The art program at Columbine is based on a comprehensive approach to art education that takes advantage of art’s special power to educate.  This holistic and multifaceted approach to art education is called Discipline-Based Art Education (DBAE).  It is an effective means to help students experience the visual arts in a variety of ways.

The creation of artwork and inquiry into the meaning of the arts are primary means through which we understand human experiences and transmit cultural values.  Not only do I incorporate paintings, drawings, sculpture,  architecture and the commercial arts into the lessons, but also craft and folk arts such as ceramics and weaving.  Students work with and study a variety of visual images and objects that carry unique meaning for human beings from many cultures and times.

I integrate content from the four disciplines that contribute to the creation, understanding, and appreciation of art.  These disciplines of art provide knowledge, skills, and understandings that enable students to have a broad and rich experience with works of art

1. by making art (art production)

2. by responding to and making judgments about the properties and qualities that exist in visual forms (art criticism)

3. by acquiring knowledge about the contributions artists and art makes to culture and society (art history); and

4. by understanding the nature, meaning, and value of art (aesthetics).

I adapt this framework to the specific needs of our students at Columbine.  I integrate the arts with other subject areas whenever possible creating a more complete learning experience while integrating with the classroom curriculum. 

This method of art instruction is also compatible with the National and State Standards in Art Education.