Annotated Bibliography for Inquiry Project

1. Whitehead, J.L. (2004). Graffiti: The Use of the Familiar https://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&attid=0.1&thid=1202ffba8affe0e2&mt=application%2Fpdf&pli=1

One of the main forms of street art is graffiti. When we think of urban areas it is easy to imagine walls covered in graffiti as a result of vandalism. But it is also important to consider the history behind graffiti, why it exists, what it represents, the different kinds, and mainly who its target audience is. In this article the author is certain that most students are familiar with graffiti and that including a lesson about it in art class can be beneficial, as long as the teacher explains that without the owners’ permission, it is illegal to paint on building walls.

I believe this article is important to include as part of my inquiry project because I believe teaching students about graffiti can engage them in understanding art and its relation to expression and emotion, motivating them to create their own pieces of art. I personally would use it as part of an introductory lesson, since graffiti is much about identity, an important aspect that needs to be explained to students about art.

2. Moskowitz, E.S. (2003). A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words: Arts Education in New York City Public Schools
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1b/5a/d9.pdf

This article describes the importance of art education to academic achievement, personal development, and parent involvement. It also describes what quality art education is like as well as the deficiencies New York City public schools have. It examines 6 main problems NY PS’s have and offers recommendations made by the education committee, as well as by teachers, and principals.

The six problems are the following:
- Instruction is not comprehensive
- Resources are insufficient and inequitable
- Art Education is undervalued
- Shortage of qualified art educators
- Variable quality of partnerships with cultural organizations
- There are insufficient facilities for art education

Even though this article focuses on NYC public schools, I believe Newark schools face very similar problems that can be solved in similar ways. But most importantly, this article offers clear information as to why art education is crucial in public urban education for its students to be well rounded individuals in society.

Bitz, M. (2004). The Comic Book Project: Forging Alternative Pathways to Literacy
https://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&attid=0.1&thid=12031a88e1e4b9a1&mt=application%2Fpdf

In an attempt to bring back art education to urban schools, author Michael Bitz founded The Comic Book Project with the focus on enhancing reading, writing, and vocabulary skills, not being the only result. Students found in this program a tool for expressing their daily urban lives and search for their identities, qualities for the success of this art program. When it comes to engaging students in dry class material, it is important to get creative, and this is where art education can play an important role.

Like other kinds of art, creating a comic book requires a good amount of imagination and ability to solve problems. Through discussions, students were able to understand the importance of each stage of the comic book production: Planning, creating the manuscript, and designing. The article describes some of the themes picked by the students for their comic book. Surprisingly in most of the comic books, the characters were not superheroes, but characters from their everyday lives. Many wrote about gangs, drugs, and family problems, making us realize how important art can be for children to express what goes through their minds in healthy ways. This project also increased the students’ self confidence in their writing and creative skills and motivated them for future writing.

Arts: Wherefore Art? By Sara Bernard http://www.edutopia.org/whats-next-2007-arts-education

This magazine article gives some interesting facts about current issues art education is facing that are closely related to the NCLB act, as well as positive ways in which certain organizations are supporting art education in the urban areas, giving hope that one day art education will be recognized as an essential part of education.

From Arts Advocacy Day (2008) Strengthening Arts Education in No Child Left Behind http://www.americansforthearts.org/get_involved/advocacy/aad/issue_briefs/2008/advocacy_issuebrief_005.asp

Brief directed to the Congress, as an attempt to:
-Retain the arts in the definition of core academic subjects of learning
-Reauthorize the Arts in Education Programs of the U.S. Department of Education
-Improve national data collection and research in arts education
-Require states to annually report on student access to all core academic subjects