INTEGRATING ART INTO THE CLASSROOM

Gary Bowen's presentation Friday and Saturday was one component in a five-weekend class, An Integrated Approach to Teaching the Arts, being offered to teachers throughout the region.

This weekend was primarily devoted to art, and included presentations by Southeast professor Dr. Ed Smith, creativity consultant Dr. Corliss McAllister and Crayola representative Tony Beire.

A previous weekend explored music with Norwegian composer Geir Knutson, Southeast professor Dr. Marlin McCutchan and Clippard School teacher Pam Dumey.

Upcoming weekends will range through history, dance, science, math, communications and teaching methods. The presenters will include teacher Barb Duncan, dance professor Dr. Marc Strauss, theater professor Dennis C. Seyer, Southeast education professors Drs. Cindy and Kevin Anderson and visual arts teachers Drs. Larry and Margaret Peeno.

The class is being presented by Goals 2000, the fine arts grant written by Drs. Ann and Robert Gifford with the goal of integrating the arts into the general curriculum.

Kindergarten teacher Sharon Elwell of East Prairie called the class "a collage of different learning. A lot of this is too old for my children but not too old for me.

Gloria Schumer, who teaches music to kindergarteners and first-graders in Campbell, took a similar class during the fall semester. She says her own enthusiasm for teaching has increased and she already uses the inspirational ideas.

"When I teach a song, I know there's so much more to teach, including the story behind the song."

Nancy Pfeiffer works with KSAM, a Southeast program aimed at getting children interested in school. She assigns teachers who go into classrooms from the Bootheel to St. Louis.

The said the program is directly in line with the new educational standards coming out of Jefferson City. "Students must do it and explain what they've done," she said. "It promotes understanding, not just check 1, 2, 3 or 4."