What Creative Arts Mean to Education Today

A top concern for parents today is providing their children with a quality education. This year has seen a dramatic change in the educational system. Along with that change comes new perspectives and values of what a well-rounded education is.

Today we see a growing need for self-representation through social media for more than your personal life but professional as well. Potential employers look into your work history through Linkedin, check out your activities on Instagram, and hear your thoughts through Twitter.

The need for self-expression, creativity, and originality are in higher demand than ever on both a personal and professional level regardless of your chosen field. And this is where the creative arts come in.

“Overwhelmingly, both the superintendents who educate future workers and the employers who hire them agree that creativity is increasingly important in U.S. workplaces (99 percent and 97 percent, respectively), and that arts training are crucial to developing creativity. “

— The Conference Board, CEO Challenge 2007: Top 10 Challenges, Research Report 1406, 2007.

The ability to communicate your thoughts and ideas in ways that others can understand and relate to is the cornerstone of a well-rounded education and why reading and writing are fundamental.

The more ways in which one can communicate their thoughts and feelings, the broader the audience they can reach. Creative arts do just that.

Through the arts, students learn how to communicate their thoughts and ideas in ways that challenge their creativity. They explore how to communicate through non-verbal connections, how to work within a group while maintaining their unique personalities and artistry, and the confidence to create and present their work to an audience. Skills that will add to their representational abilities by boosting their self-expression and understanding of what kind of representation they want to communicate.

DanceCleveland Read to Learn…Dance to Move Literacy program

Created by DANCECleveLand Read to Learn…Dance to Move is a literacy program for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students located in Ohio, U.S. The goal, to introduce the arts, specifically dance, to promote language and literacy development through movement.

Educational Benefits

Throughout eight classes, students explore the basic techniques of six dance genres. These skills provide students with a foundation for a “movement vocabulary.” A vocabulary they can build on to create meaningful movements for clear communication.

Books are introduced with concepts explained through movements performed with the teacher. By exploring the book through actions students can understand the book’s meaning on a deeper level as they give words life through movement.
Next students use their imagination to create original movements inspired by the books they read to share with the rest of the class. This gives the students a chance to show their creative work and view the creative work of their classmates.
By the end of the course, both teachers and parents saw the positive effects this creative learning course had on student creativity as well as a piqued interest in reading.

To learn more, check out their website at: https://www.dancecleveland.org/educational-outreach/read-to-learn

Kinder Theater, Using Theater Arts to Teach a Second Language

Dance Republic Osaka Kinder Theater was created as an innovative approach to teaching a second language. The usual forms of learning a second language in kindergarten typically require students to memorize vocabulary lists, recite the alphabet, and prepare for tests without much opportunity for natural communication. For students to learn how to communicate well in a new language they need to know how to say words with tone, facial expressions, speed, and fluidity.

To address these issues Dance Republic Osaka Kinder Theater teaches students how to communicate confidently in real-life scenarios through dance, song, and acting.

Educational Benefits

The format is simple and includes a variety of learning styles. Students are first introduced to new vocabulary through flashcards, then are asked to use that vocabulary in a song and dance. This approach gives students a chance to make a connection to the word visually by seeing the flashcard, verbally by singing the word, and actively by performing the word through movements that represent the word meaning.
As a result of this teaching method, students can express themselves through both verbal and non-verbal communication with confidence, aiding in their goals to become fluent in a second language.

To learn more, check out our website at: http://dancerepublicosaka.com/en/

The benefits of the creative arts in a child’s development are wide-reaching, covering the physical, creative, and social elements of education. So whether you are looking to expand your child’s creativity or hoping they will pick up a new language, enrolling them in a creative arts class can provide them with skills they need for positive self-representation and prepare them for future employment.