Elizabeth McConkie: The arts instill important lifelong skills in children
Kindergarteners have no fear of a blank page. First graders have few inhibitions about singing in front of peers. Second graders will dance to any tune they hear.
The confidence of a child in their power to create is inspiring, and confidence is one of the essential qualities that every parent and educator hopes to instill in youth. Amid all parental hopes to gain the best education for their children, it is helpful to remember that some of the most enduring lifelong skills are inherent in the arts, moving far beyond what test scores can assess.
• Creativity. Through the power of self-expression, students can discover that there is more than one right answer to a problem. They also learn to work through challenging situations or unfamiliar territory to find something that works, whether that is learning to shade a drawing to look dimensional or moving one’s body through space in a meaningful way to communicate an idea. Creativity is listed among the top 21st Century skills needed for student success in the future and the arts are a critical access point for developing this ability.
• Persistence. Singers rehearse music countless times before a performance. Dancers repeat the same steps to gain precision in movement. Actors rehearse lines to deliver with greater emotional impact. Learning to do something well takes patience and practice, which the arts reinforce in a way that is enjoyable and goal-oriented. One of the first rules of my art classes is “turn mistakes into masterpieces.” Rather than give up after a single unsuccessful attempt, students are challenged to learn from their mistakes and to see into possible solutions for work that doesn’t match their initial vision. Learning to take risks at a young age when the stakes are low teaches students to focus more on the importance of process instead of a single marker of success or failure.
• Empathy. As a child learns to be kinder to themselves when learning from mistakes, they also gain understanding for others traveling the same path. Encouraging and complimenting peers on their successes and encouraging them through struggles is inherent in arts education among all disciplines and can build bridges across cultures and other lines that could otherwise be divisive.
• Power of Observation. Not only do students learn to see people around them through the lens of growth, the very nature of arts education is based in careful observation. A dancer learns steps by closely watching their teacher rather than reading a textbook. A singer must listen carefully to know if they are on pitch. Most artists would say that drawing from life creates the best results in their work. Accurate perception leads to greater understanding, not only in the arts, but in viewing the world. All other areas of education from language arts to the sciences benefit from this efficacious skill.
• Responsibility. Whether it is learning to properly clean a brush, handle a musical instrument or attend rehearsals on time, there is a definite benefit of allowing students to invest in something that is meaningful to them. Taking ownership of both projects and personal behavior are essential life skills that enhance the character of any individual. The arts teach responsibility within the context of the aforementioned skills, for when a student finds their passion, they will become invested in a purposeful way.
In all of our collective societal efforts to increase the quality of our students’ education, it’s critical to not dismiss the importance of the well-roundedness of the abilities that the arts can help them to achieve.
Elizabeth McConkie teaches art at Midvale Elementary School.
from The Salt Lake Tribune https://ift.tt/2LvY2pE
No comments