Costa+Rica

By: Amanda Hewson
 * Costa Rica and Arts Education **

Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Costa Rica inhabits about 4.5 million people, with 1.5 million of them living within the capital of San Jose. Costa Rica joined other Central American provinces in 1821 in a join declaration of independence from Spain. The country is the most Democratic Republic nation in Central America. They have long emphasized the development and respect for human rights, and have avoided any type of military involvement in political affairs.
 * Overview: ** Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by


 * Arts in Education: ** Costa Rica has one of the most developed education systems in Central America. "Costa Rica places a lot of importance on the education system in their country and the very impressive literacy rate is evidence of that commitment to education" (PRLOG). The last 20 years have seen significant boosts in educational standards and shows 96% literacy. The country invests more than 30% of the national budget on primary and secondary education, and is one of the first countries in the world to make education both free and obligatory. The basic education level ranges nine years and is divided into three year cycles; the first two cycles represent elementary education and the third completes a students general education. Students are given education in the subjects of math, language (Spanish and English), science, social studies, religion, and physical education. A more advanced level of education consists of two or three years offering options such as health, fine arts, media, science, letters, business, industry and agriculture. The final level of high education includes preparation of varying duration for professional careers. Local community groups provide opportunities for sports, music, art, ecology and many other interest. Many of Costa Rica's leaders have been educations in education which shows their dedication to the education system.

** Accomplished Artists: **Francisco Amighetti was born on June 1, 1907 in San Jose, Costa Rica. His artistic talents became apparent during his years attending the main high school for boys. His teachers encouraged him to enroll in Academia de Bellas Artes where he received drawing and painting lessons under the famous Spanish painter, Tomas Povedano. He first gained recognition through his cartoons that were published in the famous artistic magazine, “Repertorio Americano”. Him and many other artists rebelled against the academic background, which contributed to their art formation and opted for more revolutionary schools. They explored primitive elements and included them in their artwork. Francisco began to produce xylographs and other types of engraved plates, and mastered techniques such as drawing, oil and water paintings. He embraced different styles, which allowed him to produce Primitivist xylogrpahs and Impressionist landscape paintings. He gained international recognition by the 1950’s and his work was exhibited in the main cities of Europe, America and Asia and is known for his Surrealist paintings to austere and primitive xylographs. His work is currently considered the most highly priced Costa Rican artwork. "Francisco Amighetti is a never-ending source of creation, that insists on reinventing himself and renewing his work constantly. Amighetti's relentless energy promises the world several more masterpieces" (Infocostarica)



**Popular Works of Fransisco Amighetti: ** [|La Agricultura] [|Mirror] [|Saints in Guatemala (Santos de Guatemala)] [|Burial (Entierro)] [|Parque (Park)]

** A Successful Arts Organization in Costa Rica: CEPIA ** CEPIA stands for Culture, Education and Psychology for Infants and Adolescents and is a non-profit organization started in 2005 that seeks to promote culture, health, sports and education for children and teenagers and their families. Participation in cultural, educational, formative and sports activities leads to greater school outcome, prevents emotional, social and physical problems, increases social cohesion, stimulates the elaboration of a life project and a greater personal development. In the long run, taking part in the CEPIA programs can provide them greater chances in an increasingly competitive and skills-oriented market.

Programs Offered: - Extracurricular Activities: football, yoga, swimming, horseback riding, artistic classes such as handicraft, theater, singing, etc. - Psychological Support and Family Counseling: parents and children get therapy or educational counseling - Women's Group: weekly groups for women to discuss topics such as empowerment, physical & mental help, raising children & self-esteem - Professional Training: training for adults and teenagers in areas of cooking, computer instruction, jewelry, crafts, beauty care, etc. - Library: contains books for children, information for teachers and books for adults - Events: monthly movie nights and conferences for parents

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** School Art Programs: **In Costa Rica, the educational system is centered on the ideas of fully developing the human personality, creating competent citizens, who are aware of their responsibilities, their rights and fundamental freedom. The school programs, aside form the mandatory curriculum in sciences and arts, contain a series cross curricular topics, such as environmental education, moral values, intercultural tolerance and others. Today, students have the opportunity of choosing between high schools that emphasize in humanities, or science and technology, technical specialties such as mechanic, artistic schools, language schools, etc. Although there aren't many art programs embedded within the educational curriculum, the community provides many groups that offer opportunities for sports, music, art, ecology, and many other activities. Teachers without Borders is partnering with the Providencia Learning Center, a school in Costa Rica, to offer internships for teachers interested in curriculum development. These programs will offer information regarding teaching students to learn independently and with peers, focus on language, economy, energy and environment, integrate arts and creativity into lessons and highlight inspiring people and ideas. This program should help increase art education within school curriculum.



** Conclusion: ** After my research of education in Costa Rica, I have found that many aspects are similar to my educational curriculum in the United States. Throughout my early years of schooling, I was introduced to art within art and music classes, however did not receive much art education within my core classes. I did have access to many art programs outside of school, but not many that involved using art to teach different school subjects. I feel that a big difference between my education and that of Costa Rica's, would be the fact that students have the opportunity to choose different high school programs that will prepare them for future jobs. In the United States, many students have trouble finding their future career path because the school systems are so standardized. One thing that really surprised me during my research was how highly developed the Costa Rica education system is. I have always thought that Costa Rica as an underdeveloped country with minimum access to resources and education. I was surprised to find how highly the country places education within their community, and was impressed with their 96% literacy rate. I feel that the goal to increasing art education system around the world is being able to understand the variety of cultures that exist.

** Sources: ** [|Wikipedia] [|US Department of State] [|PROLOG] [|Education Resources Information Center] [|Wikipedia: Culture of Costa Rica] [|Stray Reality] [|Infocostarica] [|Enter Costa Rica] [|Infocostarica: Francisco Amighetti] [|The Annex Galleries] [|Teachers Without Borders] [|CEPIA]