Editor's note - Editorial

Arts & Activities, Jan, 2004 by Maryellen Bridge

In this, our first issue of 2004, we are breaking down barriers with a wonderful assortment of ideas for your art class. Creative expression is something that all cultures--throughout history--have in common, and this issue celebrates creative expression from around the world. We begin with our Cover Story, "The Fires of Pharaonic Art" (page 18), which tells the story of how ah ambitious group of teachers led their middle-school students in the creation of a fantastic Egyptian-inspired mural. As they developed an understanding and appreciation of the art of an ancient culture, they learned how a culture's art teaches us about its daily activities and practices.

In "Integrating the Curriculum: Art Breaks the Language Barrier" (page 22), high-schoolers design and construct fantastic interactive books that will help increase language fluency, not only for themselves, but for younger students. Working in cooperation with the foreign-language teachers at her school, art teacher and Contributing Editor Charl Anne Brew drew up a plan by which her secondary students solved a creative problem with elementary kids specifically in mind.

"Passport to Understanding" (page 24) provides an opportunity for students to share information and objects having to do with their ethnicity and cultural backgrounds. These youngsters come away with knowledge of our global community, the cultural diversity within their own school, recognize the similarities and differences among cultures and learn about the origin of art traditions from other lands.

If you have never looked into how you might participate in the Fulbright Memorial Fund program (www.glocomnet.or.jp/fmf), "Art to Art: Children Make Friends Across International Boundaries" (page 30) may inspire you to do so. Author Yvonne Greene describes her experience when she was one of 600 American teachers who traveled to Japan to enrich their teaching curriculum. She also shares how to create a "San Shozo," which you will want to try with your students.

Here at the magazine, we are taking a bit of a trip ourselves, as our office moves north about 20 miles to our new digs in Carmel Mountain Ranch. Right now, it is mid-November as we go to press (this is what we call "lead time" in the magazine biz) , and on December 1, we will officially be in our new home. Please make note of our new address: 12345 World Trade Drive, San Diego, CA 92128. Our new phone number is (858) 605-0251; and our new fax is (858) 605-0247. New phone numbers for our various departments are available on our Web site: www.artsandactivities.com.

Join us in breaking down barriers with the power of art. Students have so much to gain when they reach across what they think are boundaries to discover how we are all similar in our need and love for creative expression. Happy New Year, everyone!