Arts Education: Philosophy And Philosophy Of Education

Arts Education Philosophy

Throughout history, the arts have formed an integral part of social life. People have practised the arts to communicate their ideas, feelings, thoughts and imagination from generation to generation. The primitive people used paintings and dances to express their thoughts. Ancient Greek civilization has not faded into oblivion but left lasting legacies in the arts. Numerous types of modern and classical world music, masterpieces of paint or spectacular theatrical shows have the power to capture the attention. In the twenty-first century, the arts have developed at a phenomenal rate and we are overwhelmed by the amazing work of art by talented artists. Therefore it is my conviction that every child has the right to receive quality art education which will meet differentiated individual needs in terms of learning styles and methods which forms my teaching philosophy. In this creative exercise I hope to facilitate a smooth and rich learning experience in their journey of self-exploration.

Art is a tool that helps human beings to express their feelings, thoughts and imagination. Like any other communicative method, the arts also play a vital role in bringing out the thoughts of a human by means of expressive methods such as visual arts, drama, dance and music. It also provides children important skills, confidence and understanding to take part fully in the cultural side of life. Koster (2009, p. 212) states that “the arts are a creative playground for the growing mind.” He emphasizes that the arts actively engage students in order to attain personal achievement or create their end products by using their analytical, interpreting, critical and right decision making skills. The arts also give students freedo...

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...ng to this, children use different ways to understand and see the world. Implementing art based-curriculum by integrating other subject areas will encourage the students to excel in all areas of study and will offer the multiple, dialogic opportunities necessary for learning (Churchill et al. 2011, p. 184).

In conclusion, we, as educators, should endeavor to develop our children’s intellectual, imaginative and expressive potential through the arts-based curriculum which will undoubtedly develop their skills and an understanding and of aesthetics. When students extend their education to the tertiary level in the twenty first century they will enjoy a wide array of exciting opportunities in the art and design in the international arena. However, there is a clear need for research exploring the long term effects of arts based curriculum in the primary education.