Narrowing the Scope of Myths: Observations on Teaching the Sense and Sensibility of Art in Primary Education

This paper discusses a belief that the informing spirit of art and the complexities in interpreting artistic intentions and traditions are being glossed and over simplified in an effort to make art ‘accessible to the non–specialist primary teacher.’ Much recent literature appears long on eulogy and short on pedagogy. And while there is undoubtedly a special need for pragmatic and realistic strategies to implement attainment target two, there is a danger of seriously compromising the educative value of art if sight is lost of the diverse and sometimes irreconcilable complexities of artistic intentions viewed across time, space and culture.