A complete approach towards art education does not holistically concentrate on only technical skills but aids the development of students emotionally and creatively. This is asserted by the Curriculum Development Manager of Curriculum Programmes for Cambridge Assessment International Education, Lloyd Jeeves. It was shown, according to research, that in primary schools, art education plays a significant role in a child’s development. The Cambridge Primary Art and Design curriculum was established to allow learners to express themselves and explore freely, providing support to the growth of reflective skills and social skills and urging teachers to develop a conducive environment for learners to build resilience and take risks.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are considered as more important subjects than arts in the African system of education. According to research, there is a creation of necessary balance through the cultivation of arts subjects which promotes performance in other study areas that are seen as more important and requiring rigorous cerebral activity. A statement from Amy Herman affirmed that art enhances the mechanism of problem-solving skills, by discovering problems and stating the methods to fix them.
Arts enhance perseverance and concentration skills.
Additionally, arts and design develop creativity in children, young minds, supporting them in providing solutions to problems in Cambridge primary subjects such as Computing, Mathematics, English, Global Perspectives and Science. Artistic education enhances perseverance and concentration skills, making children explore materials and different tools while using their knowledge to build beautiful designs and objects. These skills are necessary to exceed in other subjects. Learners have the privilege, when making models in art, to evaluate the properties of materials. Through learning, they explore the materials that can be combined and also study their weight and density.
Since its commencement, the primary Art and Design of Cambridge was designed to provide limitless opportunities which picture the range of collaborative and individual opportunities which every learner will be able to explore and identify. A learning platform is provided by Art and Design for learners to express themselves through promotion of communication and development of interaction, even with autistic learners. Art subjects also help visually impaired students to manipulate and touch materials of different properties to provide a broad level of sensory opportunities at the experimental learning to develop their skills.
Learners experience diversity in designs from different cultures.
The period of primary education is the important time for advancing creativity for learners to explore new ideas. Early introduction to Art & Design helps learners to build optimistic attitudes to creative thoughts and subjects which are advantageous for future learning. This subject urges them to applaud others’ artistic experiences and their own works. With this, the development of the classroom as a community starting from an early age enables openness to experiencing diversity in designs from different cultures and times.
Emotional development derived by expression through art amidst learners support skills like collaboration and perseverance. They are prepared to address criticism as they respond, receive and give feedback. Also, Cambridge Primary Art & Design creates the chance for learners to evaluate designs created for commercial purposes and respond to the art. Learners get to understand life as an art in human existence which is used in decoration and architecture. With this, learners appreciate the benefit of commercial art, increasing its financial benefit and practicality of the artists.
This subject builds informed curiosity & burning passion for learning.
It is advisable that learners must create value if they want to pick art in their later life. Significantly, children are well-involved in art to support its priceless development at schools and homes and to ensure progress in their studies. As it was stated earlier, the Curriculum Developer at Cambridge Assessment International Education, Jeeves, highlighted that this initiative is a part of the University of Cambridge which grooms students for a better life, to build informed curiosity and burning passion for learning.
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