Why choose art?

The main reason for this is because while we are relaxing or creating things we process memories differently to when we are simply trying to remember things. It is mostly for this reason that educational experts try to advise people that school-going children should always strike a balance in their schooling.

Unfortunately, one aspect of school which often ends up overlooked in the rush towards getting all the sport and academics done is the arts.

However, throughout history, it is the artists, the dreamers, the writers and the adventurers who have pushed the boundaries of human knowledge. Many of the most amazing inventions which we today rely on in our daily lives originated as, seemingly fanciful, dreams in the minds of someone who dared to think beyond what they already saw in front of them.

Little do we realise how important it is to include music and other arts in our education. Some research and theories see it as at least as crucial as the others skills we pick up in school. Studies have shown that including musical studies, dance and other arts-related activities as well as fine art into schooling including teaching children to play an instrument or encouraging in-class sing-alongs and even drama have a big impact on the way children learn and process knowledge.

Going back to song lyrics… The reason we find it easier to recall songs than the periodic table of elements is due to the way we think about the process of learning these things. Metacognition, thinking about the way we think, is a sign of advanced intellectual capability, yet it is present in most children from an early age but tends to get lost somewhere along the line.

Because we listen to a song over and over again on the radio, from our iPods, or on television, the thinking about how to learn the words isn’t a conscious thing we focus on the way we do when we are trying to learn something in preparation for a test.

When we are “studying” we almost tend to stand in our own way by trying to isolate the information we need to learn, unlike the song lyrics, in which we totally immerse our senses.

Similarly, incorporating aspects of how we “do” art – dance, music, singing and doodling – can be helpful in giving us the ability to improve memory and build neural pathways in the brain.

Here are just some of the reasons why the arts are so important in out schooling…

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It's fun!

Let’s face it – for the most part, children like arts education! this is because it is a “hands on” set of skills and often has immediate rewards. Arts, be it dance, music or even fine arts focus attention on positive achievements and is a social activity, fostering collaboration. The arts give many opportunities to “show off” and demonstrate skills through authentic performance which enables children to grow in confidence and think positively about themselves and learning.

It teaches good habits

Children learn positive habits, behaviours and attitudes through the arts. Learning a musical instrument, creating a painting, learning to dance, or singing in a chorus teaches that taking small steps, practicing to get better at something, being persistent, and being patient, even in the face of adversity, are important for growth and improvement. In other words, the arts teach habits, behaviours and attitudes that are necessary for success in any field of endeavour.

Creativity

The arts enhance creativity. Art class provides a creative outlet for visual creativity using colour, space, and different mediums, music allows musical creativity using rhythms and language as well as sound to be developed, while arts incorporating movement like dance and t heater allow children to learn to use their own bodies in a way to express their ideas alongside the discipline to see their body as an instrument to be mastered. In this way the arts are a wonderful arena for fostering creativity, an important skill to have in a rapidly changing world.

Critical thinking

The arts encourage children to develop critical intellectual skills.The arts foster critical higher levels of thinking that carry over to learning from other other subjects through applying these lessons to various aspects of their life. Through the arts, children learn to observe, interpret, see different perspectives, analyse and synthesize knowledge and use the transmission of these learned skills in the creative use of language, movement and the fine motor skills needed for fine art.

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