How Could Expressive Arts Sessions Relate to the Four Purposes of the Curriculum?

Ellena Barnett - St20100668

How Could Expressive Arts Sessions Relate to the Four Purposes of the Curriculum?

In today’s primary education, many teachers are falling behind in aspects of the curriculum (Davies, 2010) related to the arts, specifically dance, drama, music and visual arts (Downing, Johnson and Kaur (2003). Through the current education reform in Wales, the expressive arts are to experience change to be more inclusive within the curriculum.

Under Donaldson’s ‘Successful Futures’ (2015) the Expressive Arts Area of Learning and Experience is an aspect of the curriculum for schools and teachers to encourage children to develop their creative appreciation and talent as well as their artistic and performance skills. In schools across Britain the arts are under pressure, due to lack of funding many children could be missing out on a ‘life-changing outlet’, as schools try to meet targets and focus on maths, English and science, subjects like the arts can be moved down the priority list (Rhodes, 2014). It is important that school have a curriculum that offers and allows subjects such as the arts to be incorporated within the classroom and other lessons.

Within the ‘Successful Futures’ reform, Donaldson has used illustrative examples to show how the expressive arts can contribute to the purposes of the curriculum. To aid pupils in becoming ambitious, capable learners, children are encouraged to explore new and challenging areas and to strive in improving their performance (Donaldson, 2015). Pupils could carry this out by exploring new aspects of the arts that they may not have tried before, whether that is visiting an art museum on a school trip or learning to play an instrument; children should be given the opportunity to try new aspects of this Area of Learning and Experience.

Another purpose of the new curriculum is to aid in pupils becoming enterprising and creative contributors to society. Donaldson (2015) suggests that the way the expressive arts can offer this is by developing a child’s creativity in a range of forms of expression, this could be through allowing a child to explore different aspects of the arts that they may not have the opportunity to outside of school. Schools should be providing rich contexts and challenges which children can work collaboratively on as well as pupils learning from critical appraisal of their work (Donaldson, 2015), children should be taught through the arts how they can be related through other aspects of the curriculum and their lives outside of school.

Under the new curriculum, Donaldson (2015) purposes that children should become ethical and informed citizens of Wales and the world, through the expressive arts schools should enable children to understand their own cultural identity and others across the world. Schools are able to do this at different times of the school year, depending on what events are happening across the world and in different cultures. In Wales, during the celebrations for St David’s Day school children can perform Welsh songs, such as ‘Ring out the bells for Saint David’ in Welsh, to aid in a child’s understanding of their own culture (National Assembly for Wales, no date). Schools can also incorporate the expressive arts in other cultural celebrations such as Diwali, pupils could learn traditional Indian dance moves or create diyas (clay lamps), this can be done to give children a further understanding of other cultures and how to be respectful of their traditions.

The fourth purpose of Donaldson’s (2015) curriculum is that children should be healthy and confident individuals, Donaldson purpose this can be carried out through the expressive arts as schools should be helping their pupils to develop resilience and feel confident as they gain enjoyment and personal satisfaction from creative expression, that is contributing directly to enrich the quality of their lives. The expressive arts have been known to have benefits on a child’s confidence, especially through the use of expressive arts therapy. Expressive Arts therapy can aid in a child being able to express themselves, as well as bringing a sense of calm to the body and have a positive impact on a child’s mindset, interpretation of surroundings and emotional state (Georgetown Behavioural Health Institute, 2016), if teachers were to use aspects of expressive arts therapy it could give children the opportunity to use a safe outlet to aid in developing their confidence and emotional well-being.

In conclusion, Areas of Learning and Experience such as the expressive arts should not be pushed down the priority list by schools and teachers, as they have aspects that are very beneficial for children and should be used alongside other subjects, for children to reach their full potential.

References:

Davies, D. (2010). Enhancing the Role of the Arts in Primary Pre-Service Teacher Education, Teaching and Teacher Education: An International Journal of Research and Studies, 26(3), pp. 630-638.

Donaldson, G. (2015). Successful Futures: Independent Review of Curriculum and Assessment Arrangements in Wales. Welsh Assembly Government. Crown

Downing, D., Johnson, F., & Kaur, S. (2003). Saving a place for the arts? A survey of the arts in primary schools in England (LGA research report 41). Slough: NFE.

Georgetown Behavioural Health Institute (2016). Benefits of Expressive Art Therapy for Children. Available at: http://www.georgetownbehavioral.com/expressive-art-therapy-for-children (Accessed: March 2018).

National Assembly for Wales (no date). St David’s Day song to be launched at Assembly. Available at: http://www.assembly.wales/en/newhome/Pages/newsitem.aspx?itemid=225 (Accessed: March 2018).

Rhodes, J. (2014). Don’t stop the music – children need a proper arts education. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/27/music-children-arts-education (Accessed: March 2018).