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My goal is to to begin and sustain the year by convincing my learners that their input is valued and welcomed. Art is an interesting and requisite component of any school and it is imperative to any well rounded curriculum. Studies have shown that students who involve themselves in the arts, achieve in virtually every academic area. This is exactly the information I would relay and enmesh through lesson presentations and our work together. Artists require the freedom that this subject invariably employs. We will convey new and creative concepts to the students. I look to engender an atmosphere where creativity and imagination flourishes through engagement and deep introspection. I look forward to working with you and as always, if you have any questions, please ask.

In recent years, school curricula in the United States have shifted heavily toward common core subjects of reading and math, but what about the arts? Although some may regard art education as a luxury, simple creative activities are some of the building blocks of child development. Learning to create and appreciate visual aesthetics may be more important than ever to the development of the next generation of children as they grow up.

Decision Making: 

According to a report by Americans for the Arts, art education strengthens problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. The experience of making decisions and choices in the course of creating art carries over into other parts of life. “If they are exploring and thinking and experimenting and trying new ideas, then creativity has a chance to blossom,” says MaryAnn Kohl, an arts educator and author of numerous books about children’s art education.

Visual Learning: 

Drawing, sculpting with clay and other mediums improve visual-spatial skills, which are more important than ever. Even toddlers know how to operate a smart phone or tablet, which means that even before they can read, kids are taking in visual information. This information consists of cues that we get from pictures or three-dimensional objects from digital media, books and television.

“Parents need to be aware that children learn a lot more from graphic sources now than in the past,” says Dr. Kerry Freedman, Head of Art and Design Education at Northern Illinois University. “Children need to know more about the world than just what they can learn through text and numbers. Art education teaches students how to interpret, criticize, and use visual information, and how to make choices based on it.” Knowledge about the visual arts, such as graphic symbolism, is especially important in helping kids become smart consumers and navigate a world filled with marketing logos.

Inventiveness: 

When students are encouraged to express themselves and take risks in creating art, they develop a sense of innovation that will be important in their adult lives. “The kind of people society needs to make it move forward are thinking, inventive people who seek new ways and improvements, not people who can only follow directions,” says Kohl. “Art is a way to encourage the process and the experience of thinking and making things better!”

Cultural Awareness: 

As we live in an increasingly diverse society, the images of different groups in the media may also present mixed messages.  Teaching students to recognize the choices an artist or designer makes in portraying a subject helps kids understand the concept that what they see may be simply be someone’s interpretation of reality.

Improved Academic Performance: 

Studies show that there is a correlation between art and other achievement. A report by Americans for the Arts states that young people who participate regularly in the arts (three hours a day on three days each week through one full year) are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement