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In today's world, education has evolved beyond traditional academic subjects to embrace a holistic approach that nurtures the whole child. One aspect of this holistic education is the integration of creative expression into the curriculum. Creative expression, encompassing various art forms such as visual arts, music, dance, and drama, holds immense power in shaping the minds and hearts of students. By providing students with opportunities to engage in creative expression, schools can unlock their true potential and foster their growth as individuals. In this article, we will explore the benefits of incorporating creative expression into education and how it can transform students' lives.
Growth Mindset: Cultivating Resilience and Grit
One of the key benefits of an arts education is the development of a growth mindset. Through creative expression, students are encouraged to explore, experiment, and take risks. They learn that failure is not a setback but an opportunity for growth and improvement. This mindset, characterized by resilience and grit, not only helps students master their craft but also prepares them for academic success and life beyond high school. As teachers, we can facilitate the development of a growth mindset by setting clear expectations and goals, and by highlighting the correlation between effort and results.
"By setting clear expectations and goals for students and then drawing the correlation between the work done and the results, students can begin to shift their motivation, resulting in a much healthier and more sustainable learning environment."
Building Self-Confidence through Creative Expression
Creative expression provides a platform for students to find their voice, build self-confidence, and overcome insecurities. It offers a safe space for personal exploration and self-discovery. Through artistic endeavors, students can express their thoughts, emotions, and experiences, allowing them to develop a sense of identity and purpose. The transformative power of creative expression is exemplified by the story of a student who initially struggled with self-expression but blossomed into a self-confident leader through her involvement in a music ensemble.
"Through the act of making music, she overcame her insecurities and found her voice and place in life."
Enhanced Cognitive Abilities through Arts Education
Research has consistently shown a strong connection between arts education and improved cognitive abilities. Learning music, for example, has been linked to enhanced verbal memory, second language pronunciation accuracy, reading ability, and executive functions. This is because arts education engages students in a multidisciplinary endeavor that combines various subject matters, such as mathematics, history, language, and science, while being uniquely tied to culture. Students learn to apply scientific principles, like understanding sound waves and musical acoustics, or delve into historical and cultural contexts to deliver inspired performances of Shakespeare.
"The arts are valuable not only as stand-alone subject matter, but also as the perfect link between all subject matters - and a great delivery system for these concepts."
Communication Skills: The Art of Expression
Effective communication is a fundamental aspect of human existence. Through creative expression, students develop a wide range of communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal. In music ensembles, for example, students learn to communicate with their peers, conductor, and audience through verbal, physical, and emotional expressions. Similarly, in theatre or dance performances, cast members convey not only the spoken word but also the underlying emotions of the script. The arts serve as a unique mode of expression, transforming thoughts and emotions into a form of communication - art itself.
"The arts are a mode of expression that transforms thoughts and emotions into a unique form of communication - art itself."
Deepening Cultural and Self-Understanding
The value of arts education extends beyond its impact on student learning. It lies in the learning of art itself, which fosters an understanding, appreciation, and ability to create art. Art is intrinsic to human identity and serves as a reflection of culture. Through engagement in the arts, students develop a deeper understanding of their own cultural heritage and that of others. They gain insight into the social, historical, and cultural contexts that shape artistic expressions. The arts bridge the gap between various subject matters, such as drawing and geometry or musical meter and math concepts like fractions, creating meaningful connections and enriching students' overall learning experience.
"A culture without art isn't possible. Art is at the very core of our identity as humans."
Demographic Snapshot: New Mexico School for the Arts
To exemplify the positive impact of arts education, we look to the New Mexico School for the Arts (NMSA). NMSA is a school built upon a dual arts and academic curriculum, where both arts and academics are considered equally important. The school aims to prepare students for professional careers in the arts while equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in college. The demographics of NMSA reflect a diverse student body, with 60% White, 29% Hispanic, 4% Black, 4% Native American, and 3% Asian students.
"Our goal is to prepare students for professional careers in the arts, while also equipping them with the skills and content knowledge necessary to succeed in college."
The Psychological Energies of Creative Expression
Creative expression goes beyond the academic benefits and reaches into the realm of psychological growth and development. Roberto Assagioli, in his work "Creative Expression in Education," emphasizes the necessity of including creative expression as a means to foster the growth of psychological energies and tap into higher superconscious talents. He highlights the distinction between creativity in general and artistic creativity, noting that the latter focuses on the production of works with aesthetic value. However, the educational usefulness of creative expression does not depend on aesthetic theories or skill in expression.
"Skill in presentation, therefore, and perfection of form play little or no part in the educational usefulness of creative expression."
The Creative Process: Conception, Gestation, and Birth
Assagioli introduces the concept of the creative process, drawing parallels with physical creativity. The process begins with conception, the result of fecundation. In psychological creativity, external stimuli, and internal drives act as the fecundating factors. These drives seek expression and may find indirect manifestation and satisfaction through creative expression. The creative process unfolds in stages of conception, gestation, and birth. The birth represents the moment of inspiration when the product of creativity emerges from the unconscious into the conscious realm of the personality. It is a transformative experience for the individual, often leading to further development and refinement of the creative product.
"The individual becomes aware of, and is often amazed by, the inrush of the creature of his unconscious creativity, which takes some form of objective expression, verbal or nonverbal."
Techniques of Creative Expression: Verbal and Non-Verbal
Creative expression can take various forms, including verbal and non-verbal means. Verbal expression encompasses storytelling, writing, and spoken word performances, while non-verbal expression includes visual arts, music, dance, and movement. Assagioli advocates for the use of non-verbal means, as they are often more direct and suited to the expression of symbolic meanings. Symbols, as images or pictures, convey meaning and can be used to encourage creative imagination. The imagination, active in both waking and dreaming states, plays a crucial role in creative expression.
"Symbols can be regarded as images or pictures expressing, or hiding, either some general or abstract idea, or some meaningful condition and situation."
The Role of the Educator: Encouragement and Interpretation
Although creative expression emphasizes freedom and self-expression, the role of the educator is pivotal in guiding and supporting students' creative endeavors. The educator creates a positive and supportive atmosphere, fostering a sense of trust and collaboration among students. Encouragement and appreciation for students' creative expressions are essential in nurturing their confidence and growth. Additionally, educators play a crucial role in interpreting the symbolic meaning of students' creations. This requires a deep understanding of psychology, symbolism, and intuition to accurately decipher the hidden messages within the artwork.
"Another important and more difficult function of the educator is to interpret accurately the symbolic meaning, often hidden, of what has been expressed."
Conclusion: Unlocking the Potential of Students through Creative Expression
Incorporating creative expression into education unlocks the untapped potential of students, fostering their growth as individuals and preparing them for success in various aspects of life. Through creative expression, students cultivate a growth mindset, build self-confidence, enhance cognitive abilities, develop communication skills, deepen cultural and self-understanding, and tap into higher superconscious talents. Educators play a vital role in nurturing students' creative endeavors, providing support, encouragement, and interpretation when needed. By recognizing the power of creative expression, schools can create an environment that values and promotes the holistic development of students.
"What is greatly needed, and should be the concern of all educators, is to give creative expression the attention and important place it demands in the curriculum of all schools, as well as in family education."
As educators, let us embrace the power of creative expression and unlock the potential of our students, fostering their growth, self-expression, and lifelong love for the arts. Together, we can create a transformative educational experience that nurtures the whole child and prepares them for a future filled with creativity, resilience, and success.
Edited: Ashlynn
Cover page: Jiaying C.
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