Today was the first day of the Integrated Arts module. This is an area that I am slighty out of touch with, as I have not been around the Arts for some time. When I left school and became employed full time, the Arts were forgotten about as they were no longer a priority of mine.

This is a common theme, which we discussed in our seminars today. The Arts are unfortunately not seen as a priority with in the curriculum, unlike subjects such as, numeracy and literacy which are. In our discussions I discovered that the Arts allow us to use our imagination and give us oppertunity to express feelings that we cannot often speak of or write down. The Arts allow us to be creative, self-reflect and also to have self-confidence.

While looking at some children’s artwork today and playing with musical instruments, I could sense my imagination working, just like it did when I was at school.

It is with this kind of imagination and drive that great ideas/inventions of the future will be created and it is important that we as educators encourage imagination. This something I look forward to, when I go out on school placement.

“The differences between the arts subjects maybe as important as the similarities because between them they offer a range of expressive outlets, each making demands and offering opportunities that are unique and quite specific” (Ross, 1976 cited in Burnard , 2006).

References

• Burnard, P. (2006) Rethinking the Imperatives for Reflective Practices in Arts Education, in Reflective Practices in Arts Education Series: Landscapes: the Arts, Aesthetics, and Education, Vol. 5 Burnard, Pamela; Hennessy, Sarah (Eds.) Dordrecht: Springer.
• McAuliffe, D. (2007) Foundation and Primary Settings. In Teaching Art and Design 3-11. London: Continuum.