Making Art BasicThe New Art Basics Project believes that if the current huge gap between theory and classroom pratice can be narrowed, that visual arts education can become a basic foundational discipline in the K-12 schools. See the "Covenant for the Second Decade" (1996-2006), for the goals and operating principles of NAB.
"Art no less than philosophy or science issues a challenge to the intellect. The great works of music, sculpture, painting, engraving, and all other forms of artistic expression engage the mind, teaching lessons about order, proportion, and genius." ----former US Secretary of Education, William J. Bennett
The teachers of the New Art Basics project believe that the visual arts are an educational discipline, founded upon a unique and indespensable mode of visually-based thinking, that is basic for any educated person. To that end, the project is:
As an electronically networked, national community of hundreds of art educators, we are working collaboratively to put the perspective on the development of students' visual thinking skills, creative potential, visual communications possibilities, pluralistic understandings of culture and history, and problem-solving abilities. Follow the links below to explore how we are doing this.
| The Old Art Basics | Higher Order Thinking Skills |
| The New Art Basics | FIRST |
| Child-Centered Approach | NAB Strategies |
| Living Curriculum | History |
| Staff Development | Covenant |
| 7 NAB Content Areas | What is a Strategy? |
| Brain-Based Visual Education | Contextual Thinking Skills |
| Pluralistic Perspectives | Glossary |
[NAB Database] [NAB Home] [NAB Philosophy] [Brain Based] [Pluralism] [Glossary] [On-line Manual]