Facebook Live: Let’s get Arty! Why art is integral in children’s education.

You can learn so much about a child’s approach to learning, and to life, by watching them draw. Research tells us that children’s brain synapses ignite as they create, mix, colour, squish and imagine. It might not be obvious; but your child’s latest finger painting required a great deal of decision making and problem solving. It drew on Maths skills (to demonstrate proportion and size) English (to tell their story and to imagine how to visually portray their thoughts) and fine motor, memory and self-control skills to bring their masterpiece to fruition. 

What is the role of the teacher in all this? There’s no right or wrong answer. There might be a few rules, but ultimately the final product is in the student’s hands. But by teaching children how to look, observe and draw, and building on their innate love of creating, we can increase their self-confidence, their decision-making abilities, their patience and perseverance. Just like reading helps increase our vocabulary, and measuring helps us understand space and volume, looking at images and art increases our visual literacy and understanding of the world. 

Children thrive when they master self-expression, where they can safely learn how to communicate their thoughts and feelings through art. Join the discussion on this special Facebook Live with artist and art teacher Kate Nielsen and John Colet School Head Julian Wilcock. Find out more about the art teacher’s role in nurturing, encouraging and equipping each child with the tools to express themselves through visual art. 

Facebook Live will be on the Northern Beaches Mums Facebook Page.