The arts are one of the main ways for individuals to define themselves.
Because they convey the spirit of the people who created them, the arts
can help young people acquire cultural understanding. With this in
mind, why do the arts not play a prominent role in every school’s
curriculum?
The arts are not just multi-cultural, they are transcultural and invite
cross-cultural communication. They teach openness towards those who are
different from us and develop our capacity for compassion and
humaneness. Learning through the arts can play a fundamental role in
people’s personal development by helping them extend their imagination,
creativity and perceptive skills.
Education through the arts is a learning process that awakens
consciousness and curiosity towards other cultures, both badly needed
in contemporary education. Unfortunately, art is often marginalised in
the curriculum. This tends to be so in many Belgian public schools and
may be attributed to various factors, including lack of budget or
facilities, time pressures, unawareness of their educational value, or
teachers’ lack of adequate training. Art and culture should be a
full-fledged part of learning, not simply a pastime. In her book The
Wow factor, Professor Ann Bamford formulates some requirements for good
arts education. It is important to organise activities for all children
which the class as a whole can achieve.
Active partnerships with artists, parents and the community is another
criteria Professor Bamford mentions. “There is a difference between
education in the arts (or teaching in fine arts, music, drama, crafts,
etc.) and education through the arts (the use of arts as a pedagogical
tool in other subjects, such as numeracy, literacy and technology);
education has distinct benefits for children’s health and
socio-cultural well-being.” The hidden link?
Recently, UNESCO published a study which showed that 75% of the
countries questioned indicated that teaching culture in schools
significantly improves children’s study results, especially when it
comes to learning a language and reading. Attention given to the arts
in school also improves the overall well-being of the child, enhancing co-operation, respect, a sense of responsibility, tolerance and appreciation in a classroom.
According to the Flemish Minister of Education Franck Vandenbroucke,
“Arts and culture in education are important. They give children the
opportunity to be who they are and express themselves, helping them
develop a positive self image, initiative and motivation.”
UNESCO research states that creativity, problem-solving and innovation are the main concerns in the Asian region. In 2006, Korea began the systematic
implementation of arts education in the curriculum. It is also being
encouraged in developed regions such as Europe and North America to
promote social cohesion and equality. In Africa, many programmes have
been promoted in drama, poetry and theatre as part of literacy teaching
methods, as well as to foster a better understanding among children.
Centre stage
These programmes have proved that drama is a powerful vehicle to
transmit knowledge. The arts develop a person’s capacity for creative
thinking and imagining, problem solving, creative judgement among other
mental processes. Students learn ways to make decisions in situations
that do not
have standard answers.
St. John’s International School in Waterloo is one example where arts
plays an essential role in education. The school has built a
state-of-the-art performing arts centre which includes a 400-seat
theatre and seven performing-arts classrooms. The school also has a
four-storey, purpose-built visual arts building for its students. “Our
school has invested heavily into its visual and performing arts programmes,” says Dr Joe Doenges, Director of the school. “We feel
an education with a solid art component allows children to develop into
creative, problem-solving and responsible adults who are capable of
communicating effectively.”
The school starts its visual and performing arts programmes at the
pre-kindergarten level. “Music helps young children learn to
communicate,” says Elementary School music teacher Sarah Knauf. “All
children have musical potential and music serves their expressive,
emotional, intellectual,
social and creative needs. Successful experiences in music help them
bond emotionally and intellectually with others through creative
expression in song, rhythmic movement, and listening experiences.”
Experts agree there is a connection between music and academic
achievement. It develops thinking skills including analysis, synthesis,
evaluation and problem-finding. Music is seen as a key to, for example,
better reasoning ability, maths scores, and a deeper understanding of
science.
In today’s challenging society, arts should play an important role in
every school’s curriculum to help children to develop and grow up into
balanced, socially responsible, problem-solving adults.
St Johns International School
Dreve Richelle 146
1410 Waterloo
Tel. 02 357 1490
www.stjohns.be
