Cycle Two: Creative and Critical Processes
The program in all grades is designed to develop a range of essential skills in each of the arts – dance, drama, music, and the visual arts.
Welcome to Cycle Two of the Professional Learning Module for the implementation of the revised Ontario curriculum document, The Arts, Grades 1-8, 2009. In this cycle you will be:
- predicting and discovering the stages of a Creative Process, linking this to what students and teachers do, and identifying these stages in a video segment
- uncovering a Critical Analysis Process, exploring the kinds of teacher prompts that activate it, and applying it in an Arts context.
The Creative Process: An Overview
Students are expected to learn and use the creative process to help them acquire and apply knowledge and skills in the Arts.Use of the creative process is to be integrated with use of the critical analysis process in all facets of the arts curriculum as students work to achieve the expectations in the four strands.Creativity involves the invention and assimilation of new thinking and its integration with existing knowledge. Sometimes the creative process is more about asking the right questions that it is about finding the right answer.It is paradoxical in that it involves both spontaneity and deliberate, focused effort. Creativity does not occur in a vacuum. Art making is a process requiring both creativity and skill, and it can be cultivated by establishing conditions that encourage and promote its development. Teachers need to be aware that the atmosphere we create for learning affects the nature of the learning itself. "A setting that is conducive to creativity is one in which students are not afraid to suggest alternative ideas and take risks."(From The Ontario Curriculum: The Arts Grades 1-8, 2009, p.19)
Activity One: Creative Process Puzzle
In what order would you arrange the stages of the creative process? Drag and drop the balloons to build the Creative Process model.
Scroll over each balloon to read about what students and teachers do at each stage. To begin, click here.
To learn more about the Creative Process, visit the ministry website. Read pages 19-22 as you click here.
Activity Two: Creative Process Video
a) Focus on this lesson through the eyes of the teacher and the student(s). To view the video, choose one of four arts classrooms that explore approaches to helping students use the arts to communicate. To access the Arts and Literacy Webcasts, click here.
(Note: Scheduled for release in the Fall of 2009.)
b) To complete the viewing chart, click here.
The Critical Analysis Process: An Overview
The critical analysis process is a central part of the arts curriculum. Students need to be guided through the stages of this process. As they learn the steps of the process they will become increasingly independent in their ability to develop and express an informed response to a work of dance, drama, music, visual art, or media/multimedia art. They will also become more sophisticated in their ability to critically analyse the works they are studying or responding to.
Students learn to approach works in the arts thoughtfully by withholding judgement until they have enough information to respond in an informed manner.
It should be emphasized that the critical analysis process is not used in isolation, since aspects of the critical analysis process are often also used during the creative process ....
The critical analysis process and the creative process are therefore inextricably linked.
"Although students need to continually develop their critical abilities, creative work is at the heart of the arts program and most of the students’ time will be spent in creating and presenting/performing."
(From The Ontario Curriculum: The Arts Grades 1-8, 2009, p. 23)
Activity Three : Critical Analysis
a) To learn about and view a diagram of the Critical Analysis Process, read pages 23-28 in the revised ministry document as you click here.
b) Think of an activity you have done with students that follows this sequence, arts-based if possible. Now take a moment to share that idea on our Discussion Board. To do so, click here.
c) Can you recall the parts of the Critical Analysis process?
To test yourself, drag the sample guiding questions and drop them onto the appropriate phase. To begin, click here.
Activity Four : Critical Analysis in Action
a) Select an artistic creation from one of the four arts areas, and complete the stages of Critical Analysis Process. This creation can be something accessible to you in your school, or an online resource. Click onto these suggested sites:
- Canadian Music Centre - www.musiccentre.ca
- National Art Gallery – www.cybermuse.gallery.ca
- McMichael Art Gallery – www.mcmichael.com
- National Arts Centre - www.artsalive.ca (includes video clips of dance)
- The Stratford Festival - www.stratfordfestival.ca
b) To see an example Critical Analysis click here.
c) Using the following template, make notes about your experience. To begin, click here.
Congratulations! You have completed Cycle Two of this Professional Learning Module. For a summary of the Key Learnings, click here.