Whatever happened to art classes at schools, Hong Kong parent asks – is it because the subject’s not academic enough?
Schools’ teaching of creative subjects depends on the personal interests and talents of class teachers – a shame for less academic children who are good at art and whose self-confidence can be boosted by praise for their work
A Hong Kong parent writes: My son is artistic and talented at drawing but art seems to all but have disappeared from the curriculum at his school. He is not academic but when he was younger he used to get compliments from his class about his drawing, which helped his self-confidence. His school recently did well in an inspection but a “good” school seems to be measured by academic results. What about subjects like art?
There is always a danger that even primary schools feel under pressure to produce excellent academic results for inspections and demanding fee-paying parents.
Should schools ban vending machines, asks Hong Kong parent worried about daughter’s snacking
Unfortunately, this means that sometimes art and other subjects such as drama, dance and music can suffer from a lack of time and resources.
For children like your son who excel in one or more area of the arts but who are not very academic, achieving success in their area of expertise, and getting accolades from both peers and teachers, is a great confidence boost and important for self-esteem.
Arts lessons can also be a great release for those students who struggle in other areas of the curriculum and give opportunities for all children to stretch their imagination and express themselves.
The nurturing of creativity is crucial to mental health in a busy modern world, as well as developing lateral thinking skills and individuality. It is also a way of achieving personal growth and satisfaction.