November 2016
13
A
s a culture we must
appreciate arts education
with the same opportunity,
scrutiny and level of interest
as the more traditionally ‘Academic’
subjects,” says Bebegarten’s in-
house Artistic team. With experience
in the fields of art and design, music
composition, performing, singing, and
conducting, these Artists in Residence
nurture the interpersonal skills and
abilities that are so critical to society.
“These skills do need to be nurtured just
as academic achievement does, which
is why personal, social and emotional
development, as well as the arts, are
such integral parts of Bebegarten’s
Language of Children
TM
curriculum
framework,” says Shaun Chapman,
Bebegarten’s Head of School.
“Any ‘Arts’ subject such as Drama,
Performing Arts, Music or Visual
Art, when applied with the correct
framework, can be incredibly stimulating
to all children's learning styles. This is
the important part for me – we need
to be doing things that are age- and
developmentally-appropriate, and
setting children up for success in their
explorations,” says Shaun.
Bebegarten's Drama & Performance
classes do not focus on the 'final
product' or performance aspects with
3-5 year olds as the key to classroom
learning, but on having the opportunity
to have pride in their shared work. "It
is important for us to create a space
where our children feel encouraged
and safe to be creative and unique.
We use a creative studio space as a
different medium towards learning,
taking well-known stories, rhymes and
everyday observations and creating
activities that encourage social
play, interaction and vocal/physical
awareness,” says Miriam Ma, Artist
in Residence and teacher of Drama,
Music & Performing Arts classes.
When it comes to Music, there is a
similar thread in working with children
to better understand and appreciate
music, developing their rhythmic and
musical skills through games.
“Children need to learn how to listen
to music first, how to play with it as they
would a toy and experience music as
a daily ‘normal’ activity in their lives.
Making music is very similar to playing
with blocks; by adding small bricks one
on top of the other we can create all
shapes we wish. In music, the notes
and sounds are our coloured bricks
that we can manipulate until we create
our song,” says Marco Iannelli, Artistic
Director and teacher of Music classes.
Marco also cites the importance
of discovery, play, co-operation and
invention in the artistic process: “This
is what we aim to stimulate within each
and every class. It is not to measure a
child’s achievements and attainment
levels, but a measure of them improving
their knowledge of the world, their
compassion, and their understanding
of themselves and of others; all of
this happens through creative and
explorative activities.”
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