In addition to making art Nancy Isbell teaches art. The following is her philosophy of art, be it drama, music, dance or the visual arts, in the school system...
"I believe arts education is critical for young people. Already there is a pall over the school environment without a regular art curriculum especially at the elementary level. The schools, being heavy on left brain academics, bereft of joy, a sense of wonder, beauty, and most importantly creativity, are boring the student population and teacher population alike.
The emphasis is on passing academic tests in math, reading and science. There is no time or money for the arts, in fact they are considered unimportant. What is the goal of our education system? I always thought it was to educate human beings to be fully functioning, well-rounded adult members of our society. By the time a person graduates from high school they have some idea of a direction to further pursue in life.
In my opinion as a former student, as a parent, and as an educator, we are narrowing the process down, NOT encouraging creativity, and actually dumbing down our members of society without access to learning about the arts. The arts - Creativity, Imagination, Problem Solving, a Sense of Achievement - should be the hub of the wheel of learning and education. The spokes of the wheel are science, math, reading and history and other topics that can be measured. Without the inquiring, experimental mind required of an artist, we will have random spokes difficult to use. An entire segment of industry will be short of skilled designers, inventors, visionaries, people able to visualize, draw, plan, and think creatively.
Whether it be making art, viewing, or communicating through the visual arts, the part of the mind used in the arts is being under utilized in our schools without art in the classroom. Art is not just fluff, it is an important academic subject and should be considered essential. Educating humans to think like an artist, a problem solver, a creator, is an important mission."
The following are some of the arts education assignments Nancy has undertaken over the years.
A sampling of Third Grade Student Artwork from various lesson plans and programs
Lakeside School District
Lakeside Farms Elementary 4th/5th mural project.
Lemon Crest Elementary 2nd/3rd basic art skills,
Riverview Elementary 3rd grade mural project,
Lindo Park Elementary 3rd grade basic art skills
Lindo Park Elementary 3rd, 4th, 5th grade basic art skills
Lakeside Middle School grades 6,7,8 mural project
Lakeside Middle School grades 7,8 life drawing skills project
Lakeside Middle School grades 7,8, life portrait project, pictures
Lakeside Middle School grade 8 landscape design/composition/painting project .
Lakeside Farms Elementary School Second Grade Musical Production
Tierra Del Sol Middle School grades 6,7,8 basic art skills for art career practical application,
Tierra Del Sol Middle School, grades 7,8 drawing skills
Lemon Grove School District
Mt. Vernon Elementary School, grades 1,2,3 basic art skills.
San Miguel Elementary School, grades 2, 3 basic art skills.
Monterey Heights Elementary School 5th grade landscape projects
Vista La Mesa Elementary School 5th grade portrait projects.
Vista La Mesa Elementary School 1st grade, basic art skills
San Diego Unified School District
Mural - King Elementary School ( Now King/Chavez Academy Charter)
Kumeyaay Elementary School basic art skills grades 3, 4, and 5.
Clay Elementary School grade 3 basic art skills.
Penn Elementary School grades 3, 4, 5.
ICAN Model project for San Diego Unified Staff Development Model using CA Visual Arts Standards and joint planning with teachers
• Sunset View Elementary School 3rd grade
• E.B. Scripps Elementary School 3rd grade.
• Kimbrough Elementary School 3rd grade
• Loma Portal Elementary School 4th grade
• Florence Elementary School 3rd grade
Monroe Clark Middle School, "Windows into Clark" Collaborative Project
Monroe Clark Middle School, Making A Connection, the Nokia Project
Hawthorne Elementary School grades 4 and 5 basic skills
Hoover High School summer mural painting project
Arts Assessment Cadre For ICAN - VAPA.
TAP and ITQ Staff Development Arts Lesson Modeling the following schools: 2007/2008/2009
• Baypark Elementary
• Cadman Elementary
• Gage Elementary
• Sequoia Elementary
• Baker Elementary
• Jefferson Elementary
• Marshall Elementary
• Central Elementary
• Carson Elementary
Imperial Beach, South Bay School District
Oneonta Elementary School
Sweetwater School District
Castle Park Elementary School
"I believe arts education is critical for young people. Already there is a pall over the school environment without a regular art curriculum especially at the elementary level. The schools, being heavy on left brain academics, bereft of joy, a sense of wonder, beauty, and most importantly creativity, are boring the student population and teacher population alike.
The emphasis is on passing academic tests in math, reading and science. There is no time or money for the arts, in fact they are considered unimportant. What is the goal of our education system? I always thought it was to educate human beings to be fully functioning, well-rounded adult members of our society. By the time a person graduates from high school they have some idea of a direction to further pursue in life.
In my opinion as a former student, as a parent, and as an educator, we are narrowing the process down, NOT encouraging creativity, and actually dumbing down our members of society without access to learning about the arts. The arts - Creativity, Imagination, Problem Solving, a Sense of Achievement - should be the hub of the wheel of learning and education. The spokes of the wheel are science, math, reading and history and other topics that can be measured. Without the inquiring, experimental mind required of an artist, we will have random spokes difficult to use. An entire segment of industry will be short of skilled designers, inventors, visionaries, people able to visualize, draw, plan, and think creatively.
Whether it be making art, viewing, or communicating through the visual arts, the part of the mind used in the arts is being under utilized in our schools without art in the classroom. Art is not just fluff, it is an important academic subject and should be considered essential. Educating humans to think like an artist, a problem solver, a creator, is an important mission."
The following are some of the arts education assignments Nancy has undertaken over the years.
A sampling of Third Grade Student Artwork from various lesson plans and programs
Lakeside School District
Lakeside Farms Elementary 4th/5th mural project.
Lemon Crest Elementary 2nd/3rd basic art skills,
Riverview Elementary 3rd grade mural project,
Lindo Park Elementary 3rd grade basic art skills
Lindo Park Elementary 3rd, 4th, 5th grade basic art skills
Lakeside Middle School grades 6,7,8 mural project
Lakeside Middle School grades 7,8 life drawing skills project
Lakeside Middle School grades 7,8, life portrait project, pictures
Lakeside Middle School grade 8 landscape design/composition/painting project .
Lakeside Farms Elementary School Second Grade Musical Production
Tierra Del Sol Middle School grades 6,7,8 basic art skills for art career practical application,
Tierra Del Sol Middle School, grades 7,8 drawing skills
Lemon Grove School District
Mt. Vernon Elementary School, grades 1,2,3 basic art skills.
San Miguel Elementary School, grades 2, 3 basic art skills.
Monterey Heights Elementary School 5th grade landscape projects
Vista La Mesa Elementary School 5th grade portrait projects.
Vista La Mesa Elementary School 1st grade, basic art skills
San Diego Unified School District
Mural - King Elementary School ( Now King/Chavez Academy Charter)
Kumeyaay Elementary School basic art skills grades 3, 4, and 5.
Clay Elementary School grade 3 basic art skills.
Penn Elementary School grades 3, 4, 5.
ICAN Model project for San Diego Unified Staff Development Model using CA Visual Arts Standards and joint planning with teachers
• Sunset View Elementary School 3rd grade
• E.B. Scripps Elementary School 3rd grade.
• Kimbrough Elementary School 3rd grade
• Loma Portal Elementary School 4th grade
• Florence Elementary School 3rd grade
Monroe Clark Middle School, "Windows into Clark" Collaborative Project
Monroe Clark Middle School, Making A Connection, the Nokia Project
Hawthorne Elementary School grades 4 and 5 basic skills
Hoover High School summer mural painting project
Arts Assessment Cadre For ICAN - VAPA.
TAP and ITQ Staff Development Arts Lesson Modeling the following schools: 2007/2008/2009
• Baypark Elementary
• Cadman Elementary
• Gage Elementary
• Sequoia Elementary
• Baker Elementary
• Jefferson Elementary
• Marshall Elementary
• Central Elementary
• Carson Elementary
Imperial Beach, South Bay School District
Oneonta Elementary School
Sweetwater School District
Castle Park Elementary School