Historical, Culturally Diverse, Standards-Based Art Lessons to Inspire Young Artists

(949) 215-1064

Meet the Masters
  • 35 Artist Units
  • How It Works
  • šŸ–¼ļø Gallery
  • Jobs
  • About Us
    • About Meet The Masters
    • 😊 Testimonials
    • Standards-Based
    • News / Tips / Blog
    • FAQ’s / Help
    • Job Openings
    • Value-Based Art Lessons
  • Contact
Get Pricing

More results...

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

For sake of society, young minds need art

Posted on September 8, 2011

Access to arts education is one of the civil rights issues of our time. I’d like to use brain science to explain why. Our brains operate using two types of behavior: automated and mediated. Automated behavior puts a premium on reliability and efficiency. The brain achieves this by pruning: It streamlines the neural circuitry required to complete a task. Automated behavior can be innate, like breathing, or learned, like recognizing the alphabet. Automated behavior is almost always unconscious. Throughout our lives, we develop and greatly rely on a host of automated skills. That’s why we don’t like backseat drivers – they force us to think about actions we’d prefer to remainĀ unconscious.

We share the ability for automated mental behavior with all other animals. But as neuroscientistĀ David Eagleman explains in his new book,Ā Incognito, the human brain also has an advanced capacity for mediated behavior. The goal of mediated behavior is flexibility and innovation. Mediated behavior depends on multiple brain circuits working on the same problem – what Eagleman terms “the team of rivals.” Instead of dedicating a limited neural network to a task, the brain tolerates redundancy and promotes networking. It’s what we mean by “keeping an open mind.” Mediated behavior can also involve conscious awareness: We overhear and participate in the internal conversation of our thoughts. The vigorousness of our mediated behavior is unique in the animal kingdom. It is what defines us as humanĀ beings.

Read the entire Chron.com article here.

 

Previous Post
Crayola Launches “Creativity as 21st Century Skill” Program at U.S. Department of Education
Next Post
Steve Jobs, Jef Raskin, Apple and Why We Teach the Arts in Our Schools

Recent Posts

  • This lesson teaches how to see, not just paint (Georgia O’Keeffe)
  • Inspiring Art Education: The Meet the Masters Approach
  • Incorporate Art Learning in Student’s Education and See the Difference
  • What do haystacks and fireworks have in common? (Claude Monet)
  • Could your students create a masterpiece with just 5 sticks? (Mondrian)

Categories

  • Artists (51)
  • Blog (188)
  • Fun (6)
  • Funding (15)
  • General (31)
  • History (3)
  • In the News (74)
  • Newsletter (28)
  • People (9)
  • Research (17)
  • Testimonials (1)

Add your email to get special savings, art tips and MTM news!

Sign Up

About Meet the Masters

Meet the Masters has 40 years of experience providing interactive, multi-media art education to elementary school students worldwide. Learn more.

Facebook
Instagram
TikTok
Pinterest
X
YouTube
LinkedIn
MTM Homeschool Version
MTM Virtual Learning

Everyone Loves MTM!

My 10-year-old daughter surprised me when she recognized a Picasso. ā€œThis was his blue periodā€, she said. ā€œHow did you know thatā€, I asked. Her reply was, ā€œI learned about Picasso at Meet The Mastersā€.

I’m thrilled our school supports this program!

Online Elementary Art Curriculum
Janet W.
Parent, Mission Viejo, CA
More MTM Testimonials

Contact Us

We would be honored to talk to you about bringing Meet the Masters to your school. There is a live person excited to give you more details about our curriculum. Contact us today!

Contact us

Ā© Copyright 1985-2025 Meet the Masters. All Rights Reserved.

  • 35 Artist Units
  • How It Works
  • šŸ–¼ļø Gallery
  • Jobs
  • About Us
  • Contact

Sitemap