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.
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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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
