Creativity builds confidence…
I believe that children need to freedom to explore, investigate, interpret and problem-solve. Children have a natural curiosity and individual personalities, their qualities should be given the space to grow in their own time and shape. As a teacher I know that ‘one size’ does not ‘fit all’. This is why standardised tests are so frustrating, not only are they stressful for many children (and parents), they can only ever provide a ‘snap-shot’ of a child’s’ performance at a given time on a specific day. They do not show us what a child is really capable of or who they are and potentially who they can be.
So much teaching now is about criteria and formula. So much has to be squashed into the confines of the school day that teachers can only dream of knowing their students as individuals. More changes, more ‘new initiatives’, less funding, fewer support staff, no space for a library, no time for art, drama, music.
Where is the creativity? I mean creativity in the literal sense and creativity of delivery.
I know the children I teach today lack essential qualities of resilience, perseverance, optimism and adaptability but they can answer questions on a test paper really well.
Creative activity can help children discover who they are, what they like, how to overcome difficulties, celebrate the process and not just the end result. The therapeutic effect of working through a piece of visual art or assuming a character in a drama activity cannot be underestimated. Many children have found a way to better understand their difficulties through role-play and puppetry.
Learning about art means finding out about cultures, religions, historical and social influences, techniques and materials, mathematical systems for measuring proportion, scale grids and perspective. Learning about art helps children understand the world and develop the vocabulary to communicate ideas, thoughts and feelings.