Future Ready
14:55
Integration Of Art In Studies
The first day I entered my
Design class, my professor wrote me off as a hopeless case as I was a science
student! That a science student cannot be a good artist and a designer was
somehow etched in her mind.. However, as the class progressed, she had to agree
that this science student was definitely an artist too!! And in a few days time
she had to completely change her mind about science students not being able to
create art! Now even experts agree that Design is ‘Science’ integrated with ‘Arts’.
My father, himself a science
professor, was an artist at heart! His elder brother, my Jethu, was a commercial
artist and a great one at that. He used to send us postcards with his pen and
ink drawings on the front side with a small note on the reverse. I used to
collect and copy his artwork as a little girl.
Our father was very strict
about our science diagrams in school and in college both. He taught us the ‘art
of observation’ at a very young age. He was a stickler for minute details and we
got scolded for not being able to draw a perfect diagram at times. I also
learnt to draw small sketches for every subject and topic.
When we were young, our books
were not quite illustrated! I still have nightmares involving the thick History
book with small fonts and no pictures at all! Children nowadays are so lucky to
have all text books illustrated with sketches and artwork! But I was lucky to
have a scientist father who was an artist at heart to teach me the art of
observation and eye for detail. When the world was oblivious to mind-mapping,
he taught us to map and chart out topics for better remembrance. So armed with
this ‘power’ of observation, I entered my design college after my Postgraduation in
Life Sciences.
Power
of Observation is a skill that all children need to learn. Art
integrated learning makes any subject interesting and enjoyable. It also
enhances the power of observation in a child.
Now
there are two basic kinds of arts, the visual arts and the performing arts. Visual
art is that art which we can see- like sketches, paintings, photography and
sculpture. Performing arts are music, dance, drama and other arts involving kinaesthetic
activities. Integrating creative arts to mundane subjects make them more interesting
and the students are able to retain the information better. Also,
it is now known that our brain retains colourful and interesting information.
Visual stimuli activates the brain’s ability to retain and process information
in a better manner. So, here we get the concept of whole brain thinking! And
it has now been proven that individuals practicing whole brain thinking are
more successful in life.
The Government’s initiative to
incorporate ‘Art Integrated Learning’ in schools is a commendable one. However, an issue commonly brought is that “not all teachers
are artists,” meaning that there aren’t enough teachers capable of doing art to
teach in every classroom. But here we would like to state that whether or not a teacher can do these things
is irrelevant. The aim here is not to create master artists, but rather
teach basic arts skills, processes, and aesthetic quality, and encourage
creative teaching techniques.
The
skills of art integrated teaching are
simple and easy to learn and teach. We believe that these methods will be
infinitely useful to creating interesting lesson plans and once put in practice
will be enjoyed by both the teacher and the student. Once an arts-integrated
environment is established, techniques, examples, and information can be shared
and used.
As a Design
Teacher and Mentor I have been consciously and sub-consciously using Art
Integrated learning for my students from when I started to teach. I remember a batch of students whom I was
coaching for Design Entrance exams. The whole bunch of students were scared of
mathematics!! So I started them with copies a book which had lots of illustrations
on the sides. I asked them to first colour the cartoons illustrated on the
sides and then start reading the chapter. I am pleased to inform you that all
of them picked speed in solving
complex mathematical problems thereafter. They had learnt to integrate
creativity into the subject of mathematics which they found mundane otherwise!
I also see many teachers of
subjects like Marketing and Finance, encourage story and graphic techniques to
the learning process. My son, studying Economics, once made a storyboard for
one of his college topics using a drawing software and created a very creative presentation
alongwith his team and I was very impressed by the way they were learning! They really made use of lots of interesting graphics to understand Economics and Finance!
So dear teachers, parents,
guardians and our dear students, the era of Arts Integrated Learning is here to
stay! Do try out Visual and performing arts techniques to teach and learn any
subject from now onwards. Engage the students creatively for all subjects. A
reminder again, the
aim here is not to create master artists, but rather teach and learn basic arts
skills, processes, and aesthetic quality for better retention of information
and cognitive learning. It is learning
with Fun.
Thank you for reading my take
on the subject of ‘Art Integrated Learning’. I will be back soon with more on
the subject.
