Teaching our Children to Think Outside the Box: The Importance of Arts Education and Other Forms of Expression in the Classroom

"Education is one of the chief obstacles to intelligence and freedom of thought." -Bertrand A. Russell philospher and writer

We know all the traditional, authoritative terms related to the field of education. They are the ones that make us cringe at the very thought of them---tests, standards, grades, report cards, rules, disciplinary actions---the list could go on forever. These are the things we have nightmares about as children (or, as adults ) and that come with a negative connotation in most classrooms across the nation. Although the sometimes harsh standards listed above serve as the "foundation" of our schools, they are also the things hindering our children from educational progress in many ways. Most people would be scared to admit this fact, but it's true on a number of levels. So, call me crazy, but I think it's time to start thinking "outside the box". From my perspective, "outside the box" thinking goes far beyond language arts and math class and reaches the more expressive elements of the school curriculum---elements that far too often go unnoticed.

It's not just me who's craving this kind of movement (but just for the record, I do love unconventionality). Our kids are craving creative approaches to education and the chance to express their unique personalities, strengths, and abilities. We all know that kids love music, art, dance, and drama. It is a known fact that children are more responsive to creative means of expression like these. Students thrive off of movement, interactive activities, and hands-on experiences. They want to express themselves and they don't want to sit in a desk all day like a marionnett waiting for the next string to be pulled by their "puppeteer". So, why do we continue to place our focus on standards, discipline, reading and math? Sure, these are the foundation a child's education and many children will go on to have careers that require this kind of traditional ideological background. We have to teach these fundamental subjects and there is no avoiding this. I am just asking that we delve into the more expressive means of education and make them an integral part of the school day and therefore, part of our childrens' lives.

Have you ever thought about the great number of actors, singers, and artists in the world? Well, whether you want to admit it or not, there are a good number of them. These professions make our world an interesting (and rather lively) place. They provide a sense of culture for small and large communities alike---a culture that we thrive off of and a culture that defines who we are as individuals, communities, cities, and states. The arts provide freedom of expression and show how far we have come in terms of social and cultural progress. So, I think it's time we start encouraging students to express themselves (artistically) so they can futher add to this growing cultural phenomenon in generations to come.

We don't want to create robots. Nobody likes boing people. (or at least, I hope not). So, lets allow our students to express themselves and stop pushing conformity. This goes for teachers in all subjects because freedom of expression can be an integral part of any classroom. I think we really can take collaborative steps to promote expression and freedom in our schools if we begin to make small shifts towards this lofty goal. If we do this, think of what an even more interesting place this world would be! So let us be artistic, expressive, and unconventional in our approaches to education. Afterall, this is just about the best way to grab our students' attention. We must promote freedom of expression in the classroom so that one day our students can make great contributions not only to society, but to the sense of culture that is embedded in our everyday lives and defines who we are as human beings. So, it's time to break the status quo, to think outside the box, and there is no better time to start than now.

image found at: http://www.madison.k12.ky.us/ms/clubs/stlp/projects/thearts/assets/artlogohome.gif