ABOUT THE AUTHOR MY NAME IS CELIA KIM GIBSON AND I WILL BEGIN MY SIXTH YEAR OF TEACHING ELEMENTARY ART AT CONCORDIA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SHANGHAI THIS SCHOOL YEAR. (2021) THE STEM INITIATIVE AT CONCORDIA SHANGHAI IS IN FULL SWING. THE VISUAL ARTS DEPARTMENT ENSURES A SEAMLESS INTEGRATION INTO THE STEAM PROGRAM. WE PUT THE 'A' IN STEAM! THE VISUAL ARTS IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS FOR LEARNING TO TAKE PLACE ABOUT THE SELF AND OTHERS WHILE PERSONALIZING CURRICULUM CONTENT FROM OTHER CORE ACADEMIC SUBJECTS. THE INTEGRATION OF SUBJECT MATTER SUCH AS MATH, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES AND LITERACY CREATES A GESTALT OF POWERFUL, MEMORABLE LEARNING EXPERIENES. ART IS A FACILITATOR AND A MEANS FOR UNDERSTANDING, PROCESSING, AND INTERNALIZING KNOWLEDGE AND TRANSFORMING PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE INTO WISDOM. THE VISUAL ARTS THROUGH THE CREATIVE/DESIGN PROCESS INCORPORATES A VARIETY OF THINKING SKILLS INLCUDING ANALYSIS, CRITCAL, CREATIVE, AND FLEXIBLE THINKING, AND DECISION MAKING WHILE IMPLEMENTING ACTION THROUGH THE CREATION OF PRODUCT AND/OR PROJECT-BASED ACTIVITIES. ART BUILDS SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS THROUGH COMMUNICATION, COLLABORATION, AND SELF-EXPRESSION. TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION IS SEAMLESS IN THE AREA OF ART AND THE VISUAL ARTS PROVIDE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE DIGITAL WORKS AND USE TECHNOLOGY TOOLS AND DIGITAL DEVICES TO ENHANCE ALL OTHER FORMS OF LEARNING. ART IS A POWERFUL CATALYST ON WHICH TO BUILD AND IS AN ESSENTIAL PART TO INNOVATIVE LEARNING THROUGH STEAM. (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOLGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS, AND MATH).
