Garland ISD students get creative during National Arts in Education Week

GARLAND ISD,TX. (September 29, 2014) Numerous studies have shown that art education provides the critical thinking, communication and creativity skills essential to academic success. To celebrate this vital scholastic field, schools across Garland ISD commemorated National Arts in Education Week with fun, imaginative assignments.

Students fashioned mixed-media art pieces, paintings and illustrations. Some even shared their original works with others.

“For National Arts in Education Week, our third-grade students discussed the many uses of art. We also created a Banyan tree painting and made decorative coasters to give to administrators,” said Kimberlin Academy for Excellence art teacher Krystal Custard.

In addition to receiving embellished coasters, district administrators were also surprised with one-of-a-kind pieces featuring clothespins from Walnut Glen Academy for Excellence students.

“This was our way of sharing our creativity with those who may not be thinking about the arts, so they could witness the ingenuity displayed by our kids,” said Walnut Glen art teacher Kathleen Hodges. “We wanted to show that when the visual arts are a part of a child’s life, amazing things happen.”

Students at Daugherty Elementary School celebrated by crafting colorful illustrations featuring complementary colors. Art teacher Eira Rodriguez Cordero made sure to incorporate 21st-century learning tools in the week’s lessons, taking advantage of the upgrades her campus received during its 2012-13 renovation.

“On a day-to-day basis, I use the Smart Board, web camera and iPad to expose students to new art concepts or techniques, encouraging them to be active participants in the classroom,” Rodriguez Cordero explained. “Integrating technology in the art room may seem strange or even impossible when resources might not be readily available. But having it helps students expand ideas, think critically and explore new options.”

GISD’s 2014 bond election currently proposes funding for one-to-one devices, such as an iPad or laptop, at the secondary level. Upgrades to aging equipment are also included.

“Art is an avenue for developing imagination and vision about the future and life as we know it today,” Custard said. “I believe National Arts Education Week promotes these learning experiences. By connecting art and technology, we further promote the ability to strengthen student’s minds creatively.”

Submitted by Caren Rodriguez, Garland Independent School District Staff Writer.

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  Art, Garland ISD, national arts in education week