The Difference between Regular Art and Smart Art in Schools.

Smart Art differs from other school art programs because it solely focuses on academics, rather than one expression of an art form. Therefore it is not limited to a certain art class but can be used across all curriculum areas: Literature, History, Science, Math, Social Studies, English etc.

Smart Art is unique because its goal individualizes a student’s expression where art in other areas focuses on the same or very similar class expression. When I began teaching about Smart Art, people assumed it was the same as Art as used in visual art classes. That is not bad, but it is limited. Smart Art uses all the arts.

Visual Art Classes vs Smart Art

Visual Art teachers usually teach all grade levels in one school. They naturally adjust the art form to match the skills of each grade level, but

Visual Arts teachers typically teach one art form at a time.

For example, all students in a Visual Art class learn drawing skills at the same day. Smart Art allows students to choose their Art form.

Smart Art in a geography class,for example, students may be studying different terrains like mountains, valleys and plains. Smart Art would allow each student to express their imagination in different ways. Using any of the Learning Styles.

● One student may create a song and dance that mimics the different geographical terrains. (Auditory strength)

● Another may express their Smart Art sculpting in clay or playdough different landscapes. (Kinesthetic strength)

● They may write a poem or song (Visual-Picture or Auditory

● Another may draws a map (Visual-word)

Smart Art allows students to use their strengths and imagine a new representation and create it.

Inventories to determine each students Learning Styles AND Multiple Intelligences are given each year to discover individual strengths. This information gives teachers, parents

and students a short cut to understanding their personal talents and choosing their strongest Art Form.

Instead of measuring IF a student is gifted,

HOW each student is gifted !”

It is through understanding Gardner’s theory that I have come to celebrate the solid belief that each student has a gift. The nine intelligences are as follows: MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES created by Howard Gardner, Harvard Professor 1. Interpersonal- team skit

2. Intrapersonal- poem

3. Mathematics- graph

4. Musical- song

5. Kinesthetic- sculpture

6. Linguistic- play

7. Visual - drawing

8. Naturalistic- photo from nature

9. Spiritual- (sometimes not included) -prayer

(After each Multiple Intelligence I added an example of an Art form students could use in class. )

Smart Art is Academic Art.

SMART ART moves students to the Highest Levels of Thinking

BECAUSE they create an example of that academic lesson or idea.

According Blooms Taxonomy results of a 40 year study.