How could expressive art sessions relate to the four purposes of the curriculum (Donaldson, 2015)?

“Through the Expressive arts Area of Learning and Experience, schools and teachers can encourage children and young people to develop their creative appreciation and talent and their artistic and performance skills” (Donaldson, 2015, p.43).

Firstly, it was stated by Sharp (2001) that before 2001, an inconsiderable amount of emphasis and importance was put on creativity. However, since then, it was brought to light, giving creativity “official recognition as the overarching aims of the curriculum in English schools” (p.5). This is similar to Donaldson (2015) incorporating ‘Expressive arts’ as a part of the Areas of Learning and Experience. He reasons that expressive arts provide children and young people with opportunities to explore their unique thinking and imagination, recognising their capabilities and how they can further apply them throughout their educational learning (Donaldson, 2015).  It is mentioned to not solely be valuable for personal development and achievement, but also contribute to social and economic growth (Sharp, 2001). Showing us that the arts can potentially enable educational improvement along with, social and economic outcomes, allowing children to become “ethical, informed citizens” for the future (Donaldson, 2015, p.44).

Throughout Donaldson’s (2015) review, the four crucial purposes and key characteristics of the Curriculum in Wales, ought to be that children and young people advance as:

·      Ambitious, capable learners

·      Enterprising, creative contributors

·      Ethical, informed citizens

·      Healthy, confident learners

These four purposes should direct all “future decisions about national and local educational priorities and underpin all teaching and learning in Wales” (Donaldson, 2015, p.30).

Additionally, Ofsted (2006a; 2010a) published verification supporting creative teaching and learning in primary education, emphasising how expressive arts, creativity and performing promote goals, as well as, ethics. Furthermore, expressive arts allows students to communicate with others (Donaldson, 2015) and work in partnership (Galton, 2008), with Galton (2008) revealing that working alongside others acknowledges capabilities and ideas, as they resemble ‘co – leaners’ and collaborators (Bancroft, Fawcett & Hay, 2008).

Subsequently, creativity has a significant influence on the stimulation and motivation within children and their learning (Hein, 1991); they need to express their emotions and well – being (Barnes – Smith et al., 2015), as expressive arts is understood to heighten “skills of well – being in students” as well as allows practitioners to better understand their pupils (Barnes – Smith et al., 2015, p.3).  

With regards to my experience with expressive arts sessions, at Cardiff Metropolitan University we had schools coming in as part of my ‘AOLE 2’ seminar sessions. In groups, we were asked to design engaging activities in celebration of the Spring Equinox. My group and I worked alongside year 5 students from St Nicholas Primary School. Related to Donaldson’s (2015) recognition of the expressive arts as an area of learning and experience, the arts “provide inspiration and motivation as they bring children and young people into contact with the creative processes, performances and products of others and stimulates their own experimentation and creativity” (p.44) and this was something that was being revealed through our activities.

To begin with, we asked the students what they thought was meant by the Spring Equinox. They shared their ideas and opinions with the group. Hence the four purposes constructed by Donaldson (2015) were being highlighted, as they were able to work both individually and as a team, and were taking different perspectives into consideration, exposing understanding for others. After sharing their ideas, we added some extra knowledge about the Spring Equinox to improve their understanding. This exercise assisted them through the next activity devised. We placed 8 illustrated cards at the front of the drama studio so that the students could grasp inspiration for their activity. Through this activity in groups, the students had to construct and perform several motifs and freeze frames in celebration of the Spring Equinox. They could include movement, voice and significant gestures relating to their theme.

As I went around the room facilitating the students with their ideas and how they could be translated into a performance, it was evident that each group’s ideas were interpreted uniquely, displaying their diversity as children, allowing development through creativity (Sawyer, 2003). This was a physical activity where the children were evidently empowering themselves to be ‘ambitious, capable learners’ as they felt encouraged to “explore new and challenging areas of experience to improve their performance” (Donaldson, 2015, p.44), as well as this, they appeared to enjoy and appreciate what they were doing, asking for help when needed, showing their resilience (Donaldson, 2015). These performances where then shared with the class, allowing their creativity and achievements to be displayed.

Even though, creativity enables children and young people to explore and view things from different perspectives, Robinson (2006) uncovers that the arts always seem to be placed at the bottom of the educational spectrum, however, the arts is what provides children and young people a sense of expression and creativity. Similarly, Grainger and Barnes (2006) claim that curriculum overload sometimes makes practitioners unaware of their surroundings and of those subjects that really matter in child development. “Such pressure can limit opportunities for creative endeavour” (p.209) and may tempt educators to listen and conduct a curriculum lead by others, rather than one assembled by them, allowing them to respond to children’s “needs and interests” (p.209). Creativity has a crucial importance in a child’s development (Sawyer, 2003) and plays a central role in education, with practitioners realising that “creativity can thrive” (Grainger and Barnes, 2006, p.209), similar to those of Donaldson’s (2015) intended curriculum purposes.

In conclusion, the expressive arts are an area which is to be seen as motivational, inspirational, as well as challenging (Donaldson, 2015). As well as the arts being appreciated as a personal journey to be able to build a child uniquely and emotionally, “achievement in the expressive arts also provides a basis for lifelong participation and can ultimately contribute to a thriving economy and cultural life for Wales (Donaldson, 2015, p.44), meaning that the expressive arts is an all rounded area of learning and experience for life and should not be stigmatised as any less (Robinson, 2006).

Reference List:

Bancroft, S., Fawcett, M, and Hay, P. (2008). Researching Children Researching the World. Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham Books.

Barnes-Smith, D. L., Frotz, J., HanaSara, I., Kohorst, J., and Vascimini, E. (2015) "Expressive arts as a means of increasing well-being in children” Undergraduate Theses and Professional Papers, 37, pp.1 – 23.

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

Grainger, T. and Barnes, J. (2006) “Creativity in the Primary Curriculum” in J. Arthur, T. Grainger and D. Wray. (eds.) Learning to Teach in the Primary School London: Routledge, pp.209 – 225.

Galton, M. (2008). The Pedagogy of Creative Practitioners in Schools. Cambridge: Faculty of Education, Cambridge University, for Creative Partnerships.

Hein, G. (1991). “Constructivist learning theory”. Institute for Inquiry. Available at: /http://www. exploratorium. edu/ifi/resources/constructivistlearning. htmlS. (Accessed: 11 April 2018).

Ofsted. (2006a). Creative Partnerships: Initiative and Impact. Availabe at: www.ofsted.gov.uk/ publications/2517 (Accessed on 11 April 2018)

Ofsted. (2010a). [Broadhill] Primary School Inspection Report. London: Ofsted.

Robinson, K. (2006) Do schools kill creativity? (online: ted) Available at: https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity/transcript#t-666408 (Accessed: 12 April 2018).

Sawyer, R. K. (2003). Creativity and development. Counterpoints: Cognition, Memo.

Sharp, C. (2001) .“Developing young children’s creativity through the arts: What does research have to offer?” National Foundation for Educational Research in England and Wales. NFER.