Nurturing the creative spirit of young minds via Art Explorations
From Mrs Marilena Linardatou
Learning and exploring art, and art concepts within the art curriculum, is a critical part of what our students need to be doing as they develop their awareness of the world around them and their ability to understand and function in this world effectively. Art provides a student a voice, a place of discovery, and personal power.
Qualitative teaching moves beyond initial stimulation and to invest more time and more thought into the teaching process. From preliminary drawings to the finished product, the students learn to evaluate their work in terms of the lesson’s objectives, since without critical awareness, we cannot develop aesthetic awareness or artistic potential.
Teaching art at T.E.S.A.L.A. embraces:
- Cultural understanding
- Creativity
- Aesthetic awareness
- Visual literacy and integrated learning
- Art History integration
- STEM integration
There are children playing in the street who could solve some of my top problems in physics because they have modes of sensory perception that I lost long ago." -J.Robert Oppenheimer
Meet Mrs Marilena Linardatou
It is a privilege to teach art to young students. I have been an art educator for almost seventeen years, and I can say without hesitation that I love my job. I received my B.A degree in Classics and Mediterranean Studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle; and my M.A in History of Art (School of Art and Design) from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. I strongly believe in a quality art program, where the art curriculum has substance and is intellectually stimulating. The content of the art projects is important if we want the students to develop problem-solving skills. Students need to learn to make decisions, and to be able to communicate their ideas clearly.
Through the art projects, I am teaching my students that art has never been a purely visual exercise. The successful projects need to engage the student on three levels; aesthetic, emotional, and rational. Students need to make observations, process information, and then have the capacity to apply it in unique ways. Art is a form of language. The study of art involves learning of new words, syntax, idiom, and nuance.
I wish for my students to understand the language of art, as it illuminates our study of science and math, and also improves our grasp of literature and history.
Since art does not exist in a vacuum, it is important that the projects address the various humanities. Through an interdisciplinary approach, students are given the opportunity to understand other subjects.
Art has a very important role for the 21st century learner: To enhance the often neglected right hemisphere of the brain. The left hemisphere, which controls the speech, logic, reading, and writing, needs the creative and intuitive side of the brain in order to create the independent 21st century thinker. In an environment where mistakes become part of the artistic process, students learn to reflect and correct things as they understand them.
In a classroom where students are given the opportunity to think for themselves, they often surprise you with different and innovative solutions.
I wish for my students to be rational and intuitive, directed and free, analytic and holistic, objective and subjective, but above all to accept themselves for their uniqueness and individuality.
I am looking forward to an exciting academic year of teaching art. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.
