Abstract
This project is an Alternative Culminating Experience for a Master of Arts in Education: Curriculum and Instruction. This researcher utilized Pathway II, narrative research, to develop her teaching artistry. The research documented her efforts to incorporate theory of arts-enriched education into classroom practice. Prior to the research, this teacher did not incorporate arts into the classroom in a significant way. Reasons for this were as follows: lack of arts instruction experience; past negative encounters with her own arts education; and current educational focus by the school district primarily on math and language arts instruction for the purpose of meeting criteria set forth in the federal bill “No Child Left Behind.” This teacher researched literature supporting the importance of arts inclusion in education. She completed instruction in children’s theater courses and Waldorf philosophy and practice applied to public education, and researched literature relevant to these subjects as well. Community time in her fifth grade classroom was enriched by introduction of theater games and music about three days a week. She also improved her teaching artistry by using the Waldorf inspired approach to teach science and language arts curriculum. Lesson plans included active and emotional experience through arts to connect students to concepts. The teacher documented her progress developing teaching artistry as follows: She observed her implementation of the lessons and responses to them by the students. She documented her own and students’ dialog as well. Observations were written in a journal. Following the activity, the teacher reflected on the degree of success in the implementation of the activities and how their delivery could be improved for greater effectiveness. These reflections and subsequent delivery efforts also were recorded in the journal. This researcher’s narrative documents her courage to successfully engage fifth graders in arts-based activities. The researcher learned the importance of confident presentation of activities, as well as the importance of strict guidelines for student behavior during activities for arts-based activities to be successful. As artistry improved, the narrative documented the joy students experienced, improved social skills and willingness to participate in new experiences, and their increased motivation to learn the subject material. In short, the project documented the power arts brought to this fifth-grade classroom, and the inspiration the author has received to continue her pursuit of creating an arts-based classroom.