Dear Drs. Beasley:
We recently attended open house at our children’s school which emphasizes fine arts. There are reproductions of famous artwork in the classroom and throughout the school. They discuss works of art, listen to a variety of music, and read literature I didn’t read until high school. Isn’t this rushing our kids? We are concerned about whether this is appropriate for young children, or is this a legitimate curriculum?
Tina and Zac

Dr. Lori:
You know, sometimes as parents we become so involved indeveloping our children’s appreciation of academics and athletics, that we overlook the third “A”: Arts. Recently, the DaVinci Institute and the Kirkpatrick Foundation conducted a joint research project that resulted in the initiation of Oklahoma A+ Schools, a whole-school reform model. The model maintains that integration of the arts in our schools’ curriculum plays a central role in how children learn. The belief is that an educated child is not only familiar with academics, but also with music, drama, sculpting, photography, and other forms of fine art.

Dr. Stewart:
Oklahoma’s colleges and universities are helping developcompetent teachers in the fine arts curriculum through ongoing professional development. Well-prepared teachers spark creativity and enthusiasm in our children. They create a learning atmosphere that motivates. It sounds to us as if you saw that in your children’s classrooms. There are long term benefits, also. We know, for instance, that experiencing the arts in a creative environment at a young age will more likely lead to a greater appreciation of the arts throughout life. That’s quite a benefit!

Dr. Lori:
Creativity is also linked to intellectual development in children. Problem solving, imagination, collaboration, and intuition are considered strong characteristics of creative thinking and success in children. Young children are particularly creative because they view the world in fresh and unconstrained ways. Somehow, we lose that creativity as we grow older. The A+ Schools curriculum is designed to make creativity and freshness of thought a way of life.

Dr. Stewart:
Creative thinkers generate lots of ideas. They expand their thinkingand through brainstorming, can find more solutions when faced with a problem. You can see how thinking out of the box is an asset to solving playground disputes and someday, business disputes.

Dr. Lori:
Supporting classrooms as well as community programs that exposechildren to the arts or support art and creativity in schools is important to a well-rounded, innovative citizen. We hope you will continue to revel in your child’s learning in your community school and support their creations both at school and at home. It sounds to us as if your children are fortunate to be in the classrooms where they are.

Lori Beasley, EdD is Asst. Vice President of Academic Affairs and Professor of FamilyLife Education at the University of Central Oklahoma. Stewart R. Beasley, PhD is a licensed psychologist who practices in Edmond and Oklahoma City and is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. Do you have a question about early childhood issues for the Beasleys? E-mail it to SRB@DRStewartBeasley.com.