|
Children have limited opportunities to develop leadership skills in today’s educational system. Unless a child chooses to participate in student government or is appointed team captain in sports, the current educational model is not geared to impart these critical skills. For most kids, even student council isn’t available until junior high or high school. Educators and industry experts alike have identified several ways in which arts education provides an exceptional opportunity for children to develop leadership skills. These critical skills provide a distinct advantage in future educational endeavors as well as in career and personal pursuits. Arts Encourage Literacy A noted study conducted by the Guggenheim Museum found significant correlation between fine arts educational problems and high-level literacy. Specific skills gained through New York City’s Learning Through Arts (LTA) program included the development of extended focus, vivid descriptive skills and an increased ability to provide and support evidence. Children involved in LTA were also significantly more able to build schemas and provide multiple interpretations than were their peers, who did not have access to LTA. Finally, the LTA students displayed a robust ability to hypothesize. Each of these metrics is directly tied to literacy, but also to the characteristics that Ivy League schools and other top universities seek in their academic candidates. Fine Arts Education and Leadership Traits Harvard University launched an extensive research project known as Project Zero that explored the “habits of mind” that children developed through ongoing exposure to arts classrooms. These included the ability to observe and envision, reflect, express themselves, explore and engage. Persistence was another highly valued characteristic developed through fine arts exposure. Beyond these traits, kids in the study developed high levels of mental and emotional flexibility, imagination and the ability to switch direction in thinking and problem-solving. The researchers found that arts teaches children to make good judgments and to open their minds to creative solutions. Each of these traits is directly related to the characteristics of a strong and effective leader. Skills for the Future To succeed in today’s tech-heavy, global world, adults require a different skillset than in the past. Creativity and critical thinking are highly valued qualities, as are innovation and communication. Collaboration is crucial, but perhaps problem-solving is the skill that employers look for most in potential candidates, and that people look for in a leader. Arts education encourages children to be active and eager, and to look at the world (or a work challenge) with a fresh perspective. They become hungry for knowledge and enriching experiences, and willing to persevere through extended projects. This has been shown to directly offset the short attention span that today’s media-rich and overstimulated world brings about in children. The most celebrated, award-winning schools in the United States have one thing in common: a strong fine arts component. Unfortunately, most American schools have cut arts programs significantly or altogether. To give children the best chance of succeeding in future leadership endeavors, parents must find ways to expose their kids to the fine arts. Experts believe this is best achieved through pursuits that include music lessons, the visual arts, theatre and dance. Explore opportunities available in your community from private teachers, arts academies or even community programs. You will be amazed when you see your child begin to bloom and grow, and develop his or her own burgeoning leadership skills.
Related Articles -
education, day care, arts education, literacy, preschool, leadership skills, fine arts,
|
