After reading these texts, it is evident that the arts can have huge impact on kids. Art needs to be valued because it can be a fulfilling part of a child’s school experience. Instead of schools cutting out the arts due to funds, they should change the mentality that arts should be the first to go. The video makes a strong argument for the importance of art. The concept of artful thinking made sense to me. Letting kids imagine and observe art can definitely increase their critical thinking skills and enhance the creativity of these kids. It teaches the kids to observe stimuli and think critically.
I particularly enjoyed reading “Media Literacy is Vital in the Age of the Image.” Younger people can learn easier due to the neurons that are available. These neurons begin to be pruned the older we get and it becomes more difficult to learn new things. (for example a second language) This article in particular made me more aware of the importance that electronic tools and new technology have when finding information and learning new knowledge. We may not be reading as much as a society, but we can communicate and learn through visual stimuli.
I felt like I could connect to some of the examples used in these articles and videos. I actually prefer to learn through visual stimuli and have done well in the past in my art classes due to my comfort in that learning style. I believe that taking classes in the past that could be considered art classes helped me greatly through school and made me the thinker and learner that I am today. Seeing something and creating something myself in these classes enhanced my ability to observe and imagine, just as the kids in the video did.
The fact that schools tend to cut out the arts when funds get low is very disturbing to me. I would like to make others aware of the importance that art and visual literacy has on kids in our schools. It is inevitable that our future will consist of a shift from traditional learning to more learning through technology and visual stimuli. The art classes in todays schools help prepare kids for the future while also encouraging them to critically think.
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