Rationale of Lesson Plan

Socio-economic status (SES) is often measured as a combination of education, income, and

occupation (Payne, 2005). Low SES can be found within many parts of Australian society, all of
which contain these three elements. Children growing up in these areas are at an increased risk of
poor quality of education, thus amplifying the social differences between high and low SES settings.
Sheridan (2011) recognises that children growing up in low-income families are particularly
vulnerable; Low SES can create an education injustice for children. They are at an increased risk for
dire developmental outcomes, including school failure, learning disabilities, behaviour problems,
developmental delay, and health impairments. This education injustice will affect the outcomes
children face in life. Families with low socioeconomic status often lack the financial, social, and
educational supports that characterize families with high socioeconomic status. Poor families also
may have inadequate or limited access to community resources that promote and support children's
development and school readiness. If we do not intervene we run the risk of continuing the cycle,
creating adults with a lower education average, who raise children in these risky environments.
In an effort to combat the education inequality, researchers and teachers are falling back to the arts.
Programs about the arts teach a specific set of thinking skills which are rarely addressed elsewhere in
the curriculum (Winner, E., Hetland, L., 2008). Students are expected to persevere despite frustration.
They are exposed to skills that involve self reflection, self-criticism, and the willingness to experiment
and learn from mistakes (Winner, E., Hetland, L., 2008). The development of perseverance and
critical self reflection is important when faced with the challenges low SES presents. The arts have
acted as a pole of economic and social regeneration in many places, (Tusa, J., 2005).
With this knowledge, I have recognised that many of the students in my classroom come from a low
SES background, and as such are already placed at a higher risk of inequality and dire health
problems. Throughout my development as a teacher, I have designed a lesson plan for children who
come from a low socio economic area.

It is the focus of my lesson place to aid students in developing a set of personal attributes
capable of supporting them break free of the inequality directed toward them based upon their

Rationale of Lesson Plan

background. Children need to remain interested and curious about the world in order to
develop a love of education, and break out of the trend. The arts have provided the
opportunity to create a passion of education. Without the arts, these students are at a greater
risk. A nation without arts would be a nation that had stopped talking to itself, stopped
dreaming, and had lost interest in the past and lacked curiosity about the future (Tusa, J.,
2005). The arts are able to connect with students and develop a range of different
intelligences. In short arts make you smarter (Winner, E., Hetland, L., 2008).
As a guide to creating the most effective lesson plan, Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple
Intelligences has become useful. This theory proposes that there are at least nine unique intelligences
that are equally important in education. The intelligences extend through and ability differences. With
a holistic approach to Multiple Intelligences, teachers can cater for diversity within classrooms and
attend to all types of learning. As such I have matched different styles of learning into my own
classroom practices.
For an introduction I have chosen to begin the lesson with a text piece that involves a range of ideas
and visual art works. The story Tiddalik the frog is an old dreamtime creation story. I chose this text
because it is able to be used to scaffold a childs thinking. By providing a chance to better understand
the intentions, motivations and desires of other people we are able to attend to the Interpersonal
intelligences, highlighted by Gardner (1999, p 40).
A Bodily-kinaesthetic intelligence involves using one's whole body or parts of the body for production
(Gardner, 1999, p 42). My Developmental Practice section is aimed to attend to children who learn
through movement. They will be required to experiment and movie around when creating their
artwork. This physical involvement will assist in keeping them interested and on task, while providing
an opportunity to learn.
In order to consolidate ideas children need meaningful experiences. If children are to create stories
that involve their own ideas they are more likely to learn. By providing children with the chance to

Rationale of Lesson Plan

create meaningful art types, their Spatial intelligence, which involves the recognition of patterns and
space (Gardner, 1999, p 42), is experienced. The amount of space they have to create their ideas on, as
well as the proportions of images will provide the bridge between the children and their spatial
learning.
To finish my lesson, an Art diary is to be used by the children. By exposing the children to the chance
to write about what feelings and intentions they possessed around the activities, teachers are able to
expose children to Linguistic intelligence and Intrapersonal intelligence (Gardner, 1999, p 40- 43).
These involve sensitivity to spoken and written language, and a capacity to understand oneself, to
appreciate one's feelings respectively.
The multiple intelligences themselves provide a good focus for reflection on effective teaching styles.
The diary and an analysis of the level of involvement by the students can be used to determine which
students are benefiting from this lesson, and which students may need different kinds of experiences
to achieve the full potential of an arts lesson. Practice inspired by the multiple intelligences has lead
to a desired effect within education, allowing a more effective teaching practice, and a more in depth
learning (Gardner 1999, 174)
Over all, the aim of this lesson plan is to have children creating imagining and innovating, responding
with wonderment and awe, and persisting in challenging tasks (Costa A, Kallick B, 2000). If this can
be achieved, children are being prepared for challenges that they will face later in life. With the
assistance of Gardner, and his theory of multiple intelligences, I have tailored a program that I believe
best suits the Low SES context in which I am teaching. By developing education the triad of Low SES
can shift (Payne, 2005). With a better education, more prominent occupations are available, which
will in turn increase a level of income. The arts can assist children in achieving such goals; not only
will inequalities diminish, but they can develop skills which not only benefit them but society
appreciates as well. (Payne, 2005).

Rationale of Lesson Plan

References
Costa A, & Kallick B. (2004). Activating and Engaging: Habits of the mind. Virginia: Hawker
Brownlow Education
Gardner, H., (1999), Intelligence reframed: multiple intelligences for the 21st century, New York, NY:
Perseus Books Group.
Payne, R., (2005), a framework for understanding poverty, fourth edition, highlands TX, aha! Process
Inc
Sheridan, S., Knoche, L., Kupzyk, K., Edwards, C. & Marvin, C., (2011), A randomized trial
examining the effects of parent engagement on early language and literacy, Journal of School
Psychology, Elsevier Ltd, www.elsevi e r.com/locate/Jschpsyc, doi:10.1016/j.jsp.2011.03.001
Tusa,

J.,

(2005,

December

13),

Art

Matters;

The

Guardian;

Retrieved

from

http://www.guardian.com.uk/artanddesign/2005/dec/13/art
Winner, E., Hetland, L., (2008). Art for our Sake School Arts Classes Matter More than EverBut Not
for the Reasons You Think, Arts Education Policy Review, Teachers College Press 109 (5),
29-32.