Understanding, Experiencing, and Appreciating the Arts:
Folk Pedagogy in Two Elementary Schools in Taiwan
Yu-Ting Chen
Nanhua University, Taiwan
Daniel J. Walsh
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Citation: Chen, Y-T. & Walsh, D. (2008). Understanding, experiencing, and appreciating the arts: Folk pedagogy in two elementary schools in
Taiwan. International Journal of
Education & the Arts, 9(6). Retrieved [date] from http://www.ijea.org/v9n6/.
Abstract
Drawing on Bruner's notion of folk pedagogy, this research explores how Chinese aesthetic
education is perceived and valued at two elementary schools in Taiwan. Using qualitative
methods, the research explores how arts teachers guide children to experience arts through
the arts curricula in school and the local culture. The study reveals that the two schools
share a respect for nature and a concern for local culture. The seven arts teachers' folk
pedagogy includes the desire to connect beauty and arts learning, develop children's
aesthetic feelings, cultivate children's character, and integrate arts into everyday life.
The teachers' shared views provide a broad picture of these folk beliefs in Taiwan as well
as a cultural lens for examining aesthetic education in Taiwan and the larger Asian culture.
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