The knowledge of the efficacy of art education is important for school tutors and their faculty who desire to have the best teaching methods. Additionally, parents are interested in having their kids go through the education system and graduate being well armed with skills to help them cope with the ever changing world and discourage jeopardy of their futures as adults (Steers, 2007).
Communities also wish that the learned population were able to put into good use their acquired knowledge for the well being of the society. This paper analyzes in detail the art education and its importance to education stakeholders and society.
The main aim of a teacher is to equip students with the necessary skills postulated by the curriculum. The transfer of knowledge from teacher to student often entails the use of different methods. However, several researches in the education sector agree that students’ learning need to be engaging if they are to grasp the details (Manzo, 2008).
The use of art has been identified as one of the effective forms of engaging students and helps them think in a wider perspective. The application of art into the process of learning enables foster student creativity outside the learning material used in the course.
In addition, a teacher who uses art in his/her course encourages student participation to an extent where the students is able to learn in an independent form. Moreover, the student emulating the teacher and the advanced examples in the learning tutorials is able to learn with a little personal effort.
The ability of engaging individual knowledge to process given information individually is the nerve of the philosophy of art teaching. The intention of a teacher is to facilitate learning and he/she is required to lay a foundation for the student to construct it from there.
Learning is a mental process. Students need to be nurtured and shown the importance of art if the subject is to be accommodated with much ease. In addition, the students have a responsibility of changing their perspective and align it with the topic. The realization of the aforementioned is through cultivation of a cordial relationship between the tutor and the student in relation to art.
In addition, there is need for the tutor to engage the mental and social state of the student to foster interest in the subject. Motivation is the result of mental engagement and it entails keeping the student’s spirits high at all time to enhance learning. There is a thin line between individual lives and art subject as the two are entangled to help student develop new dimensions of learning.
This means that an art teacher is responsible of nurturing a mind that has ability to develop new horizons outside the learned areas. It is therefore paramount that the teacher is well versed with the knowledge limitations of the students to be able to maneuver easy learning techniques for them.
Students look up to the teachers for motivation; this necessitates constant encouragements and rewards to keep art learning on track (Eger, 2008).
Conducive learning environment is essential for harnessing full potential of students. Tutors often have an urge to drive their students to reach set goals with ease; they use several methods to reach this ultimate goal. First, they encourage teamwork between different students. A team is made up of students with diverse modes of understanding. Working in a team means one is exposed to different challenges.
In addition, groups enable the improvement of individual social conduct (LaPorte et al., 2008). Working in a team requires adherence to some etiquette, this therefore enhances the maturity of these persons. Secondly, tutors have the responsibility to give out exercises that are much engaging and require much individual analysis. The use of art enhances the thinking nature of students.
The acquired knowledge enables them to analyze different issues critically demonstrating a skill of independent learning. With this developed mental state, the student is able to borrow from external learning resources for additional course learning.
Tutors are custodians of student inspiration and they often ensure that students vividly understand the initial stages of learning to prevent confusion in complex areas (Manzo, 2007). There is considerable amount of challenges in the art learning process. They range from the amount of teacher interest on the subject to student’s inability to relate daily life with the subject matter.
It is therefore paramount to ensure that the chosen tutor who is responsible for the dissemination of knowledge is passionate about the subject. There is a direct relationship between the level of teacher’s passion and the student understanding of the subject. It is considerably hard for a student to develop passion for an art when the teacher’s interest on the same is low.
Developing students to appreciate the challenges experienced in the course of learning is important. This will eliminate the appetite of doing a task in a single manner and therefore enhance creativity. In addition, good teachers need to instill in their students that art is inbuilt and perspective on art is diverse. This will create an environment where students are motivated by individual development and innovations (Manzo, 2007).
Art education is an interesting area of learning. Students and teachers are always in a learning process. In addition, the amount of information and innovation developed in a daily basis is high. This has broadened the interaction arena between the tutors and students. The amount of critiques and appreciation of originality is amazing and it acts as innovation to the stakeholders.
The capability of developing a design to tangible ideas and materials enhances maturity. Comprehensive art education is essential as it encourages responsibility. Student’s participation in several learning arenas will be improved and will encourage prudent use of time (LaPorte Speirs & Young, 2008).
In conclusion, it is apparent that art education is an essential learning tool as it levels the leaning ground for all students. Students have ability and opportunity of equal success in the field. In addition, art enables students to discover themselves and nurture their talent with the guidance of an inspiring teacher.
Several researches have advanced that art is the only subject that unravels the uniqueness and potential of different students. However, the choice of teachers to advance the subject is important. This enhances the inspiration and urge of learning the subject.
Student inspiration is important in the success of art education. Teachers need to undergo thorough vetting during selection; this will ensure that the right people are handling the students. In addition, the sensitivity of a teacher is of utmost importance as it allows them gauge student abilities and relatively develops them. Given the aforementioned issues are taken into consideration, successful art education will be realized.
References
Eger, J. M. (2008). The arts in contemporary education. School Administrator, 65 (3), 32–35.
LaPorte, A. M., Speirs, P. & Young, B. (2008). Art curriculum influences: A national survey. Studies in Art Education, 49 (4), 358–370.
Manzo, K. K. (2007). House plan embraces subjects viewed as neglected. Education Week, 27(3), 21 S12.
Manzo. K. K. (2008). Districts and partners coordinate on arts education. Education Week, 27(42), 8–9.
Steers, J. (2007). The ever expanding art curriculum—is it teachable or sustainable? International Journal of Education through Art, 3(2), 141–153.