Reflections on: Arts as Epistemology

Arts as Epistemology: Enabling Children to Know What They Know

By Karen Gallas

Reflections:

Reading this article gave me a whole new perspective about creative arts and the use of this medium to enhance learning. I think that most teachers use some form of creative or visual arts as part of the learning process but probable not to the degree that Gallas does in her first grade classroom. As I read the descriptions of the different phases of her unit on life cycles, I could envision the learning that was taking place—very powerful! I see this as a tool to help students learn, understand, and show that they grasp what is being taught. Should this be the only tool we use? I don’t think so. Like the mechanic or the carpenter, we must use many tools to get the job done, to make learning happen.

Gallas states that “true knowing involves transformation and change, rather than memorization and regurgitation” (Gallas, 1991, p. 293). She uses the art mediums such as drama, poetry, movement, music, and visual arts to allow students to learn and express what they are learning. This allows for all students to learn according to their learning styles. I have never thought of addressing learning styles in this manner even though I have used various forms of creative arts in my classroom. So often we do things with our students that impact learning in a positive way and we don’t fully realize the extent of that impact. This past year, as part of the 6th grade health curriculum, students were required to revisit the body systems. As part of the learning process, I broke students into groups and had each group explore one body system. Their task was to be able to explain to classmates how that body system works and how it is interdependent with all the other systems of the body. I guided each group as they explored and investigated. The end product of this project was a presentation by each group. These presentations were in the form of rap songs, pictures, drawings, charts, and three dimensional models. One group acted out their presentation as they became that body system. Each group got the whole class involved. Their presentations were great and they had fun doing this. More importantly, I saw that they really understood the information. I also discovered that as they involved the whole class everyone was learning. It made me realize that this is a good part of learning and understanding. This type of activity wouldn’t work for every aspect of the curriculum to be taught but it is a good tool. I think that this is the message the Gallas is trying to convey.Gallas takes us through the whole process that evolves in her classroom as her students learn about life cycles. This is a good introduction to what we will be experiencing as we create our own units of study using the arts as a medium. She expresses the opinion that the “arts make it possible for all children to participate fully in the process of education” (Gallas, 1991, p. 303). Although I’m not sure what lies ahead with regard to our own projects, I think this will be a great learning experience.