It is always disturbing to hear of yet another set of district policy makers doing away with arts education in the schools. Trouble is, many hold the misconception that art is a superfluous, isolated subject when, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth…
Teaching your students about art is a good idea—here’s why:
- It’s been proven that early exposure to visual art, music, or drama promotes activity in the brain.
- Art helps children understand other subjects much more clearly—from math and science, to language arts and geography.
- Art nurtures inventiveness as it engages children in a process that aids in the development of self-esteem, self-discipline, cooperation, and self-motivation.
- Participating in art activities helps children to gain the tools necessary for understanding human experience, adapting to and respecting others’ ways of working and thinking, developing creative problem-solving skills, and communicating thoughts and ideas in a variety of ways.
So, where do you begin? Start by remembering that teaching children about art is not just about showing them how to recognize a van Gogh or Picasso, it’s about preparing young minds for a future of invaluable experiences—art related or otherwise.
Source: kinderart.com