A Portfolio Exemplifying Development of the Personal Intelligences Using Art

by Wagner, Kate

A Portfolio Exemplifying Development of the Personal Intelligences Using Art explores the idea that art is an essential component to educational curriculum for its values in lessons found nowhere else in the curriculum. Art teaches visual-spatial abilities, observation, reflection, self-criticism, and the willingness to experiment, or take risks, and learn from mistakes (Studio Thinking: The Real Benefits of Visual Arts Education, 2007, Hetland, Winner, et al.). These lessons have been coined as the Studio Habits of Mind (Hetland and Winner, et al.). These skills are essential to promoting a strong population armed with the knowledge to lead us into our unpredictable future. Moreover, in light of sound educational practice, educators are encouraged to adopt not only art in their classrooms for these rich experiences, but to include multi-modal techniques that hard wire the brain for information retention. The integration of the Studio Habits of Mind with lessons enforcing interpersonal and intrapersonal explorations create a strong model for exemplifying the values of art in education, which will in turn promote a strong population as confident leaders and innovators. The portfolio illustrates examples of artistic experiences that teach varying depths of the studio habits of mind along with either interpersonal or intrapersonal themes.