Awakening Aesthetic Delight

How can we, as educators, cultivate aesthetic awareness? How can we awaken in our students an appreciation of beauty? 

A good place to start, of course, is for us to model fascination with the aesthetic dimensions of life—intentionally seeking out artistic experiences, showcasing evidences of beauty, and endeavoring to personally fashion aesthetic creations.

There are also a variety of strategies that will help to foster in students an understanding and appreciation of aesthetics—approaches that have been tested in the crucible of educational practice. These include the following:

• Establish a rich learning environment that supports creativity, spontaneity, and reflection.
• Discuss with students the elements and criteria of beauty and creativity within various subject areas, incorporating a biblical perspective.
• Teach students to practice keen observation, keep a descriptive/reflective journal, and share their insights with others.
• Encourage students to use technology to capture or create images and sounds and creatively integrate these into unique and innovative presentations.
• Have students explore patterns, textures, color, and shapes within nature (e.g., crystals, feathers, leaves, spiders’ webs, fractals).
• Ask students to describe an object, place, or experience using a multisensory approach. They could, for example, view a realistic painting and imagine what the environment sounds like; listen to music and visualize what is being depicted; read a story and describe the feeling of being there.
• Encourage students to discuss feelings, emotions, sensations, and the meanings of events in their lives.
• Explore with students how the aesthetic appeal of the medium modifies the impact of the message, perhaps in areas such as Web design, the layout of print material, product packaging, advertisements, interactive online spaces, movies, etc.
• Incorporate the best in literature, music, drama, and works of painting and sculpture within the learning environment.
• Encourage students to engage in creative movement through mime, drama, or shadow art.
• Explore the components of aesthetic expression in a variety of cultures and subcultures, such as Japanese poetry, Gothic architecture, hip hop graffiti, Chinese art, or Native American traditional dress.
• Arrange for students to personally experience the aesthetic productions of diverse cultures and ethnic groups, such as folk art and music, ethnic literature, food, and celebrations.
• Highlight the arts (visual, auditory, literary, and dramatic) as opportunities for imaginative thought and creative self-expression.

The overarching concept is that to increase students’ appreciation and understanding of aesthetic elements, it is necessary to intentionally create learning experiences that bring them into contact with beauty and call for creative thought and expression. Furthermore, as we showcase aesthetics, we raise students’ awareness about the aesthetic dimensions of their lives.

Aesthetic experiences are life changing—opening up new horizons, dispelling the mists of routine and convention, and linking students in rich and meaningful ways. As educators, we must take the initiative to incorporate aesthetic dimensions in the learning experience. Perhaps in our job descriptions, and in the school’s strategic plan, there should be a highlighted line: “To promote creativity, to highlight beauty, and to awaken aesthetic delight.”

Author

John Wesley Taylor

John Wesley Taylor V, PhD, is Associate Director of Education at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He has served as teacher and educational administrator in North America, Latin America, and Asia, and in elementary, secondary, and higher education settings. He is a friend of young people and a colleague of teachers.