Arts Education at Creative Primary School’s Kindergarten
Foreword
Early childhood education is a critically important foundation stage for learning and personal development of a child and arts education is a crucial and inseparable domain of learning. At CPSKG our art curriculum not only offers the children the opportunity to experience fun and enjoyment during the process of art creation, it also teaches them how to appreciate the vibrancy and beauty of the world around them, including colours, shapes and forms that they come across in their daily life. This in turn helps them develop their insightfulness and nuanced understanding of the visual world. Our curriculum is also similar in the approach of art teaching and learning at our primary and secondary schools, hence providing a good foundation for students’ progression to their future learning.
Cultivating Sense of Beauty through Art
Arts education at CPSKG is the “magic wand” that leads our children to appreciate and experience the world of art and beauty while at the same time developing their positive attitude, creative thinking as well as other important learning skills. Through their 3 years of studies at CPSKG, children are offered an encouraging, positive and pressure-free environment in which they can safely explore and experience the joy of art creation, exhibits their artwork, listen to the explanations of the work by fellow students and learn to mutually appreciate each other’s work. They also experience the joy and expression of their emotions through their artmaking. During this important stage of their personal development, we foster our students’ innate potential and self-confidence within a positive and happy learning environment.
Key Features of Our Visual Arts Education Process More Crucial Than Outcome
The core consideration of our art curriculum design is to engage students’ interest in the subject through their own exploration, appreciation, experience and their creativity. We ensure that our children enjoy their learning process which further enhances their motivation and satisfaction they gain from their work. To us, the standard of art output is not the only indicator of our children’s learning outcomes. The process of art-making during which children make use of different elements of art to experience and express themselves also helps to enhance their nuanced understanding of the visual world, and enhance their visual sensitivity as well as expressive abilities.
Systematic Design of the Art Curriculum supported by Rich Learning Resources
We use a spiralling approach In the design of our art programme and apply key concepts and knowledge of arts education to different levels of learning systematically from K1 to K3. To enhance their learning process, we also provide students with an abundance of learning resources, including setting up art experience studios, making available for our children use a large variety of art-related reference books, samples of artworks, art equipment, stationeries and art materials etc. in order to satisfy their natural curiosity in art and support their learning needs.
Learning Different Cultures & Expressions; Appreciating the Vibrant World of Art
Based on our children's own culture, we help them to widen their international outlook and understanding of the world’s diverse cultures. Through our English, Chinese and Putonghua learning units, children explore different cultures and artistic expressions and learn about the diversity of art across the world. We also teach them about different genres of art as well as widening and sharpening their visual sensitivity and appreciation of different art creations.
Respecting the Individuality and Creativity of the Child
At our kindergarten, students are offered ample creative opportunities for art-making and their different ideas are always encouraged and affirmed. Their interests and abilities are respected and children are free to apply the knowledge and skills they previously acquired such as choosing their own themes, materials, styles, methodologies etc. for their new work. Respecting that every piece of art is uniquely created, children thus learn to appreciate and respect each other’s work and the correct attitude that all artist should possess are therefore fostered.
We Listen; We Care
We always listen carefully and respectfully to the way our children explain their creative thoughts and emotional expressions behind their art. In this way, we can ensure that their thinking approach, traits, personal feelings and emotions are fully understood and affirmed.
Multi-faceted Platforms for Celebrating Achievements
Exhibitions of children’s artwork are often held to celebrate the efforts and achievements of their process of learning. Furthermore, activities such as “show & tell” and “inter-class visits” etc. provide good opportunities for children to observe, appreciate and respect each other’s works and enjoy the sense of accomplishment of the work done by fellow students.