Monday, April 11, 2011

The Importance of Art Education

                                   THE IMPORTANCE OF ART EDUCATION 
                                                                      
                                                       Importance of Art Education


Have you ever thought why do we send children to school? Or what is the importance of education? Firstly, the schools teach the necessary values to children which are needed to become good citizens. Secondly, schools provide the skills and prepare the students to get a job. And lastly, perhaps the most important, schools teach the students how to be better human beings, how to be creative and aware, and to enjoy and understand the deeper forms of beauty. Art education, be it in the form of drawing or music or dance, does exactly that. Importance of art education in the development of a child’s overall personality and skills is undeniable. Still, it is seen that when it comes to cost cutting, arts and crafts programs are the first things that are discontinued in schools. Maybe the school authorities as well as parents need to understand why is art education important. Given below are some of the advantages of art education for students.
                                           Importance of Art Education in Schools

It is observed that children who are engaged in art activities, develop a better understanding of other subjects, right from languages to geography to even science. Studies have shown that students who are exposed to any of the forms of creative expression, be it music, painting, or drama, on an average achieve higher scores in standardized tests. Some other findings suggest that students engaged in an arts program in school are much more unlikely to drop out of school compared to those who are not into any kind of arts.

                                                                   
                                                                     Creativity
During art programs, students are often given materials and asked to draw whatever they feel like. Such free flowing art activities foster creativity in children and help in developing their imagination as well as decision making skills.
                                                          Interpretation Skills
During art appreciation classes, students are made to interpret and draw conclusions from various pieces of art. This strengthens their interpretation skills and they can use the same in other subjects as well as in all other aspects of life.
                                 Critical Thinking and Communication Skills
Art develops a child’s intelligence. Studies have shown that exposure of children to art helps in promoting brain activity. A child learns how to problem solve. He also learns how to convey his thoughts and ideas in numerous ways. During art classes, various pieces of art are discussed in detail. This discussion makes the students capable of expressing themselves well during debates or in speech classes.
                                                      Personality Development
Art forms such as drama activities develop the overall personality of a child. They build a child’s self esteem and make him disciplined. A child due to his engagement in art becomes much more creative and innovative. He develops motivation and also learns how to cooperate with others.
                                                                 People Skills
The importance of art education for children can be understood from the fact that engaging in art activities gives the child a better understanding of human nature. A child develops sensitivity and becomes considerate enough to think from the other’s point of view. He starts respecting other people’s feelings and thoughts.
                                                          Observational Skills
Art activities for children improve their observational skills. For example, the skills that are required to draw a sketch of a house are the same that are required to understand the solar system or to figure out why a particular classmate is behaving in so and so manner.
                                                            Inquisitive Spirit
Kids art activities make them curious. A child learns how to question things by participating in arts. After drawing a sketch, if a child does not like the final outcome, he erases and re-draws certain portions. Thus, he learns “trial and error” through art and uses the same in real life situations.

The importance of art education can be understood from the fact that the whole of human history that we know of today, has been conveyed to us through various art forms such as literature, music, visual arts, dance and drama. Art transcends all boundaries be it geographical or cultural. Art can bring imagination to life and give life to imagination. So to conclude it can be said that engaging in art activities is a must for children for their social, emotional, intellectual and personal development.