Donna Rouchard
donna.rouchard@bcsemail.org
Information from the NC Dept. of Public Instruction
From
the beginning of time, the compulsion to create a visual vocabulary has
been as innate in every society as the desire to acquire a system of
spoken symbols. Visual art from past civilizations is frequently one of
the few remaining clues with the power to illuminate which values were
held most dear. Today, every aspect of our designed environment will
serve to explain who we are to those of the future. The pattern of
human growth in society is to develop a multi-sensory means of
communicating symbols and values. A child discovers objects, those
objects take on meaning, and this meaning is denoted and communicated
through the various means of expression available to that child. The
visual arts program is designed to develop visual literacy by promoting
fluency in the various modes of visual communication. Students learn
the visual arts by using a wide range of subject matter, media, and
means to express their ideas, emotions, and knowledge. They evaluate
the merits of their efforts and this assessment forms the basis for
further growth that extends to all disciplines in school and to life.
Visual arts education is a multifaceted creative process which includes
the development of perceptual awareness and the ability to use
materials expressively. Through participation in visual arts, students
have the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the creativity and
diversity inherent in all of us.