Accordingly, the humanities encompass a multiplicity of cultures, genres and modes of expression. Throughout the course, students are invited to consider ways in which youngsters can be encouraged to participate in these inquiries. Students use formal analysis and contextual analysis to understand and interpret works of art, including the visual arts, music, theatre and dance. We seek to understand and appreciate works of art as formal constructions in which meaning resides in selection and arrangement of materials and in processes particular to the art form, and as the expressions of cultures, eras and makers with distinctive qualities of mind and spirit, and distinctive interpretations of the nature and experience of humankind. Secondary attention is given to the nature of creativity, goals of arts education, arts resources and activities for children, and incorporating arts study in elementary classrooms discretely and in coordination with language arts, history, social studies and other areas.
Students manifest their learning in oral presentations, papers and demonstration lessons.
The course draws upon a number of different disciplines, including philosophy, history, sociology and literature, in familiarizing students with key concepts and methodologies applicable to the study of meanings and purposes of education. Goals of the course include the development and refinement of one's own philosophy of education, the identification and evaluation of underlying assumptions about human nature and knowledge implicit in any educational system, a deeper understanding of the moral dimensions of teaching and schools, and familiarity with the historical and social contexts within which school-related decisions are and have been made. Contemporary issues such as multicultural understanding, good citizenship, moral education and critical thinking skills may be examined. Overall patterns of development as well as individual differences will be examined. With an awareness of currently developed standards of learning, curriculum criteria, and scoring rubrics, students will focus on getting children interested in tasks leading to good citizenship, allowing children some choice, and help them learn to set their own goals and assess their own progress.