Curriculum: Art and Shop at the School for Children

The art program actively engages children in using a wide variety of sensory materials to make and create things from. Children explore and discover each medium has unique potential for making personal meaning about the world, quite apart from what can be said in words. Using hands, eyes, and minds, children learn to express and communicate their ideas and feelings in concrete expressive forms.

Art is a vital part of the curriculum at Bank Street for children of all ages. Through art, children can recreate and integrate curriculum experiences, including social studies, language arts, science, and math concepts. They create art in their classrooms, art room, or shop, where they share their wonderful ideas both visually and verbally. They learn to value their uniqueness as creative individuals and learn from and respect the diversity of other's artwork. We believe that all children have the potential to develop the competencies necessary to make objects and create images of their experiences.

Woodworking is offered to children from the 3s through the 13/14s. Like art, woodworking requires physical involvement and much thinking and problem solving. When mistakes and frustrations arise, children learn from them, as well as see them as springboards for new ideas they may not have otherwise thought of. Children gain pleasure and confidence as their growing skills allow them to realize their ideas through the tools and materials of woodworking.

Above all, the Art and Shop program is concerned with personal and creative growth. As their mastery of tools and materials grow, children critically observe the emerging work and art becomes a self-discipline of the highest order.