Parallel Session Proceedings »
3.4.2 Gifted Students and the Exploration of Affects Through the Arts
The purpose of this session is to address how visual and performing arts classes can support the social-emotional needs of gifted students. Arts classes allow students to express their unique personal experiences within shared group activities. This session will discuss the ways arts teachers can help gifted students understand the emotional expressions of other artists, and to express their own personal emotions through the creation of art.
Literature addressing arts education has both contemporary and historical champions and researchers; however, very little research has been conducted to study the direct impact arts education can have on gifted students within the area of affective needs. Van Tassel-Baska, Buckingham, and Baska exalt the role arts can play within the affective lessons of gifted students by providing “many with the psychological distance they need to really understand what it is that they are seeing in the patterns played out within their own lives.” Because of the emotional subtext within all art-forms, arts courses offer an environment that is conducive to caring emotional growth and support.
Art and music courses are existing parts of most elementary school curricula, providing an opportunity to help every student to form a personal connection with the arts from an early age. These pre-existing opportunities for emotional exploration, expression, and recognition compel classroom dialog to surpass mere conversation and didactic teaching, and evolve into “a common search for understanding, empathy, or appreciation” (Noddings, 2005, p. 23). Effective arts curricula care for the emotional needs of students and foster emotional growth as intentionally as they foster academic growth. Arts classes allow students to explore creativity in an environment that highly values originality and personal expression.
The role arts can play in the curriculum as well as the personal lives of students is incredibly valuable. Through the arts, one can explore the emotions of others and make a personal expression of feeling. The arts are open to different interpretations and stylized approaches, leaving room for endless possible forms of emotional and creative expression.
Noddings, N. (2005). The challenge to care in schools: An alternative approach to education. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Van Tassel-Baska, J., Buckingham, B. L. E., & Baska, A. (2009). The role of the arts in the socieomotional development of the gifted. In Van Tassel-Baska, J.L., Cross, T.L., & Olenchak, F.R. (Eds). Social-emotional curriculum with gifted and talented students. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.