Building Self Esteem Through Elementary Art

The art experiences in Building Self-Esteem Through Elementary Art have been specifically designed to assist students in developing a concrete realization of their own uniqueness and worth, as well as their important contribution to the whole. Filled with thoughtful, meaningful art experiences designed to support the National Visual Arts Standards, Building Self-Esteem Through Elementary Art focuses on some of the following: helping students develop their own creative skills; helping students learn to appreciate the artistic work and efforts of others; and helping students recognize the worth and importance of their own ideas, feelings, and contributions to the group.

Designed to build confidence in the K-8 teacher with little or no previous art training or background in art education, this unique art course requires no “artistic talent” or “skill”. Building Self-Esteem can serve as a first-time exposure to art education, or it can serve as a continuum in a teacher’s elementary art training. (It’s worth noting that teachers who do possess a significant background in art and art education will find this course to be of value as well.) This course uses commonly available materials in unusual ways, and presents each experience in a simple, step-by-step format that guarantees enjoyment, learning, and success. What’s more, each of these classroom-ready lessons have been written in such a way that will make presenting them to one’s students at a later date effortless. Included in each of the art experiences presented in this course, is a list of materials to be used, lesson objectives/learning outcomes, and suggestions for motivation and procedure. In addition to emphasizing critical thinking and higher order questioning and reflection, this course also includes numerous suggestions for a wide variety of curriculum connections and lesson integration.

Students of this course will enjoy virtually unlimited access to the instructor, and will receive specific, individualized feedback in writing on each experience submitted in order to track their own progress through the course.

This course is applicable towards the Art in the Classroom Certificate.