Art in Education
Art can be considered to be a basic and fundamental human process.
From pre historic times to more sophiscated times now, art has been and is being used to express lived experiences and thoughts and emotions.
Art is a dynamic activity and holds great potential for the education of our children.
In most schools, a lot of attention is given to developing academic skills in Math, Science and language, where analytical and verbal skills are honed. Some schools do have dedicated art studios with a good art curriculum and art teachers whereas others just manage to do the odd craft and art project without any dedicated art teacher.
It is important for art to play a major part in the curriculum, as it helps to contribute to the emotional, perceptual, sensorial and physical aspects in a child’s development. It helps to provide a point of contact between the child and his/ her environment.
Art also has a role in encouraging creative expression and developing skills to portray an individual’s experiences.
Art has been found to often enhance thinking and problem solving capacity. With the freedom of expression that is offered through art, It offers a perfect counter balance to factual learning and retention. It therefore helps in cultivating a well rounded personality.
