[Serece Tascione]

Minhwa folk art caught my interest when it was brought up in our discussion. Painting Minhwas began with court artists who reflected Korean life and spirits for the palaces. As societal changes occurred, so did Minhwa. Middle and lower class civilians began painting Minhwas that depicted common Korean daily life. Where Minhwas began with flowers, spirit animals like tigers and birds and symbols of longevity, more modern Minhwas show symbols of daily life that even include Western influences like the tea cup.

Minhwas are a great resource for students to analyze as they learn about the Korean culture. As a precursor to Korean studies, students can analyze and discuss the ideas portrayed in them. Then they can make hypotheses about Korean culture. The changes of times depicted in them will help students become aware of Korean culture and how it has changed over time. Once they have learned more about the culture, they can choose from common symbols or customs to paint their own Minhwa. 

[Serece Tascione]

I found this wood block print to be quite fitting. It is titled, "Japanese women & girls. in Western dress with various hairstyles" from 1887.   In the 1600s there was not much of a 'fashion' in Japan, and uniforms and expensive materials were only worn by nobles. Western clothes were introduced to Japan during the Mieji period. Military uniform and other official uniforms were already adopted by this time, as the need for change in the government was so relevant. Once the emperor and  the government officials started to wear Western clothing in public, the elite began to follow. My,  how trends unfold! I am assuming the women depicted here must be wealthy as the western dresses were expensive. I admire and am astounded at the detail put into a woodblock. I can't imagine the delicate hand it would need to create, not only the fine details in the fabric designs, but in the characters of the written language. 

[Serece Tascione]

what really studck out to me was Sun Yatsen's view on China's situation, "like loose sand." I think a demonstration of this visual would help children see how China's strength was deminishing. I would start with compacted wet sand, discuss how we can make structures that hold up when things have something to hold them together. We would then look at dry sand and compare the difference. The students can then label grains of sand on the board to represent parts of the Chinese culture and what the water would represent...that strengthening force. Then discuss that without the stability the 'water' provides each grain of sand, we are left with 'loose sand' and what that did to the Chinese culture. They can then discuss possible solutions to what would need to be done to strengthen that sand again. 

[Serece Tascione]

China held a power unlike others prior to the mid 1800s. As modernization occured around them, power began to shift. While China remained conservative, Japan was seeing China's recent events as weaknesses, giving them a motive to take action. They sought to gain supremacy in Korea. Japan had already began to integrate western technology, including militant weapons, and then they opened up trade with Korea. Along with political imbalances, administrative changes, and other economic growth, Japan was advancing over the once powerful, China. Not being at the top, having to even compete, is a traumatic force. to any situation. This power shift was not something China was prepared for, causing defeat from Japan, and a domino effect from other nations. This trauma demanded reform within China. I would incorporte these ideas into a class's curriculum by showing them propaganda and paintings depicting the time. An example would be the illustratoin posted in Le Petit Journal about "Western Powers trying to divide thier interest and influence in China..."

[Serece Tascione]

I found a resource by the art professor, Lothar Ledderose, that added to my ideas on how I would inform my students on the mix of trends in China in the 1800s. He begins a chapter in one of his books, "In China, as in Europe and in other cultures, the visual arts are ranked hierarchically depending upon their function, materials, themes, and most importantly the social position of those who practise them." He states that literary arts, such as calligraphy, were of the highest rank in China, and architecture being the highest ranked in Europe. Where one country would accept an artistic influence in one area, the other country would not and vice versa. It depended on the heirarchy of that art, whether it begin painting, sculpture or garden design. Trade of porcelein became prized and though mimicing and imitations of the materials took place in either country, there were imports and exports of these materials as well. Teaching this mix of trends through the arts, I feel, is a clear way for students to distinguish details infulenced from the trends during this time. They can compare two vases, for example, and discuss the similarities in design, material and other artist touches. Discussing these details can help create questions like, "how did this influence get to the other country," "how did trade develop with countries," or "what resources were needed to continue a trend in a country that another had?" 

[Serece Tascione]

When I was teaching fourth grade, The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was mentioned in our books about California history. It gave a very brief statement about its significance in ending the war between the US and the Mexican Republic. It wasn't until I read the entire treaty myself that I understood what was really entailed. I found that students needed to see the inequalities and realities themselves...the small print if you will. I broke up this primary resource into its different articles and spread them out to different small groups. The groups were in charge of translating the language into a summarized statement that could be understood by a fourth grader.  This was a very challenging assignement due to the verbage used in such treaties, so I intervened with facilitating each small group. In the end, what students took from this was the connection with how the articles directly connected with their current history. Building this connection led them to want to know more about both sides stance on the war, and how roads led to these agreeements. They also wanted to know how the treaty has changed over time.

A large factor that I see repeated amongst wars/treaties is border and territory ownership. Control of this affects the make-up and future of a society/country. Control of a border affects demographic and economic impact, as well as, cultural impact. With missionaries comes new ways of life to a region: religion, educational values, language, etc. Through the changes brought by missionaries have come: forced leadership, descrimination, demoralization of differences, hosility and resistance. Though much good can come from learning other cultures, history has not proven that acceptance and equality are a large benefit of missionaries. Circling back to the purpose of many treaties, which is to create a peaceful relationship, I am not sure articles that follow this support the ideas of peace, for how does peace begin with inequalities, or through missionaries who are sent to teach rather than learn through the compromise of ideas. 

[Serece Tascione]

The benefits of the Treaty of Nanjing result in an imbalanced agreement between China and Great Britain. It leaves me with a lot of unanswered questions. How can a treaty attempting to resolve a significant war for China, result in Great Britain receiving a significantly higher part of the bargain. Especially since this war connected to it was a result of China trying to protect its people from Opium being brought in from Great Britain. How does it results in China paying Great Britaina a substantial amount of fees and territory? China is required to pay twenty-one million dollars to Great Britain for loss and debt. I am very curious what debt was accrued during this time. I understand the need for trade, but as China began with trying to block physical access for trade, how do they end up agreeing to give Great Britain Hong Kong, which will provide more access and ease for trade wtih China? How were such inequalities agreed upon, and how do they play a part in the next chapter for China and Great Britain. As well, how do these attribute to a peaceful relationship as mentioned in the first article.

[Serece Tascione]

The statistics shared about the Industrial Revolution suggest to me that where there is significantly high population in one area, there comes a significant need for an increase in education and development. High population inevitably results in problems that need solutions (transportation, supply and demand, shelter, etc). Research needs to occur to solve these problems; therefore, I would assume that a rise in those getting a higher education would be needed. Inventions/solutions would then take place, revlutionizing the way a society functions. 

[Serece Tascione]

The charts were very interesting to compare. I  predicted that housing and food was the largest across the world. I connected with the idea that as a non-homeowner American, this trend impacts a society, and how that may vary quite differntly in other countries. The large percentage towards transportation was surprising, especially knowing that transportation varies from country to country. I would use these charts to focus on the entertainment and culture portion of the charts. Upper grade standards asks students to research and summarize artists and how they affected their time period or culture. Students can choose an East Asian artist, or one from their own culture, and have students reflect upon the impacts of the arts in that culture.  

[Serece Tascione]

An aging society, like that of which we see in Japan, is when a society is made up of more older people than younger. At an elementary level, they may not initially see the negative impact this can have on a society. Providing this awareess in an academic discussion can lead to a dynamic realization. As an art teacher, it would use this an opportunity to expose them to artists such as Yayoi Kusama and Takashi Murakami. Bringing up their age difference, and then examining the motivations for some of their pieces can lead to a discussion about how history and culture is recorded through art. For example, Kusama's Walking Piece, suggests the traditional roles of a women in the Japanese culture. Discussions around the idea that older and younger artists are visual historians could lead to a deeper understanding of the impacts an aging society can have on a culture. 

[Serece Tascione]

As Clayton mentioned, we think of many of the areas in East Asia as a place where water is a dominant resource due to the climate there. I was surprsied to learn that this was not the case. When I was a 4th grade teacher, we disussed a water scarcity issue in the 1800s in California when the population in San Francisco drastically increased from the Gold Rush. Now that I am an art teacher, I was inspired to think of a global project, being that this is a global dilemna. I recently learned of a new organziation called Waves for Water that strives to provide clean water to areas in the world that lack it. After researching, I found that East Asia is on their list of places they reach out to. In this research, I saw that they have raised very little money towards their goal for East Asia. This spoke to me. This is a new organization; therefore, the public eye needs to be informed of the situation and this organization. Creating awareness at my school would be a start. I could provide an opportunity for the students to create a poster for our school, not only to raise awareness of the water scarcity, but also to raise much needed funds for this organization. A global project like this would provide students with an opportunity to take action for East Asia, aswell as, valuable knowledge about different parts of the world. 

[Serece Tascione]

Hello all, My name is Serece. I was a classroom teacher for over 15 years, premdominately 4th grade, in the Los Angeles area. This year I have transitioned into my school's art teacher for TK-5th grade. I am excited for my new adventure in teaching. I am looking forward to learning about the arts from different cultures to enhance my knowledge and lessons, which is what led me to this course. I will be teaching a mixture of Zoom and prerecorded lessons, as well as, conducting art related academic discussions for certain grades. 

Pre-covid, you would find me enjoying nature as I complete the 52 Hike Challenge or in an audience watching live entertainment, whether it be a theatrical performance or, my favorite, concerts! During quarantine, I have had the time to explore the visual arts in webinars, online museum tours, classes and research. Art and creativity has always been a passion of mine and it feels amazing to be able to devote so much time to it now. 

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