Over the past five years or so, K-12 curriculums in the United States have shifted toward the Common Core, focusing on subjects such as reading and math. The questions is, do these new standards leave room for art in the classroom? There are certainly some who may consider the arts to be extraneous, but creative learning truly builds a strong foundation for child development. Learning how to work with your hands and appreciate aesthetics trickles down into so many different areas of learning and development, including:
Better Decision Making
According to a report by Americans for the Arts, art education strengthens problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. It may not seem like it now, but the process of making both critical and creative decisions will be manifested in other parts of a child’s life down the road.
Improved Motor Skills
Many of the skills used to create arts and crafts help developing children hone important motor skills. In fact, many schools emphasize the use of scissors since it helps with the dexterity required for strong writing skills. According to the National Institutes of Health, developmental milestones around age three should include drawing a circle and beginning to use safety scissors. Around age four, children may be able to draw a square and begin cutting straight lines with scissors. All of these motions, from cutting to holding a crayon, contribute to the growth of fine motor skills in children.
Ingenuity and Innovation
When children are in an environment where creativity is encouraged, it fosters an atmosphere that breeds new ideas, constant improvement, and ownership. By encouraging our children to express themselves in different ways, it helps to develop a sense of creative ownership that will be important in their adult lives. Not only will it help children become more independent innovators in their future endeavours, but it will allow them to own their ideas, improve upon them, and take constructive criticism.
Language Development
Although creating art has a great deal of benefits, even talking about art can be extremely beneficial for children of all ages. Talking about art and music allows them to expand their vocabulary by discussing new sounds, textures, colors, and shapes. Experiencing and discussing new forms of art opens an entirely new dialogue that otherwise would not be present.
Enhanced Academic Performance
Current studies have proven that there is a correlation between art and academic achievements. A recent report by Americans for the Arts shows us that young people who participate in the arts at least three hours a day for three days each week through one full year are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, or to participate in a math and science fair.
Everything from improved life skills to enhanced academics is precisely why the Elementary School Art Curriculum at Cedar Hill Prep is integrated within the Social Studies Curriculum, which cohesively integrates holidays, and celebrations of the school. Art affects so many other aspects of a child’s life. Our students make art and craft projects to depict themselves, make ornaments, masks, kites, and artifacts that represent multicultural holidays. By doing this, students better understand the various elements of art, explore and learn different art techniques, learn art history, and develop an appreciation for different cultures as they work on related projects.
And it doesn’t stop there. The Middle School Art Curriculum at Cedar Hill Prep is designed to further their artistic education by understanding various elements of art from lines to forms and texture. These students will also become proficient in principles of design, understanding proportion and unity. Not only will these students be able to explore and learn different art techniques, but they will learn culture, history, and the importance of these elements in relation to their own lives because of their exposure to an integrated and multifaceted art program.
