Required Text:
Selected Text: Edwards, L. C. (2010). The Creative Arts: a process approach for teachers and children. (5th Ed.) Merrill.

Course Description:
This course will be a student-centered course designed to explore artistic expression in early childhood and elementary classrooms. This course is designed to help aspiring early childhood teachers become knowledgeable about methods for exploring art, music, and physical movement, and become skillful in integrating art, music, and physical exploration activities into the curriculum. Course content will include an examination of models of teaching and methods for appropriately integrating these expressive arts throughout the curriculum. The main emphasis of the course will be on cultivating an understanding of and appreciation for various modes of expression through a review of written material and through a range of hands-on artistic experiences.

Educational Philosophy:
I cannot simply teach you what you need to know about helping children to express themselves artistically. In order for you to effectively learn about children's expression in school you must be willing to be an active participant in the learning process. Therefore this will be a completely student-centered course. As a class we will all be responsible for agreeing on the structure of the course: what we read, what experiences we engage in, what we discuss, what assessments are used and how they are graded. My role will be a facilitator and coordinator. I will be available to provide you with a variety of resources that can assist you in learning, including outside artists. Your job will be to utilize these artists and these resources, ask questions, pursue your own learning and help me to know what you do and do not understand.
I have set aside time for office hours so that I can help. You may also drop in unannounced any time I am in the office. Furthermore, I have included my email address in order to encourage your questions and comments, and my home phone number in case you encounter pressing questions or problems. How much you learn in this course will be directly proportional to your personal motivation and level of involvement.

As a result of participating in this course, prospective teachers will be able to:
• design lessons that appropriately integrate expressive arts activities throughout the curriculum.
• experience an increased sensitivity to and awareness of the need for the expressive arts in the early childhood classroom.
• analyze and discuss current issues in art, music, and physical activities.
• demonstrate professionalism in joining in and trying new expressive arts activities.
• recognize the difference between process oriented student-centered art projects, and product oriented teacher directed "craft" projects.
• display the ability to recognize a variety of art media, techniques and processes, and demonstrate an understanding of how to use them appropriately with young children.
• demonstrate an increased feel for the aesthetics of art appreciation.
• understand the visual arts as they relate to the world's history and cultures.
• demonstrate an understanding of methods for fostering singing, movement, and playing musical instruments in their own classrooms.
• recognize the importance of early musical experiences as a means of fostering cognitive development.
• display developmentally appropriate methods for responding to music.
• recognize techniques for helping students create music.
• demonstrate their understanding of musical terminology.
• demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of physical exploration methods designed to foster gross and fine motoric development.
• recognize methods for fostering movement and fitness literacy.
• demonstrate methods for assessing students' physical developmental needs.
• demonstrate the ability to conduct one’s self professionally in and out of class.
• recognize the importance of fun for learners of all ages

Course Requirements
This course will be interactive, hands-on and short. It is expected that students will come to class ready to explore and to express themselves. The course will utilize a number of different types of assignments and learning experiences: class attendance, readings and contribution to class discussions: lesson plans and a final project that involves a microteaching performance for your peers.

Attendance. You are expected to attend and actively participate in each class. Because some materials presented in class will not be contained in the readings and we will engage in many expressive experiences, it is important that you attend every class.

Reading Assignments. This is a student-centered course, which means that classes will revolve around the interests and ideas that you bring to the class. Therefore it is important that you come prepared to contribute to discussions, and prepared to express yourself in the workshops. All supplemental readings are on electronic reserve and the password is easy to learn.You are expected to read the assigned chapter in the textbooks and any other designated readings BEFORE each class period. This will give you time to formulate questions and ideas that you may have about the readings and allow you to more fully participate during that class period. I also strongly encourage you to explore other relevant resources and to share them with your peers.

Final Project.
As a culminating project, on the last day of class you will be asked put together a lesson plan and a microteaching presentation/activity for your peers. The purpose of these short lessons will be for you to model expressive art curricula, and to receive feedback on your lessons from your peers. This lesson plan must be written using the COE lesson plan format or another accepted format, and must involve a topic that reflects the traditions of the culture of your choice. You are expected to design a lesson that is culturally sensitive and that uses materials and techniques that are as culturally authentic as possible (keep in mind that Africa is not a culture, but a collection of cultures). You are also expected to accompany your presentation with a written copy of the lesson plans that you can distribute to your peers prior to the presentation. This lesson plan must contain a rationale describing the thinking and reasoning behind your choices for each element of the lesson. What was your pedagogical and educational psychological reasoning for the coices that you made? I recommend that you work in teams of two or three on collaborative projects. On Jan. 25th, you will be asked to do a short 15 minute (per person) presentation of your lesson in which you describe the expressive techniques that you have developed for one or more of your lessons and walk us through a short expressive element of your lesson. A rubric is available that will be used to evaluate your project.
I expect each group to submit a written paragraph describing the project idea no later than Jan. 18th.
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Grades:
Assessment of the final project will be based on a scale of 1-5. A basic guideline for evaluation is as follows.

A score of 5 will be given when the work is thorough, insightful, and demonstrates a comprehensive understanding.
A score of 3 will be given when the work is adequate, accurate, and demonstrates a basic understanding.
A score of 1 will be given when the work is inadequate, demonstrates misunderstanding, and is lacking in effort.

Final grades for this course will be based on 3 components. Your class attendance and contribution to class discussions, participation in class activities, and the quality of your and final project and lesson plans. Final letter grades will be assigned based on the following rubric.

Students who have received 5's to 4's on assessments will receive an A-B
Students who have received 4's and 3's on most assessments will receive a B-C
Students who have received 3's and 2's on most assessments will receive a C-D
Students who have received scores lower than 2's on most assessments will not receive a passing grade.

Class Schedule

Special Needs:
It is our intent to fully include persons with special needs in this course. Please let us know if you need any special accommodations in the curriculum, instruction, or assessment to enable you to participate fully. We will make every effort to maintain the confidentiality of any information you share with us.

University and College of Education Policies
Be aware of the Pacific University Code of Academic Conduct and the College of Education policies for professional behavior and the competent and ethical performance of educators. In this course students are expected to demonstrate behavior consistent with the Professional and Academic Standards in the College of Education. Pacific University Professional Programs Course Catalog.

Students With Disabilities
In general, the University will work with students to improve conditions that may hinder their learning. The university requires appropriate documentation of a disability in order to enable students to meet academic standards. It is the responsibility of each student to inform the Director of Learning Support Services of his or her disability. Students are encouraged to work with faculty proactively in developing strategies for accommodation. This policy is described at Pacific University Professional Programs Course Catalog.

Incompletes
Instructors may issue a grade of incomplete only when the major portion of a course has been completed satisfactorily, but health or other emergency reasons prevent the student from finishing all the requirements in the course. The instructor and the student should agree upon a deadline by which all work will be completed, with the following guidelines:
1. Incompletes given for Fall and or Winter III terms must be completed by the following April 15.
2. Incompletes given for Spring semester must be completed by the following November 15.
Instructors will issue the grade the student would have earned by not completing the course, preceded by an "I". This grade is determined by including a failing grade for the missing assignment(s) in the calculation of the final grade. If the agreed upon course work is not completed in the period allotted and an extension has not been granted, the grade issued will be permanent. The contingency grade will be used in the computation of the GPA until such time as a new grade is recorded. See the Pacific University Professional Programs Course Catalog.

Grade Changes
Once a grade is submitted to the Registrar it shall not be changed except in the case of recording errors. Grade changes will be approved by the appropriate Dean. See the Pacific University Professional Programs Course Catalog.

Safe Environment Policy
Pacific University's Rights and Responsibilities policy seeks to maintain conditions favorable to learning. Students have the right to pursue an education free from discrimination based on gender, religion, marital status, age, sexual orientation or handicap. Students have the responsibility to conduct themselves, both individually and in groups, in a manner which promotes an atmosphere conducive to teaching, studying and learning. This policy is described in detail in Pacific University Professional Programs Course Catalog.

Academic Integrity
Honesty and integrity are expected of all students in class preparation, examinations, assignments, practicums and other academic work. Misconduct includes, but is not limited to cheating; plagiarism; forgery; fabrication; theft of instructional materials or tests; unauthorized access or manipulation of laboratory or clinic equipment or computer programs; alteration of grade books, clinical records, files or computer grades; misuse of research data in reporting results; use of personal relationships to gain grades or favors or other attempts to obtain grades or credit through fraudulent means; unprofessional conduct related to student care; threats to University personnel and conduct inconsistent with academic integrity. The complete policy, definitions and appeal procedures are described Pacific University Professional Programs Course Catalog.

"It is a blessed thing to have an imagination.”
Mark Twain