The tour in the Palmer Art Museum is a journey into the American history and culture. The artists captured the life, happiness, suffering, love, beauty, ideal, politics and sports in their unique perspectives and with their unconventional forms. To understand these, we have to use our rich imagination and new insight to observe what we have neglected or taken for granted so long. When figuring out the true meaning beyond the painting, I came to understand that art is so close to us and anybody can find the connection between real life and art. What you need do is just to use your mental eye to find the beauty and interpret it with words, painting, dancing or sculpture. If we, the English teachers are able to connect art with language and culture teaching and cultivate students potential in appreciating and creating art within the sociolinguistic context , isn't that the ideal outcome of SLA?
I once tried the method of comparing the Chinese and Western paintings in my intercultural communication class and let students find the values beyond that. They were as highly motivated as us in Michell's class. They even extended this comparison to Chinese and American writing and found the different values embodied in painting also exist in writing patterns. Isn't this discovery wonderful and creative? So I always reflect upon the true aim of education. Besides the necessary social skill, common sense, expertise and morality, shouldn't we integrate art as a compulsory part? After all, the participatory and creative feature of education can find its best expression in art, which in turn, may build students' self-esteem, encourage them to take new adventures and get the most from both life and study.
Your thoughts and writing here seem to be a form of art as well. Your post is very descriptive and expressive. Very nicely said!
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