Minister: Role of Arts In Schools
Education Minister Dame Jennifer Smith yesterday [Oct. 10] hailed a groundbreaking symposium on the transformative role the arts can play in Bermuda’s classrooms.
Dame Jennifer was addressing those participating in the Artful Thinking Conference being held at Masterworks Gallery.
The Artful Thinking programme uses the power of art to help students think, explore, compare and connect to the topics they study.
“I am of the view that the arts are as important to every child’s education as English, math, science and the other core subjects,” the Education Minister said. “Arts teachers are challenged to discover the artist in every student, not just those who are artistically talented, but everyone so that they will become appreciative audiences and patrons of The Arts, or aim for careers as curators, directors, managers or any of the myriad of Arts supporting roles.”
The aim of the Artful Thinking Conference is to help teachers create connections between works of art and their curriculum; and to help teachers use arts experiences as a touchstone for developing students’ intellectual capacity.
Dame Jennifer’s full remarks appear below:
Good afternoon!
Let me begin by acknowledging our overseas guests — Dr. Shari Tishman, from the Harvard Graduate School of Education; and Ms. Katie Davis, also from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. A very special welcome to Bermuda to you and a special welcome this afternoon to teachers, educators and invited guests.
On behalf of the Ministry of Education, I am honoured to be able to say a few words in support of the Bermuda Education Network’s Artful Thinking Conference. Special thanks to Becky Ausenda for her vision for education and thanks as well to those who support that vision with funding and their presence.
WOW! How could I not support a programme promising “stronger thinking and learning thorough the power of art”!
I am a fervent advocate of the arts in all its disciplines and I am well aware of studies detailing the beneficial impact of Arts education (including Art appreciation) on learning; and I have seen — first-hand — how individuals involved in the Arts can be transformed because of their participation.
Personally, I have found ‘artful thinking’ to be an important strategy in all of my roles, whether as Premier, Deputy Speaker, or as the Minister of Education.
That is why this Conference is so welcome.
The Bermuda Education Network is to be congratulated for organising this conference. Your support of Bermuda’s students’ educational development is most welcome. I also think that holding this conference in the stimulating surroundings of the Masterworks Gallery of Bermuda Art will further motivate the participants’ creative juices.
The conference’s goal: to help teachers create rich connections between the curriculum and works of art; and to use art as a force for developing students’ intellectual capacity will — I’m sure — invigorate teaching and learning in our classrooms.
At the heart of Artful Thinking are several “thinking routines” that students use over and over again to deepen their thinking in various ways.
I am of the view that the arts are as important to every child’s education as English, math, science and the other core subjects. Arts teachers are challenged to discover the artist in every student, not just those who are artistically talented, but everyone so that they will become appreciative audiences and patrons of The Arts, or aim for careers as curators, directors, managers or any of the myriad of Arts supporting roles.
A world without art would be a world without soul, for Art not only allows us to communicate on broader levels; it also allows us to express feelings of anger and frustration in a socially-acceptable manner. To quote the Artful Thinking Flyer, “Works of art are metaphorical, often multi-layered and ambiguous. They express artists’ intentions and un-intentions.”
This Artful Thinking Conference will support our efforts to engage in innovative and exciting teaching and stimulate not just our teachers, but our students as well.
Your participation in this conference today supports the collective responsibility we all share to help our children grow and succeed by making a positive and lasting difference in their lives.
Ladies and gentlemen, it has been my singular honour to address the conference -– I know that those of you in the morning session have been stimulated and I wish the afternoon participants an equally satisfactory experience.
Thank you Masterworks, thank you Bermuda Education Network and thank you to the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Read More About
Category: All
