Statement of Philosophy
for the
Visual Arts

Visual Arts Standards in linear format
Visual Arts Standards in chart format
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Visual art helps us to ask deep questions about humanity. It fills a need in us that transcends age, ethnicity and geography. Knowledge of the arts liberates and shapes our capacity for expression; it enriches our lives and creates cultural bonds. Art teaches us how to handle ambiguity and lends an understanding that in life there is not always one answer.

Visual art is a bridge we cross to deeper understanding of attributes that are intrinsic to humans, such as imagination and the instinct to create. We believe that the need for expression in the visual arts is basic to all people and common to all cultures and times. Therefore, understanding and capacity in visual art is essential to being an educated person.

We have created this document to serve the community of visual arts teachers and their students in international schools around the world, no matter the size of the schools or their visual arts programs. The AERO Visual Arts standards were developed in a collaborative effort that brought together teachers and administrators from ten schools, listed below.

The process for development of the AERO Visual Arts standards was simple, but the conversations that resulted were profound. We met as a team three times, debating and collaborating about what it was most essential that students know and be able to do in the visual arts. Our aim was to craft benchmarks that left as much flexibility for local curriculum as possible, while maintaining clear, high expectations for student learning and skill. In between our meetings, we took the conversation back to our schools so we could involve our full arts faculties in the discussions. We are grateful to our colleagues at home for their support and guidance in this project. We are also deeply appreciative of the State Department’s Office of Overseas Schools (in particular, Regional Education Officer Bea Cameron) and David Chojnacki for seeing the need to include the visual arts as a key feature of a strong liberal arts education and for funding this project.

Faculty and administration from the following schools developed the AERO Visual Arts standards:
American Community School, Beirut
American Cooperative School – Tunis
American International School – Riyadh
Cairo American College
Carlucci American International School of Lisbon
Carol Morgan School (Dominican Republic)
International School Yangon
Rabat American School
The American International School of Muscat
Walworth Barbour American International School (Tel Aviv)

Printer friendly in linear format

1.
CREATING ART: Use the creative processes and the language of art to communicate through a variety of media and techniques.

To meet this standard, students will:

1.1 Use the creative process to plan, organize and problem solve.

By the end of grade 2:

a. Use observations and experiences, both spontaneously and deliberately, to plan and create art.

By the end of grade 5:

a. Self-assess choices and adjustments when planning and creating art

By the end of grade 8:

a.Reflect upon and revise various plans to organize ideas and materials and apply deliberate approaches in creating art

By the end of grade 12:

a. Follow a systematic investigation of formal and conceptual issues when creating art and building a portfolio.

1.2 Understand and use the language of art: the elements of art and principles of design.

By the end of grade 2:

a. Identify the elements of art and begin to apply principles of design

By the end of grade 5:

a. Manipulate the elements of art and the principles of design to create art.

By the end of grade 8:

a. Purposefully apply the elements of art and principles of design to express an intended idea.

By the end of grade 12:

a. Demonstrate proficiency in the use of the elements of art and principles of design with a variety of media and techniques.

b. Apply the elements of art and principles of design in thoughtful and inventive ways to convey personal meaning

1.3 Apply visual awareness to the creative process

By the end of grade 2:

a. Create art that reflects personal observation and experience

By the end of grade 5:

a. Create art through purposeful observation that reflects introspection

b. Create art through purposeful, reflective observation

By the end of grade 8:

a. Use personal interpretation of observations to create art

b. Use a variety of media, innovative combinations, and subjects.

By the end of grade 12:

a. Create art that demonstrates evidence of refined observation to transform and represent external and affective themes.

1.4 Develop skills and craftsmanship with materials, tools and techniques

By the end of grade 2:

a. Purposefully experiment with materials and techniques to produce a range of artwork.

By the end of grade 5:

a. Demonstrate confidence and skill with a variety of materials and techniques to create art.

By the end of grade 8:

a. Create works of art that reflect refinement of technique and confidence in execution

By the end of grade 12:

a. Use tools, techniques and processes proficiently

b. Purposefully select tools, techniques, and processes that best represent subject, theme, and concepts.

2.
HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT: Understand how art has shaped and preserved history and culture.

To meet this standard, students will:

2.1 Understand how history and culture have influenced art

By the end of grade 2:

a. Recognize that all cultures produce art.

b. Understand that art transcends time.

By the end of grade 5:


a. Relate works of art to a particular time period
b. Understand that culture and historical events influence art

By the end of grade 8:

a. Identify artists and artistic movements within a specific time period.
b. Compare and contrast artworks from different cultures and historical periods

By the end of grade 12:

a. Critically analyze the context and function of specific art objects, artists, and art movements within varied cultures, times, and places

b. Know that the roles of artists have changed over time and throughout cultures.

2.2 Understand how art has influenced and defined history and culture

By the end of grade 2:

a. Identify and compare art that is used in cultural celebrations.

By the end of grade 5:

a. Recognize that art objects, motifs, and styles define cultural identity.

By the end of grade 8:

a. Identify influences of art and artists on cultural and historical events

b. Identify examples and discuss how visual art is used to shape people’s ideas and opinions.

By the end of grade 12:

a. Understand how societies throughout history have used imagery to define and promote political, social, and cultural agendas

b. Understand the persuasive power images have in shaping/reinforcing the culture/society’s identity

c. Understand how commercial and media images shape contemporary and traditional cultures.

3.
PERCEPTION AND EVALUATION: Using the language of art, students critically analyze, derive meaning from, and evaluate artwork.

To meet this standard, students will:

3.1 Describe art works using the language of art.

By the end of grade 2:

a.Use the senses to make observations about works of art

b. Use basic art concepts and vocabulary when making observations.

By the end of grade 5:

a. Use the vocabulary of art to compare and contrast works of art

By the end of grade 8:

a. Use the vocabulary of art to describe, explain, and classify the information in works of art

By the end of grade 12:

a. Use appropriate art vocabulary to articulate how the elements of art and principles of design communicate relationships within works of art.

3.2 Describe art works using the language of art.

By the end of grade 2:

a. Communicate ideas and feelings about works of art

b. Use basic art concepts and vocabulary when communicating ideas and feelings about work

By the end of grade 5:

a. Communicate and support interpretations of works of art.

b. Interpret a work of art in light of the context in which it was created.

By the end of grade 8:

a. Ask relevant questions about works of art.

b. Analyze and communicate well-supported interpretations of art work showing an informed point of view

By the end of grade 12:

a. Pose informed and challenging questions about art work

b. Communicate interpretations of art works, supported by an understanding of the artist’s purpose.

c. Interpret works of art, taking into consideration artist’s purpose and the historic and social context of the work.

d. Demonstrate an informed curiosity that challenges conventional interpretations of works of art.

3.3 Judge and evaluate art works using the language of art

By the end of grade 2:

a. Evaluate works of art based on personal points of view
.
b. Use basic art concepts and vocabulary when evaluating works of art.

By the end of grade 5:

a. Use external criteria to judge and evaluate works of art.

b. Use art concepts and vocabulary to generate personal criteria for evaluating works of art.

c. Use art concepts and vocabulary to reflect upon works of art.

By the end of grade 8:

a. Make insightful judgments about works of art, using an extensive range of art terms and concepts.

b. Generate and apply criteria to evaluate and critique the merit and significance of works of art.
c. Thoughtfully select, organize, and reflect upon works of art for a portfolio.

By the end of grade 12:

a. Communicate in-depth critiques of the merit and significance of works of art, using social, cultural, historical and/or contextual relationships.

b. Generate and apply criteria to select works for a portfolio that reflects artistic growth and achievement.

4.
4. CONNECTIONS: Make connections between art, personal experience, and the world. To meet this standard, students will:

4.1 Make connections to other curricular areas

By the end of grade 2:

a. Identify art concepts that cross disciplines (e.g., pattern, shape, scale, form, balance, repetition, rhythm)

b. Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between words and images by applying text to images and images to text.

By the end of grade 5:

a. Use artwork to communicate and enhance understanding of concepts in other subject areas (e.g., science, English language arts, mathematics, social studies).

By the end of grade 8:

a. Understand how the arts can increase understanding in other curricular areas and how other curricular areas can increase capacity in visual art.

By the end of grade 12:

a. Synthesize knowledge of visual art and other curricular areas in order to enhance products and/or performance in each area.

4.2 Make connections between visual art and the performing arts

By the end of grade 2:

a. Identify the different forms of the arts.
b. Understand what the arts have in common.
c. Be aware that the arts can relate and combine for one purpose.

By the end of grade 5:

a. Describe the contributions of art forms and of artists in a multidisciplinary work of art.

By the end of grade 8:

a. Understand that multidisciplinary works of art (e.g., musical theater, film, MTV) are more than the sum of their parts.

b. Compare the media, materials and processes (e.g., perceiving, responding, creating and communicating) used in visual art with those used in other arts disciplines.

By the end of grade 12:

a. Synthesize knowledge of visual art and other art forms in order to enhance products and/or performance in the arts.

4.3 Make personal connections with visual art

By the end of grade 2:

a. Describe how art enriches people’s lives.

By the end of grade 5:

a. Understand the ways in which we incorporate art into our lives (e.g., creating, collecting, appreciating)

By the end of grade 8:

a. Understand how art contributes to self-expression.

b. Understand how and why knowledge of the arts is fundamental to our appreciation of our world and who we are.

c. Understand how art is a universal language for expression and can transcend cultural barriers.

By the end of grade 12:

a. Understand how art can foster growth and continuous personal enrichment.

4.4 Make connections between the study of art and art careers.

By the end of grade 2:

a. Identify products that artists design and make and the careers of those who make them.

By the end of grade 5:

a. Identify art professions that require a portfolio for employment (e.g., architect, photographer, graphic designer and book illustrator).

By the end of grade 8:

a. Understand the discipline that is necessary to pursue a career in art.

b. Understand the contributions that artists make and the importance of these contributions to society.

By the end of grade 12:

a. Understand the habits of mind and the characteristics of the professional artist (e.g., taking risks, capacity to observe, self discipline, organization).

b. Identify the experience, education and training needed for various careers in art.

c. Identify portfolio requirements for employment in various art professions (e.g., architect, photographer, graphic designer and book illustrator).