At the Miles River Middle School, the central focus of the art program is the exploration of the creative process. It is within this process that we develop a feel for materials, and make serendipitous discoveries. Our discoveries also help us to form new ideas and to develop relationships with each other. It is through experimentation and exploration of materials that we find creative ways to solve problems. Through these discoveries, students are able to become aware of the uniqueness within themselves. The intra and interpersonal skills and higher-level thinking skills, which are so much a part of the core values of our district, pervade the art department.
Each course we design, each unit we put together, and each lesson we teach is a representation of the unique needs of the students we have in class. Students are encouraged to utilize their own experience, skills and ideas to solve problems creatively. The student becomes empowered as an individual, a group member, a viewer and an artist. Our mission is to instill a great level of confidence within each student so that he or she may question, evaluate and solve problems without hesitation. We also partner with other teachers here at Miles River, making curriculum connections and working with the community whenever possible.
