Articles & Resources (Lessons in the Arts)

Lessons in the Arts

By Anita Perel-Panar / BC Parents Magazine

Children are natural artists. They express their joy and their perception of the world through singing, drawing, painting and playing make-belief. It's wonderful to see how happy and motivated children are; involved for hours in what they are doing.

Unfortunately, after a few years of elementary school many children become more inhibited. They no longer have the same freedom and ability to be expressive. However, when very young children take appropriate lessons in music, dance, drama or art, they become completely comfortable and expressive. They don't even realize that singing or dancing is something that others may be inhibited about. As parents, our goal should be to preserve these natural abilities so that as the children get older, they keep their joy for the arts and are able to access their own expression. Parents must not only be discerning about the kinds of lessons they choose for their children, but also be involved in what their children are being taught. Lessons must come with an expectation for progress and development. If children take lessons that only offer entertainment and fun, their interest soon wanes and they become bored. Parents should chose lessons that match the development level of their children, augmenting what they naturally do already.

The lessons should instill a lifelong love of the arts.

A preschool-aged child can learn so many concepts of music, (for example, rhythm, pitch, form, dynamics) by moving, listening and singing, rather than by sitting placidly at a piano. It's important not to lose sight of the fact that the lessons should instill a lifelong love of the arts. It is not critical how well the children play or dance at the age of six; more important is how motivated they will be at the age 16 to keep pursuing and learning about their art form.

When parents are choosing lessons for their children, whether in music, dance, drama or art, it's important that they find a teacher who shares similar philosophies about education. This teacher will be with a child for many years, unlike in the school system where teachers change every year. The influence this teacher can have on your child as a mentor, and as another adult figure who models mutual parental beliefs, can be lifelong. As children mature, they need to learn techniques, hone their skills and build on their natural expression so that they'll grow with their involvement in the arts, rather than grow out of it and lose interest.

This takes commitment and discipline and it becomes a lifestyle for the whole family. When children study music or dance, daily practicing and consideration is required. It doesn't matter how brilliant and adept the child is at learning things -it's about muscle memory. The only way to train is through physical repetition. If the exercise is done wrong, however, it's better not to have practiced at all, because bad habits can become so ingrained that they are difficult to fix. This is where lifestyle comes in. Parents must be involved in what the children are being taught so they can ensure that the practicing is done right and that progress is being made. When children feel that they're making progress and getting better and more refined at what they can do, this helps to motivate them to be disciplined and committed to do the necessary work.

Children often don't know the far-reaching benefits that practicing today can bring tomorrow. Gratification is not immediate so it's difficult for the children to see if any of this effort is worth it. Parents can help guide their children with the vision and understanding that in the future their children will feel better about themselves when they see their accomplishments.

Practicing takes time and is hard work; parents are needed to help kids get through it. It's through the right choice of lessons and the dedication of their parents that children can continue to be participants in the arts as they grow older. They will continue to explore and learn about themselves, gain confidence, improve their self-esteem and find an outlet for expression that is unique to them alone. Children will have a gift of the arts that will last a lifetime, one that nobody can ever take away.

Anita Perel-Panar, a mother and founder of the Performing & Fine Art Studio, has an M.A. in Drama and Music Education as well as extensive training in ballet and other forms of dance.