Crossing the River: Towards an emerging pedagogy for integrating arts and mathematics education

Abstract

The recent trend towards integrating mathematics and arts education debunks the long-standing myth that regards mathematics as a cognitive thinking and rational left-brain activity, while the arts are considered to be an affective and emotional right-brain activity. Instead such integration serves to concretise the abstract concepts associated with mathematics education. It not only builds bridges between these hitherto dichotomous disciplines, but also brings a much more refreshing, enjoyable, yet creative quality to the teaching and learning of mathematics. Mathematics becomes much more comprehensible to those who would otherwise remain less inclined towards doing this subject. Using an interactive and embodies case study based on a story entitled, Crossing the River, this article provides an illustrative framework for an integrated approach to arts and mathematics education. The story demonstrates the assertion by Eric Jensen (1998) that there is no need to separate mind and emotions; for emotions, thinking and learning are all linked together.