You do not hear school reformers talking much about training more teachers in the arts given the current obsession with science, mathematics, engineering and technology. However, there is a long list of skills that young people especially kids learn when they study the arts and related fields. This indicates the fact that the arts though important to learn for its intrinsic value can also enhance important skills necessary for academic brilliance and success in life.
Skills Enhanced By Learning the Arts:
Following lines explain some of the top skills and abilities a child can learn and improve through studying the arts.
While studying art, your child will “think out of the box’, will see things from different perspectives and will be able to think on his own and stand out from rest. The art teacher might ask your child to draw a painting based on his memory, to compose a new poem or to recite a monologue in different ways. If creativity starts coming to your kids naturally now, it will be a great asset for future as well.
Sometimes the kids also have to perform on the stage and that not only enables them to deliver their message convincingly but will also improve their confidence to control the audience. Theater training is an exceptional idea because children make mistakes and subsequently learn from them during rehearsals. This provides kids the necessary confidence to tackle the large audience on any occasion.
- Problem Solving:
People with artistic mind are born problem solvers. The questions “like how do I use clay on this sculpture” and “how do I use paint on canvas” and their answers come naturally to them. Therefore, kids taking arts classes are constantly exposed to problems and they derive their solutions without even realizing it. This practice enhances the children’s ability to reason and understand necessary to succeed in future life.
The most important skill that develops through ensemble work is the ability to focus. It needs a great deal of focus and concentration to maintain the balance between listening and contributing in art classes. Your child not only thinks about his particular role but how to perform that role in the big picture of what is being created. According to recent researches, the skills of focusing and concentration learned during art classes also contribute to do the same in other fields of life.
Most of the art works are the result of collaboration. Similarly, while taking art classes children work together, compromise with others and share responsibility to achieve a common goal. Furthermore, children learn that their individual contribution is necessary if the group is to succeed and therefore they learn that their contribution has the value and they get more confident and satisfied.
When children practice with artistic endeavors that result in a finished product, they start associating success with dedication. They start developing good habits like coming to the rehearsals on time, respecting other’s contribution and putting extensive efforts to make final piece successful. In most genres of art, the award of dedication is the warm applause of the audience that fills you with the feelings of accomplishment and makes your efforts worthwhile.
In addition with learning above mentioned skills, children also enhance their abilities like perseverance and non-verbal communication. In fact, studying art for children is as important as studying science or other subjects if you want your kids to become successful and responsible citizens.
Anthony Powell is an art’s teacher and writes on different genres of art and ideas to use arts for learning such as how educational canvas prints can help children in their mental growth.
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