New Delhi, March 15
Good education can build a
strong foundation for a better future, but it doesn't guarantee the
making of a better citizen. To bridge this yawning gap, schools, with
the help of private institutions, are introducing art and theatre in
their curriculum to sensitise students about social issues and inculcate
cultural understanding.
The annual Ishara Puppetry Festival has
been taking slow slides in this direction by arranging workshops for
teachers and students to enhance their knowledge about this art form.
The organisers strongly feel the arts can engage children at all levels
and sensitise them about social issues.
"Arts in education, be it
puppetry or theatre, brings alive difficult concepts and explains them
in a simple manner. They actually stimulate a child's imagination and
help them in lateral thinking," American educator Carol Sterling, a
puppeteer, told IANS.
Sterling has come to India as part of the puppetry festival to educate teachers on effectively using the form.
Sterling also pointed out how children learn to critique each other in a constructive way by using the tools of art.
In
India, integrating arts in the school curriculum has not been
implemented or made compulsory and because of that subjects like art,
theatre and puppetry are considered extra-curricular activities.
This
is despite the National Council of Educational Research and Training
(NCERT) launching a "Art Integrated Learning" (AIL) pilot project to be
eventually implemented in all government schools across states at the
primary level. It was initially introduced in 20 Municipal Corporation
of Delhi (MCD) schools in December 2012.
However, no current updates are available about its implementation.
At
a time when children are burdened with the heavy weight of expectations
and competition, arts could offer a mid-way path where children can
learn and understand complex history lessons or issues like sanitation,
gender bias and social evils.
Jeannie Aibara, principal of
Ambience Public School in south Delhi's Safdarjung Enclave, felt the
need to train school teachers in puppetry by introducing the subject in
the curriculum.
"The profession of teaching has undergone a sea
change. You don't want to teach the way you have always been. It is
important for any institute to keep evolving with the changing times to
offer its students the best it can," Aibara told IANS.
"The role
of a teacher is changing and he/she is looked up as a facilitator who
can put across things in a better way. And to break the monotony of
classroom teaching, one has to be open to mediums like theatre and art,"
she added.
To ensure the school is in tune with changing times,
Aibara has put the arts subject in the time-table and the improvement in
the children is evident. The morning
assembly is no more boring and children "have a role to play", she said.
Similarly,
Sumesh, a National School of Drama alumnus who now teaches theatre at a
private institute in Greater Noida, felt the children "open up" when
they are exposed to the world of drama.
"You won't believe the
kind of questions they ask. And you won't believe the kind of power
theatre has to sensitise these children about social issue. You allow
them to think and imagine beyond books and ask them to probe their minds
and react to a certain situation," Sumesh told IANS.
"These tools not only make them confident but also motivate them to learn a new skill," he added.
For
most of us, the word "art class" automatically conjures up an image of a
happy family most of the children paint in their class. Ironically,
this is what the education in arts in India is restricted to.
No
effort is made to educate the children at a young about Indian art and
artists. So, when they grow up, most of them don't know how to
appreciate art.
This ironic state of "lack of arts education" in
India has been reiterated by many prominent artists, galleries and
buyers, who lament the existence of
art-ignorant Indians.
But
Ritu Khoda, founder of Art 1st Foundation, is battling several
prejudices about art education and bringing on board several schools
across India to adopt the art curriculum.
"People haven't
explored possibilities in art and it has always been seen more as a
hobby or time-pass. But if one delves deep into it, one would realise
one needs to have a deeper understanding of art," Khoda told IANS on the
phone from Mumbai.
An avid collector herself, Khoda has been
designing these simple curricula for different levels in schools. Once a
school decides to buy it, subject material for five years is sent.
"Art
is not just about teaching and drawing. It is about knowing artists and
their work. It is about nurturing future generations to appreciate
art," she added.
The foundation recently came up with am "I Am an
Artist" series that introduced the likes of S.H. Raza, Ram Kumar,
Manjit Bawa amd Ganesh Pyne, among in
a simple language.
"This
series tells the children about their (artist's) life and work style.
We should open up their minds so that they are aware of our rich
cultural heritage at a young age," Khoda concluded.
(Shilpa Raina can be contacted at [email protected])
