St. Clair Technical Education Center
February 2009
St. Clair Technical Education Center
Cosmetology
Alignment to Visual, Performing and Applied Arts
Strand 1 Create (C)Applied Arts Standard / How the Standard is Addressed in This Program / How the Standard is Assessed / Time Spent on
the Standard
C.1 Engage in full iterative
cycles of artistic/creative
process by problem seeking,
exploring, making analytical,
application, aesthetic, and
design choices, before
completion. / Students in the Cosmetology program are constantly applying the artistic/creative cycle. A hair stylist must attempt to solve the problem creating the best look for a customer to their satisfaction. To do this, the stylist must take into consideration the wishes of the customer, their physical characteristics, latest fashion and cultural trendsin deciding the best hair style. The stylist must then apply the techniques needed to create the style. While working, the stylist must constantly be seeking input from the client and adjusting their work to achieve the ultimate goal of customer satisfaction. The stylist must be prepared to adjust and fix until the customer is satisfied. / Throughout the course in performance assessments and as part of the State Licensing process / Throughout the program
C.2 Develop an idea,
question, or problem that is
guided by the personal,
historical, contemporary,
cultural, environmental,
and/or economic contexts of
the visual, performing, or
applied arts discipline. / Students in the program are preparing to receive a license in Cosmetology and work in an industry that is very much “personal service”. Not only that, but a typical salon will draw their cliental from a relatively small radius around their location. It is very important that the stylist understand the market in which they are working. For example, a style that works well in New York City may not work in Port Huron, MI. If the market contains people of different cultural or ethnic backgrounds, how does that affect their business? They may also need to consider the local economy when making pricing decisions. / Throughout the course in performance assessments and as part of the State Licensing process / At various times throughout the program
C.3 Understand, recognize
and use the elements,
organizational principles,
patterns, relationships,
techniques, skills, and
applications of the visual,
performing, or applied arts
discipline. / There are many procedures and techniques that a stylist must master to apply the art of Cosmetology. These can be very simple, such as the proper way to wash and shampoo or braid hair to the more complex procedures involved in coloring or giving a permanent wave. The students develop their skills and techniques applying these procedures by working with instructors, practicing on mannequins and finally working under the supervision of instructors. These procedures are assessed during the State Licensing Test for Cosmetology. / Throughout the course in performance assessments and as part of the State Licensing process / At various times throughout the program
C.4 Use the best available and
appropriate instruments,
resources, tools, and
technologies to facilitate
critical decision-making,
problem solving, editing, and
the creation of solutions. / The licensed Cosmetologist will be required to be skillful using many tools that are common to the industry. There are specialized tools used to create specific results. (razors, texturing shears, clippers, etc…) Students must be familiar with and use a variety of chemical substances (when coloring hair or permanent wave), many commercial products (shampoos, conditioners, etc…). Students are expected to match the right tool or product to meet the client’s expectations. / Throughout the course in performance assessments and as part of the State Licensing process / of 1060 hours of practical application
C.5 Reflect on and articulate
the steps and various
relationships of the
artistic/creative process. / Students are required to reflect and evaluate the product of their work as well as other students throughout the course of the program.
Feedback from the instructors and other students is used to help students develop their skills and techniques. The most important feedback comes from the reaction of the client to work of the artist. A positive response reaffirms that decisions made during the creative process were correct. A negative response might mean that students will have to fix and adjust their work. / Throughout the course in performance assessments and as part of the State Licensing process / At various times throughout the program
Strand 2 Perform/Present (P)
Applied Arts Standard / How the Standard is Addressed in This Program / How the Standard is Assessed / Time Spent on
the Standard
P.1 Apply the techniques,
elements, principles, intellectual
methods, concepts, and functions of the visual, performing, or applied arts discipline to communicate ideas, emotions, experiences, address opportunities to improve daily life, and solve
problems with insight, reason, and competence. / Students are taught and utilize the “best practices” of the Cosmetology industry. Part of this process is consulting with the client and solving problems that may arise. It is very important that the stylist and the client truly understand each other and communicate effectively. The stylist must know what health conditions exist that may affect the artistic process, for example, are there any health conditions that would prevent the use of certain chemicals in a hair coloring or perm. The stylist must also understand the unique characteristics of their clients (physical features, dress, occupation, hair texture, etc…) to create a style that will allow the client to look and feel better about themselves (improve their daily life). Depending on the skill of the artist, the emotional response of theclient can be either positive or negative! / Throughout the course in performance assessments and as part of the State Licensing process / Students must spend a minimum of 1060 hours of practical application
P.2 Demonstrate skill use of
appropriate vocabularies, tools,
Instruments, and technologies of the visual, performing, or applied arts discipline. / Students have many opportunities to demonstrate the skills learned in the Cosmetology program. The process of earning a Cosmetology license requires that the student spend a minimum of 1500 hours, of which 1160 are practical applications. Part of the program requires the students to practice in a working salon. Students are expected to operate the same as they would if they were in the private sector. They also are trained on and use the same equipment that would be used in a commercial salon. / Throughout the course in performance assessments and as part of the State Licensing process / Students must spend a minimum of 1060 hours of practical application
P.3 Describe and consider
relationships among the intent of the student/artist, the results of the artistic/creative process, and a variety of potential audiences or users. / By consulting with the client, the stylist will work to create the particular look that is desired. The client may or may not give a lot of guidance with this. For example, the client may bring in a picture of the style they want or they may just say “give me a style that will make me look ______” and the artist will have to choose something that will meet that requirement. The satisfaction of the client will tell how close the intent and the results are. / Throughout the course in performance assessments and as part of the State Licensing process / of 1060 hours of practical application
P.4 Perform, present, exhibit,
publish, or demonstrate the results of the artistic/creative process for an audience. / Much of the practical application time is spent working with the general public. It is these people and those that they come in contact with that become the audience for the artist work. This is extremely important since the students are training to work in a public service industry that relies heavily on referrals. / Throughout the course in performance assessments and as part of the State Licensing process / Students must spend a minimum of 1060 hours of practical application
Strand 3 Respond (R)
Applied Arts Standard / How the Standard is Addressed in This Program / How the Standard is Assessed / Time Spent on
the Standard
R.1 Observe, describe, reflect,
analyze, and interpret works of the visual, performing, or applied arts. / Students receive feedback about their art from instructors, other students and clients. In addition, students are encouraged to read trade magazines to learn the latest trends in the industry. Speakers are also brought in periodically to discuss and train students in the latest hairstyles. / Throughout the course in performance assessments and as part of the State Licensing process / At various times throughout the program
R.2 Identify, describe, and analyze connections across the visual, performing, and applied arts disciplines, and other academic disciplines. / There are numerous connections to other academic disciplines embedded in the Cosmetology program. Students must understand anatomy to determine a scientific basis for the proper application of services and products. They must understand the basics of our skeletal, muscular, circulatory systems work in applying the trade.
Students must apply basic Biology concepts to understand how cells, bacteria and viruses in order to maintain a safe and sanitary environment. They use math in mixing and proportioning, finding symmetry in physical features as well as in the operation of the business of cosmetology. Students use chemistry when mixing chemicals; they must understand pH balances. Students need to understand and apply basic concepts in Electricity (Physics). Students must understand how light and color. Students must apply good communication skills, both written and oral (ELA). / Throughout the course in performance assessments and as part of the State Licensing process / State of Michigan Licensing requires that students spend 425 hours of Theory of which 45 hours is anatomy, 20 hours applied chemistry, 90 hours of sanitation including electrical.
R.3 Describe, analyze, and
understand the visual, performing, or applied arts in historical, contemporary, social, cultural, environmental, and/or economic contexts. / Cosmetology is a 60 billon dollar industry in the United States. It is a characteristically diverse industry that varies from region to region. For example, different market plans would be needed in California, the mid-west and New York. Styles that are popular in Europe may not be so in the United States. Students must understand how culture and dress may affect the styles that are popular. Economics considerations are also important. For example, would you want to start an upscale salon in a city where a major factory just closed? / Throughout the course in performance assessments and as part of the State Licensing process / At various times throughout the program
R.4 Experience, analyze, and
reflect on the variety of meanings that can be derived from the results of the artistic/creative process. / Cosmetology students spend a great deal of time learning that each client is an individual with individual needs. Since no two people are alike, there is no “cookie cutter” way to style hair. The exact same process done on two different clients may yield two totally different results. Styles that are popular in one region of the country may be considered gaudy in another. Different stylists will have different ideas about how to create a particular look. / Throughout the course in performance assessments and as part of the State Licensing process / At various times throughout the program