Drawing = Curriculum essential

Thanks to the OAEA (and of course the Guardian) for recently posting this article about the value of drawing in the education curriculum- definitely worth a read! 

Drawing skills are increasingly important in our visually dominated culture. Here's a quick quote from the article:

"As a primary visual language, essential for communication and expression, drawing is as important as the development of written and verbal skills. The need to understand the world through visual means would seem more acute than ever; images transcend the barriers of language, and enhance communications in an increasingly globalised world."

As a classroom teacher, I use drawing as way to help students visualize their work, especially when it involves a complex, multi-step process such as constructing an argument in a debate or essay; a research project; a study plan; or even an equation. Drawing is a quick way to get what's in your head on to paper, without having to worry about language, which involves barriers to the thinking process such as conventions, grammar, structure and punctuation. While some learners may be able to express their thoughts and processes through written or spoken language, I have found that many do not possess these abilities and can express themselves more directly through a sketch or a mind-map. 

- Patrick

5 Reasons why Art is Good for Your Health

Happy World Health Day! I saw this article on the A.G.O. Facebook page:

https://www.10mag.com/5-reasons-art-is-good-for-health/

- Patrick

Developing Your Creative Practice: Tips from Brian Eno

What do you do when you're stuck on a problem that you need to solve?
Where do great ideas come from?

This article, written by Scott McDowell, provides some answers from musician/composer/producer Brian Eno. Very insightful!

In it, Eno recalls:
 "There’s a proverb that says that the fruit takes a long time to ripen, but it falls suddenly ... And that seems to be the process."

5 Manifestos for Art, Life & Business

The Behance network featured this article a little while ago and I think it's worth a read. It presents the manifestos of five interesting and influential people.

Manifestos are essential foundations for many fields including politics, business and art. At the end the author asks: "what's your manifesto?" This is a good question to think about as a teacher or a student and can be useful in any subject.