Arts Education Builds Confidence Beyond Classroom Walls

A student at Bellwood Preschool

The value of creative expression for young people is sometimes overshadowed by the emphasis many schools place on sports or other extracurricular activities. But those involved in arts instruction for children will tell you that engagement in creative endeavors is beneficial in numerous ways.

When exposure to the arts begins at the youngest age group, the rewards are innumerable. Susan Flanders is the assistant director at Bellwood Preschool in Franklin Park and the lead morning school instructor. Art is a major part of the curriculum, with children experiencing art every day and being exposed to many forms of art materials and media.

“Art in the early childhood classroom is so important because it fosters emotional and social growth, fine motor skills and development, language, and creativity. At Bellwood, we focus on process art, not necessarily crafts, which are not open-ended, and every piece looks the same. This is important because each child works at their own pace and skill level,” she said. Art for preschoolers also supports language development, fosters communication and contributes to fine motor development.

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Plus, the children are proud of their artwork, culminating in an annual art show each May.

In addition, no matter the age, art helps children process emotions, something especially valuable for the youngest children who do not yet have the skills to express themselves verbally.

“Creativity is important beyond the classroom because it builds independence, imagination, problem-solving and resilience. The children learn to persevere and try again if they don’t succeed the first time. We all need these skills in our lives outside of school,” said Flanders.

Eden Christian Academy student art show

Grace Cibula is an art teacher at Eden Christian Academy’s upper school campus, where she teaches art, photography and graphic design to middle- and high-school students, though art is an important part of the curriculum starting at the kindergarten level.

“Art is very important at all stages of life. It is a fundamental part of how we experience and understand the world. It helps students to communicate their thoughts that words fail to capture, challenges perspectives, shares history and teaches real-world skills that carry over into any aspect of life. When students are making art in the classroom, they are learning how to problem solve, persevere, think outside the box, express themselves and think critically,” said Cibula.

Not everybody sees themselves as having art skills, and for those students, she helps to shift that mindset, reminding them that art is a learned skill. “No one expects to become a great basketball player without practice, and the same is true for drawing, painting and creating. Artistic skills grow through instruction, experimentation, perseverance and consistent practice. Throughout the year, I strive to help students replace ‘I can’t do this’ with ‘I can’t do this yet.’

When they make something that they are proud of after believing they aren’t good at art is amazing to see,” said Cibula.

Cibula agreed that art is an essential part of a student’s education and development.

“People often measure art by the final product. But the true value of art lies in the process. In the art room, students learn to take risks, solve problems, persevere through frustration and think creatively. They learn that mistakes are not failures but opportunities to grow. They develop confidence in their ideas and discover new ways to communicate thoughts and emotions that may be difficult to express with words alone.”

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Creative expression also comes in the form of theater. Creative Visions, an initiative of the Pittsburgh CLO, is an outreach program formed in the late 1990s based on the belief in the power of the arts to help kids with truancy and behavioral issues. Though it was originally developed based on a middle school model, today Creative Visions works with children of all ages in about five Pittsburgh Public Schools.

“When I took over in 2022, we re-evaluated the curriculum and went to a social-emotional, art-based curriculum where process was important, not as much the product,” said Brady Patsy, Creative Visions’ community engagement manager.

Equitable access to the arts has been the driving force of Patsy’s involvement with the program.

A show put on by students through Pittsburgh CLO’s Creative Vision program.

“It’s one of those things where we find humanity inside arts. I truly believe just giving equitable access, letting them see themselves on stage, having a relatability to these stories, that changes someone when you’re in a collective space sharing a collective experience. Sometimes it’s your story, sometimes it’s someone else’s, but when you experience that with a large group of people, that is a gift that everyone deserves,” he said.

When Creative Visions teachers come to schools, the kids often write their own performance pieces, which encapsulate everybody, not just the kids who are comfortable on a stage, but those who may prefer the writing process or doing behind-the-scenes stage work.

Patsy said that not everybody who comes through the program will go on to become professional performers, though for those interested, Creative Visions does offer scholarship money.

But, he said, “If they can walk out of this program knowing just a little bit more about themselves, then I think we’ve won. The arts give us our humanity. I hope more people understand that value, as the arts teach kids the value of themselves and the value of every person around them.”