National Art Education Association

An Editorial: Telling Stories, Telling TalesAuthor(s): B. Stephen Carpenter, IISource: Art Education, Vol. 58, No. 5 (Sep., 2005), pp. 4-5Published by: National Art Education AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27696093 .

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AN EDITORIAL

Among my fondest memories of 4th

grade were reading biographies and

autobiographies of famous people.

The trips down the

hallway to the school library were

special events.

Telling Stories, Telli

My friends and I knew exactly where to find the books written about important figures, and we

checked the collection often for new additions. Specifically,

I remember reading about Benjamin Banneker, George Washington Carver, Madame Curie, Frederick

Douglass, Thomas Alva Edison, W. C. Handy, and Harriet Tubman. The stories of their lives were fasci

nating to me. I remember thinking that all of the people I read about struggled against something or someone, and in spite of such resistance, they succeeded. I wondered why all of the people whose lives were recorded in those books had to go through such tough times in order to be successful. Somehow, I guess I

made a connection between struggle and success?the cause and effect characteristics of an important life.

But I also remember wondering who gathered the information about these people in order to tell their stories. How did the authors know so much about these famous people? What parts of their life stories did they leave out? Was the information in these books accurate? Were there other books about these people and what did they say? Why did there seem to be more biographies than autobiographies? What other important people do not have books written about them? These are serious questions for 9-year olds to ask and for their teachers to help answer.

The articles in this issue of the journal are concerned with the responsibility of telling auto-biographies and

biographies. They also help narrate part of the ongoing, multi-faceted story of art education to this point, a

story that at times seems to have parallel or contradic

tory authors. Amazingly complex, any rendition of the

story of art education is reflected in past and current lives. It is told through finger paint, papier m?ch?, and

masks. It is passed down from teacher to student, from master to apprentice. Regardless of who is narrating, it is as much a domestic tale as it is an international story. The story of art education, at least based on the tales offered through the articles to follow, embraces a

spiritual and philosophical aspect that is not often

conveyed through merely looking at or following step by-step instructions on how to assist children in the creation of visual artifacts. More than one of the articles in this issue reminds us of the role of the arts in

developing and exploring issues related to mind, body, spirit, and culture.

Veronica Mayer tells the story of Ruth Faison Shaw and her method of teaching finger painting. Christine

Ballengee-Morris, with Pamela G. Taylor, explores the

challenges of designing and teaching culturally sensitive curricula. Sung Do Yi and Hye Sook Kim tell about the content and practices of traditional Korean art and curriculum in relationship to Western cultural

perspectives and practices of instruction. Sylvia Kind, Rita L. Irwin, Kit Grauer, and Alex de Cosson share an account of a First Nations artist, teacher, and story teller named Gabriel, and his role in an artist-in-the schools program. William Charland shares an overview of historical and contemporary apprenticeship in art and education in the United States. Karen Heid tells about aesthetic understanding through interpersonal and intrapersonal interactions. And, in the Instructional Resources section, Deborah K?ster reveals the work and life of Clyde Connell, a Southern artist whose work was inspired by the sounds and

sights of her life in Louisiana.

The contributions to this issue reveal that any version of the story of art education is not limited to works of art. It also includes artifacts, visual

culture, and material culture objects that are created,

examined, and exhibited for their visual, conceptual, and contextual content. A subplot of the tale is the

importance of demonstrating respect for other people, other times, other places, and other practices.

Although biographies have their place, we must also remember to listen to other people tell their own

stories rather than assume that we might be more

capable or privileged to speak for them. Even the letter to the editor in this issue demonstrates the importance of explaining one's story from one's own perspective.

4 ART EDUCATION / SEPTEMBER 2005

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ng Tales Perhaps we should save space in our libraries for

stories from many different storytellers and not limit our reading selection to authors or subjects with which we are most familiar or in agreement. Certainly, the story of the field of art education is comprised of

many stories and many narrators. Telling our own

stories is important. What is your part of the story?

B. Stephen Carpenter, II Editor

B. Stephen Carpenter, II is associate

professor of art education and visual

culture in the Department of Teaching,

Learning, and Culture, Texas A&M

University, College Station. E-mail:

bscarpenter@tamu. edu

Letter TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor:

We were delighted to see not one, but two, articles in the March 2005 issue that discussed our Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS)

program (Melinda M. Mayer, "Bridging the Theory-Practice Divide in Contemporary Art Museum Education," page 13; and Beth

Goldberg, "Art of the Narrative: Interpreting Visual Stories," page 25). We were also impressed with how astutely the two authors understood and explained for your readers the history, methods, and goals of VTS.

We have one concern, however. On the third paragraph of page 25, Ms. Goldberg states, "This Instructional Resources follows the Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) developed by art educator Philip Yenawine." VTS was in fact a collaboration between Abigail Housen and Philip Yenawine. Abigail has been present for, and

actively involved in, every stage of its development. Abigail's research and pedagogical ideas, based in her study of aesthetic

development, provided the point of departure for the design that she and Philip have refined and elaborated on for a decade or more.

Again, we appreciate the interest of your authors and the Art Education editorial board in VTS, and would be happy to answer

any questions you may have, now or in the future.

Sincerely, Gerard Holms

Administrative Director Visual Understanding in Education New York, New York

0X

Special Issue of Art Education "Exemplary Content, Curricula, and Criteria for Assessment in Art Education."

In response to Objective 1 and Strategy 1.2 in the 2004-2007 NAEA Strategic Plan, Art Education seeks manuscripts for a special issue to address research on learning in the visual arts that highlights exemplary content, curricula, and criteria for assessment. The deadline for submission for this special issue is March 1, 2006.

What is exemplary content in art education? What counts as

knowledge in the visual arts? What do exemplary curricula in art education look like? What are the essential qualities of an exemplary art curriculum? What is or should be assessed in art education? What qualifies as exemplary criteria for assessment in art education? How do we know? Who decides? What does research tell us about exemplary art education practice?

Manuscripts may be submitted electronically or in hard copy. Submissions postmarked after March 1, 2006 will not be consid ered for this issue. Authors may submit an electronic manuscript as an e-mail attachment (MSWord.doc or RichTextFormat.doc only) to bscarpenter@tamu.edu. In the cover letter or e-mail, authors must

include an abstract (500 words), indicate that the submission should be considered for this special issue, specify that the manuscript has been read by someone knowledgeable in the field of education and/or art education, and clearly state that the

manuscript is not currently under review elsewhere and has not been published previously. Manuscripts should be 3,000 words in length and follow APA style. Hard-copy manuscripts should be sent in triplicate to:

B. Stephen Carpenter, II

Editor, Art Education Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture Texas A&M University 4232 TAMU College Station, Texas 77845

Visit http://www.naea-reston.org/publications-writingfornaea.html for Author Guidelines, or contact the editor.

SEPTEMBER 2005 / ART EDUCATION 5

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