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The arts can be thought of as an alternate mode for expressing and understanding ourselves and others in our immediate community and in the larger picture of our surrounding cities, countries, and beyond. We can tap into this expression and understanding by integrating the arts into all levels and subjects of instruction. Teaching with the arts involves developing pleasure from the arts and working creatively. Students need to learn to tap into their creative capacity and to enjoy what they are learning. Creativity and artistry are also developed through the process of integrating the arts. Children learn about the arts by focusing on art content and skills. The arts are fundamental to who we are today. Art is not just about what we see, it is about what we can infer, research, and discover from our own knowledge, the past, and an appreciation of the art form. Teaching through the arts involves creating an aesthetic classroom environment. Children need to be engrossed in an environment related to their learning to fully become involved in the learning experience. These strategies are crucial for so many reasons. The arts are fundamental to our past including all cultures and time periods. By examining art from previous generations we can learn about human struggles and triumph. Knowing is appreciating. Knowledge in the arts is also attributed to academic success. Those involved in the arts are found to stay in school, have better attitudes, and watch television less. This zone of achievement is also opened up to troubled youth when they are exposed to the arts. In such cases, the arts can help boost self-esteem, provide a safe emotional outlet, allow for creativity, and promote enthusiasm. The arts focus on using different forms of assessment, giving students the opportunity to show their true learning capacities. The benefits of the arts are evident in brain research. Synapses not formed in the frontal lobe during development are lost. Therefore, those who are not exposed to the arts at an early age lose that experience and appreciation for the arts later on in life. Involvement in the arts promotes hands-on experience, which develops visual spatial skills. The arts allow for creativity, exploration, and problem solving. Such skills have been shown to increase academic success as indicated by SAT score comparisons. One theory that taps into this brain research is Howard Gardner’s. He proposed the theory of Multiple Intelligences. Gardner’s theory involves eight intelligences, all of which are associated with the arts especially musical, verbal, kinesthetic, and visual. Children learn better through different intelligences. By using various approaches to tap into these learning styles, I can enhance the learning experience for students. The arts are beneficial in so many ways. As a teacher, I will take an integrated approach with the arts in my own aesthetic classroom environment. |
©2006, Jennifer Alison Lynch.
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