For this week’s teaching and learning column, Kellie and I contemplate how to help people see the value of drawing as a learning tool.
In the weekly teaching and learning column I write, I occasionally bring attention to research or articles that call for drawing to be taught as a fundamental skill, much the same way reading, writing and arithmetic are taught as core life skills.
In the 1880’s, T.R. Ablett said that public perception about drawing needed to be raised so the drawing could be accepted as one of the core fundamentals. As someone who was drawing first in a profession not affiliated with the arts (i.e., landscape design), how might we help people see the value of drawing as a learning tool and life skill in professions other than what people consider traditional art?
Kellie: This is a very interesting question, as I feel that drawing and art skills are not valued enough in our society. How I feel would be a great way to help people see the value of drawing is to bring more awareness into our public schooling, from an early age. Many schools do offer art classes, but not as a requirement. In many of the art classes, they do not teach all the different careers options that the skill of drawing can be useful in, including landscape design. I had no idea that landscape design was even an option for a career in high school, and for that matter any horticulture related field. This was something I learned on my own outside of school. Art and creativity are very important for any career as I feel a creative mind brings more diversity and new thinking to any job. I hope drawing becomes more of a standard teaching practice with other life skills such as reading and writing.
Artists, naturalists and teachers…how can we help the public value drawing as a learning tool?
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