Taiwan's Ministry of Education promotes cultural color curriculum with student art projects

Taiwan's Ministry of Education is actively promoting a cultural color curriculum, aiming to foster aesthetic literacy and cultural understanding among students. As part of the "Art Comes to Learn" initiative, elementary and junior high schools are encouraged to explore their local heritage through observation and color collection, translating their findings into artistic creations. This year, 71 schools and over 5,700 students participated in the program. Students from Xibei Elementary School in Pingtung County have created "Little Touching Horses," ceramic pieces painted to narrate local stories. These artworks are now on public display, showcasing the students' engagement with their community's culture. The program emphasizes hands-on learning, with teachers trained to guide students in community fieldwork, color sampling, and artistic expression. The goal is to connect classroom learning with real-life experiences, allowing art to transcend the classroom and become part of everyday life. Peng Bao-shu, a section chief at the Ministry of Education's Department of Arts and Culture, highlighted that aesthetic education is a key component of the 108 curriculum. He explained that the program trains teachers to lead students in exploring local culture and creating art based on regional color palettes. The initiative also collaborates with prominent art institutions, including the Yingge Ceramics Museum and the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, to exhibit student works. Additionally, seven artists have created pieces inspired by the local cultural colors of participating schools, attracting over 151,000 visitors. Principals and teachers involved in the program shared their positive experiences. Cai Xin-dong, principal of Xibei Elementary School, noted that integrating cultural colors into the curriculum helped students connect with their hometown, from visiting sugar factories to observing sunsets. He added that exhibiting their "Little Touching Horses" not only built student confidence but also encouraged parental involvement. Liu Rui-zi, a teacher at Gou-ping Elementary School in Kaohsiung, which has only 39 students, described how the program has become a therapeutic outlet for students, allowing them to express emotions and thoughts about their hometown and loved ones through their art.

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Aesthetic education is one of the important literacies of the 108 curriculum. We hope that students start from real-life experiences to cultivate aesthetic literacy, cultural understanding, and innovative expression, allowing art learning to go out of the classroom and integrate into daily life.