: Publication

As the title suggests, this text was especially designed for the elementary and early childhood classroom teacher who does not have a specialization in art education. It outlines essential topics that will aid classroom teachers in effectively integrating art into their curriculum. It reinforces the value of art in children’s lives, explaining how art offers valuable ways of knowing and thinking that no other subject provides. The text explores the language of art by outlining and defining the elements of art and principles of design. These are the building blocks used to create a work of art. It offers an overview of children’s artistic development, which serves to inform our teaching practice and to help us better understand our students and the possible range of ability we may encounter in teaching them. The author offers suggestions for teaching art to children with special needs, as well as ways to celebrate diversity through multicultural art education.

The text also outlines effective lesson plan writing strategies and describes the Comprehensive Approach to teaching art to children which combines experiences from four disciplines in the study of art: Art Production, Art History, Art Criticism and Aesthetics. The author explains how using all four components makes for a rich learning experience for students. Resources and strategies are suggested to infuse the art curriculum with media-rich experiences using popular culture and technology to engage students in the learning process and promote their critical understanding of the world through learning activities that develop interpersonal communication and problem solving skills.

Daniella Ramos Barroqueiro is an Associate Professor of Art Education at Illinois State University. She teaches art methods courses for elementary, early childhood and art education majors, as well as graduate courses that address current issues in the field. Her main research has dealt with children's graphic development in various contexts and the role of language in young children’s art making.

Dr. Barroqueiro graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in 1991 with a Bachelor’s degree and certification in Art Education. She taught art at an elementary school in Bridgeport, Connecticut and later, at a Montessori School in Savoy, Illinois. She earned her Master’s degree in 1996, and her Doctorate in 2004 (both in Art Education) at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she studied with Lillian Katz, Liora Bresler, and Christine Thompson.

While at The University of Illinois, Dr. Barroqueiro taught at two laboratory schools. She designed curriculum, supervised pre-service teachers and taught kindergarteners in the Saturday Art School Program, and served as the art specialist at University Primary School, a gifted preschool program, modeled after the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy.

Dr. Barroqueiro has served on the Editorial Review Board for Visual Arts Research and the International Art in Early Childhood Research Journal. She regularly presents at national and regional education conferences. Dr. Barroqueiro has received several honors in teaching between 1994-2007: Awards for excellence in teaching at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and College and University level awards for outstanding teaching at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois.