Ecuador

=Ecuador and Arts Education =

Overview
Ecuador is a South American country located on the Western coast. The country is made up of four parts: the highlands (Andes Mountains), the oriente (Amazon rainforest), the coast and the Galapagos Islands.  Ecuador got its name because the equator runs through the center of the country. The official language of Ecuador is Spanish and 95% of the country is Catholic.



The arts is present in education because of the high influence of culture. Since many Ecuadorians make their living from selling artisan crafts, schools teach young children, especially girls, how to paint, knit, and make other crafts. In addition, religion plays a big part in the arts and education. "The most successful tool for [religious] conversion was art, whose story-telling power and visual representations had long served the Catholic Church for gaining believers" (Lonely Planet). From the time of Spanish colonization in Ecuador, the arts have played an important role in culture and in education.

Ecuadorian artist: Oswaldo Guayasamín


Oswaldo Guayasamín is one of the most famous painters in Ecuador. He is known for his work during the indigenous movement, "whose unifying theme was the oppression and burdens of Ecuador's indigenous inhabitants" (Lonely Planet). His work portrays the suffering and sadness of Ecuador's indigenous peoples. In Quito, the capital of Ecuador, Guayasamín's former home has been converted to a museum showcasing all of his work. His paintings can also be found all over the world.



The Andean Institute of Popular Art promotes the ability to manage and control the resources of traditional culture of ethnic communities through an arts education initiative and trains school children to participate fully in their sociocultural environment. (IADAP)

**Efforts: **

 * Development of an arts education program for children of ethnic communities, aimed at the formation of values.
 * Production of manuals for the construction of traditional and popular musical instruments, and proposals for inclusion in academic and professional settings.
 * Production of prints and audiovisuals that expand and strengthen the relations of the institution in the country.

School Arts Programs
Schools in Ecuador provide art classes for children, because many adults use art in order to provide for their families. When I was in Ecuador I saw two very different schools who both included art in the curriculum.

Working Boys Center:
I spent mornings volunteering at the Working Boys Center, a place where poor families can go to take classes, eat, and learn to be financially independent. It was also a full-time school for elementary aged kids. I helped with the Girls Program, which allowed the girls to make crafts and sell them on the streets outside the Center. They learned the hard work and commitment it took to make things such as bracelets, greeting cards, pencil toppers, and other various crafts. They were responsible for the cost of the materials and were given only the profit from the crafts.



<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Here, the children perform a skit mimicking Sister Miguel's honorary doctorate ceremony: media type="youtube" key="vAmYFepyWsg" height="315" width="560"

<span style="color: #25a260; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Tingo Pucara:
<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">One weekend I went to a small village named Tingo Pucara. We were graciously welcomed by the members of the indigenous community with song and dance, and then spent the weekend learning about their indigenous culture. When we were shown the one-room school house, they explained to us the schedule of classes and other activities. Apart from the usual math, science, and Spanish classes were activities such as cleaning, cooking, and bathing. One of the last activities on the schedule was artisan crafts. The children were taught how to make traditional artisan crafts such as alpaca scarfs, ponchos, and bracelets. We were also given the opportunity to buy these crafts, which they were very proud of.

<span style="color: #c41f51; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left;">My experience
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">My own arts education experience was very different from Ecuador's system. My elementary school and high school focused more on math, science, and language than they did on the arts. In Ecuador, many people rely on artisanship as a way to make a living, so the arts are incorporated into learning for practical reasons.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">When I studied in Ecuador I was surprised at how behind the children were in mathematics and other core subjects. When I volunteered at the Working Boys Center I was shocked at the lack of discipline. Children were allowed to run and scream and eat food in their classes. I think the lack of discipline is a huge cause as to why the education system of Ecuador is not the greatest. However, their inclusion of the arts in elementary schools is extremely useful, because many will grow up selling art to the public.



<span style="color: #c41f51; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Sources:

 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Lonely Planet, //Ecuador & the Galápagos Islands//, tour book.
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">http://www.capilladelhombre.com/
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">http://www.latinculture.com/
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left;">http://www.workingboyscenter.org/