Setting the Stage for Arts Integration as a Pedagogical Practice in the Elementary Classroom: A Narrative Inquiry

摘要

This narrative study sought to examine teachers' use of the arts integration approach and whether, as adult learners, background arts experience, preservice training, and professional learning influenced its use as a pedagogical practice. Three teachers in a private school in the southern United States were purposefully sampled to share their stories on arts integration from prior arts experiences to the present implementation. The research questions were: (1) What do teachers view as necessary to implement the arts integration approach in their pedagogical practices? (2) What are teachers' attitudes about the value of arts integration during classroom instruction? and (3) How do the needs of the adult learner of arts integration manifest itself in pedagogical practices? Data sources were interviews, observations, and artifacts, collected over a 12-week period. Results indicate that the value of the approach, school culture, and teacher passion were motivations for its use. Implications from the study revealed that preservice training in arts integration may need to be evaluated.