Understanding Arts:
Arts help children, adolescents, and adults explore their emotions, improve self-esteem, manage addictions, relieve stress, improve symptoms of anxiety and depression, and cope with a physical illness or disability. Arts allow in creative expression; it helps in overcoming the barrier of language, inability to express in words. Arts open the door towards our subconscious part of the brain, which allows going deeper in ourselves. No artistic talent is necessary for arts to be used for self-exploration, skill-building, and expression; it is about finding associations between the creative choices made and children’s inner life. In other words, if it is too difficult, confusing, or painful to be said, then maybe drawing, painting, making collage and many other forms of arts can enable the learner to express self.
What is Arts-based Learning?
Arts-based learning encourages expression through art, such as drama, dance, music, visual art, film, poetry writing, and literature. It can take place in the regular classroom within a conventional program. It is a process where art becomes the medium of teaching-learning, a key to understanding concepts within any subject of the curriculum. Learners can either participate by creating ‘art’ or by engaging with the artwork of other artists. Both of these can be engaging and transformative experiences for the learners, and the instructor may decide how the students will get involved with the art depending on the learning objective.
How does Arts-based Learning help?
Research in arts-based education indicates that it promotes creative thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as fosters innovative leadership competencies (Brenner, 2010). Arts are viewed as means through which imagination, creativity, and innovation find expression. Arts-based learning can be powerful because art taps into the affective side of humanity and evokes emotions. Arts-based learning has the capacity to engage learners personally, emotionally, and even spiritually. Additionally, art-based learning can help students develop confidence and self-esteem, and build effective communication and interpersonal skills.
Stage-wise learning objectives of Arts-based Learning:
Pre-Primary
- Make learning joyful and engaging
- Encourage children to be aware of their environment through keen observation and unhindered exploration
- Promote sensitivity towards their environment
- Allow free emotional expression, communication and creative involvement
- Facilitate children to express freely and spontaneously
Primary
- Experience joy and eagerness to learn
- Learn to live in an inclusive environment
- Discover concepts of Mathematics and Science in the world around them
- Be aware of interdisciplinary connections
- Enhance observation, curiosity, exploration, and creative and free expression
- Explore and understand body movement and coordination
Upper Primary
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Explore multiple perspectives of concepts
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Construct knowledge of themes, subjects, and concepts and be aware of the interdisciplinary connections
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Develop a pluralistic approach and appreciate different possibilities
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Promote teamwork and mutual appreciation
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Enhance communication skills, language skills, and problem-solving skills
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Build sensitivity towards environmental and societal concerns
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Create art and apply their artistic skills in day-to-day activities
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Learn inclusive practices of respect, care, empathy, and compassion
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Foster socio-emotional competencies and cognitive competence
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Understand and regulate their emotions
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Create awareness of rich heritage and cultural diversity
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