The
Importance of The Creative Arts
By Jay Davidson
In my years in the classroom, I have had
the pleasure of teaching several children who have either one or two artists as
parents. These children, who have a higher than average exposure to art and the
media for creating it, possess some qualities that many other children do not
have: in addition to their artistic talent, I have observed that they usually
read and write better than their peers. My conclusion, based solely on this
anecdotal evidence, is that their exposure to art affects other aspects of their
learning.
This led me to a discussion with Aiko
Cuneo, an artist who works with children in public schools, to flesh out the
benefits of arts education, both in and out of schools. We offer to you these
highlights of our conversation.
First of all, we suggest that parents expand their definition of art. If you are
a baker or a cook, if you like to arrange flowers, if you enjoy the harmonious
arrangement of objects in your home, you are an artist. These expressions of
creativity are as legitimate and valuable as those of painters and the other
people we call artists.
If you are a scientist and enjoy
inventing and experimenting, you bring an artistic sensibility to your work and
may include yourself in the definition of artist.
The role of parents and teachers is to expose children to a variety of materials
so that they can create art. Once the variety is offered, children will then
have a choice as to whether they want to use the materials or not. But without
the exposure, there is no choice.
Budding artists have a creative spirit that cannot be expressed unless there is
an exposure to art. If you start early, there is a greater opportunity for this
spirit to be identified and, therefore, grow with the child.
Art is a delightful way through which you can record the development of your
child’s growth. Just as you will notice that writing and reading improves with
age, so does artwork.
Creating art is a fine way for
children to make choices and solve problems. Every step involves making a
decision: what color to use, how to make a line, what size to make something.
With every choice the object becomes more and more their own.
Everyone has an imagination. Art takes it a step further. Through art, children
create something that, until that point, was only imagined. Thus, they create
visual manifestations of abstract ideas.
Children who may be having difficulties in other parts of the school curriculum
may find an expressive outlet through art. It’s a way to uncover talent that
may not be seen otherwise.
Art is a means of communicating ideas, feelings, and solutions in a way other
than verbally or written.
Notice the difference between a self-portrait as drawn by a kindergartner
compared to the same child’s work as a third-grader.
In a ten-year national study by Shirley
Brice Heath of Stanford University, it was discovered that young people
who are involved in highly effective non-school arts-based community programs in
under-resourced communities, in comparison with a national sample of students
were:
 four times more likely to win an
academic award, such as being on the honor
roll.
eight times more likely to receive a community service award.
three times more likely to win a school attendance award.
four times more likely to participate in a math or science fair.
likely to score higher on their SAT college admission test scores if they have
been involved for more than four years of after-school arts study.
It is typical that those who fund school programs have
seen the visual and performing arts as frills -- programs that can be added only
when there is enough money for them, as well as the first to be cut if there is
a budget crisis.
Creating art is a fine way for
children to make choices and solve problems. Every step involves making a
decision: what color to use, how to make a line, what size to make something.
With every choice the object becomes more and more their own.
Everyone has an imagination. Art takes it a step further. Through art, children
create something that, until that point, was only imagined. Thus, they create
visual manifestations of abstract ideas.
Children who may be having difficulties in other parts of the school curriculum
may find an expressive outlet through art. It’s a way to uncover talent that
may not be seen otherwise.
Art is a means of communicating ideas, feelings, and solutions in a way other
than verbally or written.
Families can create a
harmonious balance in their children’s lives when they make provisions for the
arts. Following are ideas to incorporate them into your home life.
1. When you read to your children, be dramatic. Act out stories with props and
costumes. Encourage them to create their own stories to act out for you.
2. Save old Halloween costumes
for dress-up fun. Add to the collection with
clothing you no longer need: hats,
scarves, purses, shoes, and items you can
find inexpensively at garage sales.
3. Put together an “art
studio” in your home. Stock it with a variety of tools and
materials: crayons,
markers, finger paints, scissors, pastels, watercolors,
brushes, glues, papers
of various sizes and textures, intriguing found objects,
leftovers from your own
home improvement, boxes and containers of all
sizes.
4. Expand your musical repertoire at home and in the car. Venture into
unknown
musical territory so that you and the children can hear something
out of your
usual fare. This can be easily expanded by turning to different
radio stations
and by checking out cassettes and CDs from the public library
-- all for free!
5. While the music is playing
at home, dance together. Teach your children
traditional dances you know or
improvise with them. Body movement is fun
and good exercise.
6. Sing together. Teach the
kids your favorite songs. Many of them allow for
verses that can be made up,
such as “Down by the Bay,” which can have an
endless and hilarious number of
rhymes added to it.
7. Look for arts programs after
school, on weekends, and during vacations.
Many community park and recreation
departments offer these. Summer
camps based on the arts are a good departure
from the typical competitive
sports camps.
8. Create a scrapbook together. Put photos, memorabilia, drawings, and
captions
together creatively. In doing so, you will not only have a shared
experience but
a memory that will last for many years (if you use acid-free
paper).
The most important ingredient
in the recipe is your interest. Be there to appreciate and encourage during
every step of the creative process.
This article has been incorporated and
expanded in Teach
Your Children Well: A Teacher’s Advice for Parents.
This article is reprinted with the author's permission.
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