• Why the Arts for Homeschool Students?

    Benefits of Arts to Kids

    music

     

    By John Dunphy 
     
    Children naturally love art – painting, drawing, making music, the theater. Physiologically, the human brain consists of 2 parts, the left and the right hemisphere.  The left brain is used in logical thinking and analytical processes. This is typically what is trained in school work that consists of math, reading and science.  The right brain is used in emotional perception, intuition and creativity. It is the right brain that is mainly used when a person is involved in creative endeavors such as making art or music. It is this part of the brain that a typical school environment neglects to train.
     

    It is shown that when gifted kids solve problems in their areas of giftedness, there is increased electrical activity in both hemispheres. It appears that for the brain to be efficient, the two hemispheres of the brains must work together. By stimulating and exercising the right hemisphere of the brain, the arts strengthen the connection between the hemispheres. Kids should be exposed to the arts as their cognitive skills mature so that their right brain will be as developed as the left, and both hemispheres work in tandem, thus achieving the full potential of the mind.

    Aside from the physiological effects, the also lists other benefits of exposing children to art and music:

    • Your student learns to think creatively, with an open mind
    • Your student learns to observe and describe, analyze and interpret
    • Your student learns to express feelings, with or without words.
    • Your student practices problem-solving skills, critical-thinking skills, dance, music, theater and art-making skills, language and vocabulary of the arts
    • Your student discovers that there is more than one right answer, multiple points of view
    • School can be fun – playing can be learning
    • Your student learns to collaborate with other children and with adults
    • Arts introduce children to cultures from around the world
    • Your child can blossom and excel in the arts.  Even with physical, emotional or learning challenges, can experience success in the arts.
    • Arts build confidence. Because there is not just one right way to make art, every child can feel pride in his or her original artistic creations.
    • Arts build community. Schools with a variety of differences can celebrate the arts as one community.

    According to Kimberly Sheridan, Ed.D., coauthor of Studio Thinking: The Real Benefits of Visual Arts Education, ”It’s not as easy to test the skills that children learn from the arts, but that doesn’t make them any less important”. She noted though that participating in a school arts program increases a child’s ability to:

    • Observe the world carefully and discard preconceptions in order to envision something and then create it
    • Go beyond just learning a skill to express a personal voice
    • Problem-solve and persist despite frustration and setbacks
    • Reflect on the results and ask what could improve them


    Researchers from the Michigan State University have found a very strong correlation between childhood engagement in the creative arts and measurable success later in life. Children who were exposed to a wide variety of arts and crafts were more likely to create unique inventions that is worthy of patents, come up with ideas good enough to start a new company, or publish provocative papers on science and technology. The researchers suggest that children exposed to arts and crafts are able to think “out of the box” since a lot of working with hands involve figuring out how to solve problems creatively. After studying many scientists Co-authors Robert and Michele Root-Bernstein reached this conclusion: “The most eminent and innovative among them are significantly more likely to engage in arts and crafts avocations” than the average Joe.

    Arts education and appreciation were also found to have benefits on young people’s brains. In a study by researchers from University of Kansas, students who were selected to visit a museum shows stronger critical thinking skills, displayed higher levels of social tolerance, exhibited greater historical empathy and developed a taste for art museums and cultural institutions.

    Also, exposure to arts and the humanities is one important way to foster creativity in children.

    The following are tips and links to make the arts a part of your student’s development:

    • Attend the Design Learning Academy Art Elective every Tuesday from 10:00-11:00 on the campus of Crest Elementary School (Room #11 with Ms. Gilmour).
    • Always make arts and crafts supply available and accessible to your kid – paper, pencil, crayons, etc.
    • Celebrate your child’s artwork – hang their drawings on the wall or save it in a folder.  That way, your child feels that her creation is important.
    • Read books – Ask a librarian to suggest books about artists and the arts.
    • Notice the arts all around you – take your family to museums, concerts, or theater.  Notice the art even in the parks, subways, and open spaces.

     

    Arts and Music Around San Diego

    Please feel free to contact me anytime with additional questions you may have about arts and music, Design Learning Academy program, or any other home school related issues.

    John Dunphy
    Cajon Valley Home School
    dunphyj@cajonvalley.net
    619-588-3630

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