In today’s arts session we had an in-depth discussion on which arts we have experienced on our school placements. Overall, there is an impression from university students that the expressive arts have to be improved in the majority of schools we have been placed in. Some schools have fallen into the trap of being cliché and teaching non-meaningful lessons, for example, using black paper and chalk to create a bonfire picture. In the school that I have been placed in, there is a STEM and Art room that is currently being integrated into the school. This is an excellent way to make thinking visible (MTV, 2013), which is a main focus in Ayrshire schools. In the school staff room, it is nice to see some information on the wall about making thinking visible. Apart from this, the three days I have experienced little art within the school. I believe that the only art I will be experiencing on my placement will be Christmas themed, which can be seen as very cliché. I have not yet experienced any dance or drama. I can understand the frustration that my lecturer has regarding the arts in schools because it mainly consists of the same cliché experiences. There has always been a “crisis” in math and literacy, but why is this when schools spend the majority of the time doing these?
According to Ruppert (2006), 93% of Americans agree that the arts are vital in providing a well-rounded education for children. Although this is the case, it is very unlikely that they will participate in the arts every day like most schools do with math and literacy. Why is it that 54% rated the importance of arts education a “ten” on a scale of one to ten? Some may be under the impression that you do not “use your brain” in the arts, when in fact the arts can allow an emotional intelligence that most subjects cannot bring. Teachers need to realise that they cannot simply dismiss art because they are not confident in the subject. Teachers should be asking themselves: ‘How can I make the arts the most beneficial experience a child can have?’.
In the music session we focused on using instruments and music notation skills that can be transferred into the classroom. To start, we looked at different music notation, such as breve, minim and quaver. We also looked at notes on the tuned percussion and learned the saying Every Good Boy Deserves Football to remember the notes. We then looked at sheet music that got slowly more difficult as the lesson went in. I believe that this was a valuable experience in the sense that I was able to evaluate my knowledge of music and looked at learning music in the child’s perspective. I began by playing the easier songs on the tuned percussion well, but as it got more difficult I found that I kept forgetting the notes. To me, this showed that you do not have to be an expert in the arts to teach them. I believe that lessons like today are something that I could strive to teach in the future, even though I am not the most experienced in music.
In conclusion, I can say that I am very aware of the importance of the teacher in making a child’s education valuable and exciting. The arts should be implemented in education due to the countless benefits that music and art can bring to the classroom. For example, the arts can play an important role of developing creativity and critical thinking in a child (NACCCE, 1999). This in effect allows children to be more imaginative in their work and focus on individualism.
References:
Educational Institute of Scotland. (2013) Making Thinking Visible. [Online] Available: www.tapestrypartnership.com/wp-content/…/MakingThinkingVisible16.05.13.pdf [Accessed: 08 December 2017].
National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education (NACCCE). (1999) All our futures: Creativity culture and education. London: Department for Culture, Media and Sport/Department for Education and Employment.
Ruppert, S.S., (2006) Critical Evidence: How the Arts Benefit Student Achievement. National Assembly of State Arts Agencies: Washington.
