Importance of the Arts – Essay

This essay will explain the critical importance that participating in the expressive arts curriculum has on children’s learning and development. It will focus on the physical, social, emotional, cognitive and language, and spiritual development that children experience have through the arts. Then, it will justify each of these explanations, using Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education [MOE], 1996) the early childhood curriculum. Finally, it will describe effective ways for teachers to support the artistic expression of children in early childhood education.

Through the arts children express their feelings and understandings. The arts provide opportunities for exploration and manipulation (Feeney, Christensen, & Moravcik, 2006). Furthermore, Schirrmacher (2006) states that learning happens with and through the arts. Through the arts, children can express their ideas, using oral language or visual symbols. The arts support children to feel good about themselves as individuals. Children develop the ability to observe and respond sensitively, and they build up skills and creativity in art, music, and movement. Also, children start to understand the arts’ disciplines and will become appreciative of music, art, and dance, from their own and other cultures. Furthermore, through the arts, children construct understanding and communicate what they know (Feeney et al., 2006).

The arts are a basic component in early childhood education. This important area must be carefully designed during the early years to enhance children’s artistic development and nurture an appreciation for beauty in their world. The arts are recognised as both a fundamental and distinctive way of knowing. (Isbell & Raines, 2007, p. 106)

The arts are fundamental in the development of children, who can feel as well as think, and who are sensitive and creative. Art, music, and creative movement help children to identify and express their feelings and ideas in different and new forms. The arts help children to develop their senses and they are an essential part of children’s growing up (Feeney et al., 2006). Furthermore, the arts are an integral part of authentic learning; the heart and soul that complement mind and body (Jalongo & Stamp, 1997). The arts are a powerful integrative force that helps children to develop their physical, social, emotional, cognitive and language, and spiritual skills (Schirrmacher, 2006; Jalongo & Stamp, 1997).

Most creative activities, such as painting, finger painting, collage, clay, and playdough, help with the physical development of children. In these activities, children will be stretching their arms and moving their hands, legs and sometimes their whole body. Drawing also helps children’s physical development, in particular, their fine motor skills. Somerset (2007, p. 28) argues that “drawing is a necessary activity for children, filling needs not provided for in painting.”. Children develop the ability to hold a pencil or crayon between the thumb and first finger. Exercising the muscles of the hand is as essential as exercising the larger muscles in running and jumping (Somerset, 2007). Furthermore, all the manipulative movements involved in the arts help develop the hand and finger muscles that are needed to properly hold and use a pencil (Schirrmacher, 2006).

When children move to music, the whole body is responding to a feeling. In their dance, children experiment freely and happily. Some children will use their whole body to make music (Somerset, 2007). Music benefits children’s ability to use the body in rhythmic ways and helps their language development, socialising, and communication. Other benefits include children’s ability to work and enjoy time with others, and the development of their physical skills, coordination, timing, and rhythm (Penrose, 1991).

The arts and physical development can be linked with the fifth strand of Te Whāriki, Exploration, goal two, “children experience an environment where they gain confidence in and control of their bodies” (MOE, 1996, p. 86). For example, when children are easel painting, they use their entire arms and upper torsos in making large, sweeping motions with paintbrushes; children will develop hand eye coordination and small motor skills later required for writing.

Through the arts children have the opportunity to work with other children in small groups The arts help children to learn about themselves and others. “Humans’ capacity to explore themes, whether this is through music, dance, painting, poetry or any other medium, is what differentiates humans from the non-humans” (Gibbs, 2006, p.108). Through the arts, children validate their uniqueness by making a personal statement. Moreover, the arts help children to become comfortable with themselves, learning what they like and dislike and what they can and cannot do (Schirrmacher, 2006).

Te Whāriki recognises that “children learn through collaboration with adults and peers, through guided participation and observation of others, as well as through individual exploration and reflection” (MOE, 1996, p. 9). Besides that, “children experience an environment where they are encouraged to learn with and alongside others” (MOE, 1996, p. 70). For example, when children are at the collage table or playdough table, they might share their ideas and the creative skills with other children, with words and actions. Children learn to share, take turns, affirm themselves and begin to empathise with others.

Through the arts children express and share with others the happiness and the love or sadness that surrounds them. The arts provide the opportunity for children to work out their feelings. The arts can give children a feeling of empowerment. Children disclose their deepest convictions, feelings, and dreams with crayon, paint, or pencil. The arts help children to express those objects, ideas, people, places, experiences events, and feelings that are emotionally significant. The arts, however, allow these feelings, fantasies, fears, and frustrations to surface and be expressed. It allows children the opportunity to represent in fantasy what cannot happen in reality (Schirrmacher, 2006; Somerset, 2007).

The link between the emotional development through the arts and Te Whāriki is with the third strand, Contribution, goal two, “children experience an environment where they are affirmed as individuals” (MOE, 1996, p. 68). Children may express some emotions when they are having art activities, for example, when children are moving to music they are expressing how they feel at that particular time to the rhythm of the music.

Cognitive and language development is one of the primary ways children construct their understanding of the world. The arts provide another way of learning about the world (Isbell & Raines, 2007). “All the arts forms, including dance, mime, music, painting, and other visual arts, enable children to discover different ways to communicate” (MOE, 1996, p. 97) The arts reflect what children know about the world. Children who have directly experienced a wide variety of people, places, and objects will have an array of things to choose from when creating art. Translating ideas, concepts, and experiences into the arts involves many thinking skills, planning, organising, and making choices. Children use their meta cognitive skills as they create what they know not what they see. The arts involve problem solving (Schirrmacher, 2006).

The major benefits of the arts may very well be cognitive in nature. Through the arts, children learn about the concepts of colour, shape, size, line, texture, and other artistic elements. Strong relationships between learning in the arts and fundamental cognitive skills and capacities are used to master other core subjects, including: reading, writing, and mathematics (Schirrmacher, 2006).

Cognitive and language development can be linked with the fourth strand of Te Whāriki, Communication, children “develop verbal communication skills for a range of purposes” and “they discover and develop different ways to be creative and expressive” (MOE, 1996, p. 72). For example when children are able to share the reading of the story with others in a group situation they are able to express themselves through facial expressions and enthusiastic sounds including laughter. Often shared reading between children and teachers encourages more understanding of the story and helps children to develop listening and language skills.

Spirituality is something deep inside, which is possible to feel, to connect to and to express. Children do not rely on words to express their feelings and experiences; the arts can be their language and their way of communicating emotionally and spiritually (Painton, 2007). The arts have the potential to lift children’s souls. “Art is an important nonverbal language; a system of symbols that emerge from children’s drawings” (Isbell & Raines, 2007, p. 106).

Te Whāriki recognises that for children “to grow up as competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body, and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society” (MOE, 1996, p. 9). For example when children use water in whatever form, they feel confident and soothed within. Water has a very calming and soothing effect on children. Not only they learn the science and maths associated with it but also it has therapeutic value. Especially if children are able to choose the use of water when they need it then this is one way of catering for their spiritual needs.

It is essential for teachers to develop effective ways to support the artistic expression of children in early childhood education. Teachers “may not all be able to ‘read’ the message that is expressed in paint, clay, collage, song and dance” but they “can train themselves to become more perceptive and more aware of the deep needs of children” (Somerset, 2007, p. 20). This can be linked with Te Whāriki “the arts are important to the growth of self-expression and to a sense of self-worth and enjoyment” (MOE, 1996,
p. 94).

Teachers’ role is to provide an environment, materials, experiences, and relationships that support creative development and aesthetic appreciation. A classroom that provides for all of these needs has a creative climate – an atmosphere where creative expression is nurtured and where creativity can flourish. It is also important to allow flexible times for children to complete their creation (Jalongo & Stamp, 1997; Somerset, 2007). Children benefit from an atmosphere that is relaxed and based on respect (Isbell & Raines, 2007). One essential role for teachers is modelling enthusiasm for the arts (Jalongo & Stamp, 1997). Te Whāriki recognises that “children explore ideas, materials, and the environment through the arts” (MOE, 1996, p. 98).

Teachers wanting to foster creativity need to actively assist children to learn to be flexible and fluent, sensitive, imaginative, risk takers, resourceful for themselves. Teachers may also need to demonstrate and encourage the use of tools and materials such as pastels and oil paints that is the techniques needed for artistic processes. (McConnell, 2000)

One of the main responsibilities of teachers is to facilitate creativity and not to limit or extinguish the natural talent of children, for example if a child is painting, teachers should encourage with words such as: would you like some more paper? Some glue? Or would you like me to bring more paint? (Brownlee, 1991). “Balancing the range of materials available to children is one of the important tasks of the early childhood educator” (Dockett & Fleer, 1999, p. 178).

It is also important that teachers help children to focus. It is an essential step in assisting children to believe in their ability. Teachers can use some questions to encourage children to draw. For example, “tell me what colour the elephant was? Where did you see it? Was it big? Small? Or where would be a good place to start?” It is very important to talk honestly with the children. Using correct names enables children to become aware of the proper names in their world (Brownlee, 1991).

It is essential for teachers to be creative too. They should posses some characteristics such as: self-confidence, willingness to try new ideas, be interested in many things, be flexible, be persistent, and enjoy working with children (Isbell & Raines, 2007). This can be linked with Te Whāriki “generating and exploring ideas in creative ways, individually and in groups, provides opportunities for purposeful contributions” (MOE, 1996, p. 96).

The arts are an important element in the lives of children as it helps them develop and foster life skills, creativity, imagination, and a positive self-image. An active childhood, with many opportunities for the arts, develops the individual child in several ways, and is a rich resource for all of their life. Children need the opportunity to have many experiences in creative activities. The arts will help children to determine what kind of adult they will become. Furthermore, the domains of development are absolutely interrelated among them, while children are involved with the arts, simultaneously they are developing the physical, social, emotional, cognitive and language, and spiritual skills needed to attain adulthood. This is why the arts are critically important in an early childhood curriculum. The arts are everywhere in people’s lives. They add depth and dimension to the environment by shaping daily experiences. Children need to feel safe, valued, and encouraged during their artistic experiences.

It is extremely important for teachers to motivate and encourage children to be involved through the arts; also teachers should stimulate children’s reflective thinking. Moreover, professional development is extremely important for teachers. Teachers can participate in programs to learn the techniques of an arts-integrated approach to education.

References

Brownlee, P. (1991). Magic places: A guide for adults to encourage young children’s creative art work (Rev. ed.). Auckland: New Zealand Playcentre Federation.

Dockett, S., & Fleer, M. (1999). Play and pedagogy in early childhood: Bending the rules. Melbourne: Thomson Learning.

Feeney, S., Christensen, D., & Moravcik, E. (2006). Who am I in the lives of children?: An introduction to early childhood education (7^th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Gibbs, C. (2006). To be a teacher: Journeys towards authenticity. Auckland: Pearson Education New Zealand.

Isbell, R., & Raines, S. (2007). Creativity and the arts with young children (2^nd ed.).  Belmont, Cal: Thomson Delmar Learning.

Jalongo, M. R., & Stamp, L.N. (1997). The arts in children’s lives: Aesthetic education in early childhood. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa/Early childhood curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.

McConnell, C. (2000). Authentic creative experiences: How do we achieve them? Early Education 22, 19-25.

Painton, M. (2007). Encouranging your child’s spiritual intelligence. Hillsboro, OR: Beyond Words Publishing.

Penrose, P. (1991). Take another look: A guide to observing children. Dunedin: New Zealand Playcentre Federation.

Schirrmacher, R. (2006). Art and creative development for young children (5^th ed.). Clifton Park NY: Thomson Delmar Learning.

Somerset, G. (2007). Work and play: In the early years. Auckland: New Zealand Playcentre Federation.