Teach Primary Issue 18.7

34 | www.teachwire.net age, ethnicity, or socio-economic status – they care that you’re part of the team. The Ministry of Justice reports that not only can the arts raise awareness of social issues, but participation can give people a voice, break down barriers, and foster a sense of community, which deters them from crime. For the same reasons, music charity Notivate encourages young people to perform songs that express their feelings, arguing that: “Even though young people are asked to talk, when they do they still aren’t always heard… when you put it in a song, people listen.” From primary upwards, the opportunity to work collaboratively on something creative can promote self-expression, teamwork, and problem solving. Simply watching or reading a play or book can be the much-needed prompt to open discussion of a challenging topic, and it’s common practice within psychology to use the ‘sand tray’, drawing or role play to discuss what might be troubling someone. Not only that, but sometimes, if you simply don’t have the words, being able to mime, or use puppets – perhaps bang that big feeling out on a drum – can really help release tension as well as enable an individual to reach out for the support needed. On the move Because of the very nature of drama, pupils who struggle to sit still have an opportunity to engage, and receive praise. Putting on a play requires all sorts of skills: performance, technology, costume-design and set-building, amongst a number of other highly active things. There is always room for anyone who comes through the creative door and, importantly, an opportunity for them to become a respected and valued member of the team. So, to anyone considering dropping the arts even further – we specialists aren’t trying to undermine you. We of all people know how hard it is to be sustainable in the arts… why do you think so many of turned to teaching? But we are saying that if you remove the arts altogether, you take away the opportunity for some of those who aren’t great at convention, whose neurodiversity may not suit the formal classroom, whose talents can utilise the methods of the arts to help others to step into their spotlight. Moreover, while you may laugh at the ‘inspirational teacher film mantra’, there really is a place for everyone in the arts, and sometimes that welcoming acceptance can be the singular thing that changes the trajectory of someone’s life. Drama is not something to be afraid of, especially because, beyond the skills of the craft itself, there are untold benefits in the confidence, inclusivity and connectivity it brings... it’s why so many of us became educators in the first place. TP 5 ways to help reverse the decline l Encourage the use of the arts within other subjects: Asking for oral presentations instead of written assignments can increase pupils’ confidence in public speaking from a young age. Teaching the art of sight reading will also help pupils to use bullet-pointed scripts as prompts. l Support local arts: You may not be able to organise school trips to major cultural sites, but forging links with local theatres, music venues and galleries can generate just as much cultural capital for children. This has the additional benefit of recognition and support of your own community’s work. l Encourage arts-driven events and competitions: For example, schools that have participated in the long-established debating competition The School’s MACE ( esu.org/competitions/ schools-mace ) have seen improvements in pupils’ written work and critical argument. Could a similar competition or arts festival be organised across your Trust? l Acknowledge the arts within other disciplines: When engaged with cross-curricular planning, or even teacher training, make a point of recognising when the arts play a part within a subject. l Work with established arts providers to run ‘feeder programmes’: Collaborating with established arts schools, courses, and community groups on school programmes or opportunities will not only benefit your pupils and take pressure off non-sub- ject-specialists, but also help propagate appropriate training for those who want to work within the arts. Dr Audrey Tang is the founder of the CLICK Arts Foundation, a psychologist and the author of The Leader’s Guide to… series. clickartsfoundation.org.uk