring: A feminine approach to ethics and moral education Berkeley: University of California Press Noddings, N (1995, May) Teaching themes of care Phi Delta Kappan, 675(9), 1-5 Parsons, M (2004) Art and integrated curriculum In E Eisner & M Day (Eds) LOVE,  LEARNING  AND  THE  ARTS     23     Handbook of research and policy in art education (pp.775-794) Reston, VA: National Art Education Association Robinson, K (2006, February 1) Do schools kill creativity? Retrieved June 3, 2014, from http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity Robinson, K (2009, November 3) How schools stifle creativity Retrieved June 26, 2014, from http://www.cnn.com/2009/OPINION/11/03/robinson.schools.stifle.creativity/inde x.html Ruskin, J (1983) The two paths: Being lectures on art New York, NY: Maynard, Merrill & Co Slattery, P (2006) Curriculum development in the postmodern era New York: Routlege Vygotsky, L S (1971) The psychology of art Cambridge, MA: MIT ... being in the world as agents of love and wisdom we must offer then the gift of the arts to explore their inner lives and develop their authentic voices , LOVE, ? ?LEARNING ? ?AND ? ?THE ? ?ARTS    ... record, and share their impressions of the world in which they live Today, according to Fowler (1994), the arts continue to strengthen LOVE, ? ?LEARNING ? ?AND ? ?THE ? ?ARTS         identity and relationship... head, heart and hand, art becomes a natural venue for teaching and learning that is holistic and embraces the totality of the human LOVE, ? ?LEARNING ? ?AND ? ?THE ? ?ARTS         experience At the core