The document discusses ways to teach art from a multicultural perspective in a way that celebrates students' own cultural identities while fostering respect and appreciation for other cultures. It recommends starting with the cultures represented in the local school and community, focusing on a theme expressed across cultures like identity or nature, and including examples of contemporary and historic visual artworks. The document emphasizes avoiding stereotypes, considering whether assumptions can be made about cultures without words for art, and knowing the cultural contexts of what one teaches.

1. Teaching with Cultural Diversity

2. How can I teach art in ways that
makes my students take pride in
their own cultural identity while
gaining respect and appreciation
for the art and customs of other
cultures?
Marvin Bartel
http://www.goshen.edu/art/ed/multiculturalart.html

3. Much of what we know about historic
cultures is through objects we are likely to
consider as art.

4. How can we teach about other cultures without
stereotyping them?

5. Hung Liu

6. Is it appropriate to make assumptions about a
culture that has no word for art?
For example, Native American cultures have no
word for art. They do not separate “art” from life.

7. Is it right to imitate what might be sacred or at least
traditional in another culture?
Marvin Bartel
http://www.goshen.edu/art/ed/multiculturalart.html
The Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona

8. If I know an artist’s intentions, I can motivate my
students to create art based on similar intentions related
to the culture of the students in my class.
Marvin Bartel
http://www.goshen.edu/art/ed/multiculturalart.html

9. Learn about artists as part of
a larger unit. Here a Days of
the Dead celebration honors
Mexican artists Diego Rivera
and Frida Kahlo.

11. School Wide Themes or Celebrations

12. Cilau Valadez Agustin Cruz Prudencio

13. John Dahlsen Totems
Look for contemporary artists who
integrate historical or cultural ideas.

14. Brian Jungen

15. James Mishler

16. One approach is to start with the cultures
represented in your school and community.
Another is to start with a theme or big idea and
show how it has been expressed in art from
many cultures and times. Try to include visual
culture and both contemporary and historic
artworks.
Know what you are talking about.
How to Get Started

17. Ernest Boyer’s Human Commonalities
All of us:
• experience the life cycles.
• work.
• use symbols.
• know time and place.
• search for a larger purpose.
• have an aesthetic response.
• seek social bonding.
• have a connection to nature.

18. The Symbol of the Hand
What can it mean?

19. How to Get Started
One approach is to start with the cultures represented in your
school and community.
Come up with a theme or big idea. This can be as simple as identity,
community, story, nature, ecology, cycles, etc. Keep concepts
simple. Consider how that idea is expressed in art. Look for many
art examples from different times, places, and cultures that will
appeal to students. Try to include visual culture and both
contemporary and historic artworks.
Think about how you will engage your students. How can you
present each lesson in an interesting way? Sharing a book,
showing and discussing an Animoto video, PowerPoint, or Prezi?

20. Search Out Your Own Multicultural Experiences
Join SchoolArts and CRIZMAC in Oaxaca, Mexico, or Santa Fe, New Mexico