Drawing and painting as basic tools for emotional and intellectual development in children

Every society wants to develop its human resources and potentials. There is the need therefore for a system of education that will ensure a holistic development of the individuals in the society. A balance form of education is one that caters for the intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual, and social as well as the creative needs of the individuals. For one to be able to perform well and responsibly in the society, these aspects of the human should be equally developed. Children are important assets to every society or nation. The character and indeed the general performance of children will determine the destiny of a society. Children should therefore be nurtured in a way that will be out their full potentials and capabilities. Education for children should be designed in a manner that will develop their intellectual as well as their emotional and creative facilities. That is the way towards a balanced form of education. But very unfortunately, most western education systems do not have the elements of balance in their programmes of teaching and learning. Their curricula are titled towards the development of the intellect of the child to the total neglect of the emotional as well as the creative aspects of the child. Education in most countries over-emphasise on the development of rational, linear and sequential aspects of the child’s brain, leaving the intuitive, imaginative and the creative aspects of it. The teaching subjects like mathematics and science are over-emphasised while less attention is given to the teaching and learning of subjects like art and music, which develop the creative and the emotional aspects of the child. Art is seen as the basis of any type of education which has regard for the varieties of potentials, temperaments and inclinations. It gives room for a holistic development of the child. But very unfortunately, Art (drawing and painting) is not taught in the Primary Schools in Ghana. At a period where children are bubbling with enormous to express their artistic tendencies and potentials, they are denied the appropriate avenues to do so. Consequently, a lot of potentials are wasted away during the creative period of the child which is the period where the child will be in the Primary School. The research looks at the issue of teaching drawing and painting in the Primary School in Ghana. It highlights on the importance of drawing and painting and their potency in ensuring a total balanced form of education for the child, It also shows how drawing and painting could be used as avenues for unearthing talents, capabilities and potentials in children. The researches sough for view from teachers and other educationists on the issue of drawing and painting as subjects to be taught in the Primary School. It was found out that children will not only have opportunities to express their inner feelings, if the subjects were taught, but also have their potentials enhanced. Some children had opportunity to do some drawing and painting exercises. The response was enthusiastic and the results much revealing. They indicated that drawing and painting could be avenues for creative, emotional as well as intellectual development of the children if given the attention they deserve. The research adopted the descriptive, analytical and experimental methods to collect, compile and analysis information for possible solution to the imbalance system of education in the Primary School in Country. The research also summarises the report and recommends useful suggestions, which when seriously and favourably considered, will help children, adults and the nation as a whole.

Source: KNUST