Katelin Phelps

ARTE 302
Dr. E. Delacruz
2/1/10

Gude- Synopsis

Reading the articles this week, especially the Art Education for Democratic Life and
looking through Gude’s website was very interesting and fun. I have always like reading
about her ideas for approaching art education in the classroom. This is because they are a
new postmodern approach instead of the principles and elements that are normally taught in
the classroom. These new approaches are talked about it Gude’s articles Postmodern
Approaches (2004) and Principles of Possibility (2007), which I have read for various other
classes. In her article Art Education for Democratic Life, Gude discusses the importance of
using art to help create responsible, socially aware, responsible individuals who can actively
participate in society. Finally, in Gude’s Rubic for a Quality Art Curriculum she discusses
the importance aspects of a quality curriculum. A few of these aspects include a curriculum
that focuses on the experiences of the students and teacher, is fun for both the students
and teachers, includes a variety of mediums and projects so students can experience a
variety of learning, and it takes seriously its role in fostering intellectual development,
aesthetic sophistication, and proactive people.
Overall, I am fascinated by Gude’s ideas and especially the projects they have done
through her spiral curriculum. I wish that I had had the opportunity to experience art classes
that shared these ideas and approaches for lessons. I really enjoy her principle of play. I
think that it is a simple way to introduce students to art and to open up their comfort ability
with art and their own creativity. The principle of play is something that we used in the
curriculum for Art201. On the first day we have the students play around with pre-printed
out Rorschach inkblots. We ask them to look at the inkblots and to draw or embellish what
they see in the images. Once they are finished we have them compare their findings with
other students who had the same inkblots. The students really enjoyed this activity because
it didn’t necessarily focus on their drawing skills or other measurable skills. Rather it
focused on their creativity or their ability to see something in the inkblots.

Lesson Plan Ideas-

Recontextualization/Juxtaposition/Appropriation- Students would be asked to explore a

social issue that is important to them. They will use images to create a collage that
comments on the social issue. Students will look at the artworks of Ron English, Robert
Rauschenberg, among others.
Play/Hybridity- Students will be asked explore a variety of materials in an activity that asks
them to make a mess. This activity can be used fro students’ of all ages. It helps them to
gain experience and a comfortablilty with the materials without the limited constraints of a
project.

Representin’/Juxtaposition - Students will be asked to create a piece that discusses their

own experiences and interests in making art. That is, what makes them the artist they are
today, What influences their artistic choices, etc.