By Sheila Ceccarelli

Here, Portia, aged ten and in year five, shows, step by step, how she approached a creative homework to learn more about the Ancient Greeks.

The homework brief was to make a model, drawing or PowerPoint presentation, for a short talk to the class about any aspect of Ancient Greek life.

Portia wanted to learn more about Ancient Greek music and had the idea to make a lyre.

This homework followed a trip to the Fitzwilliam Museum and an Ancient Greeks workshop led by the education team there.

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AccessArt is a UK Charity and we believe everyone has the right to be creative. AccessArt provides inspiration to help us all reach our creative potential.

See This Resource Used In Schools…

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Talking Points: What is Composition

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talking points: Thomas J Price

If you are new to teaching drawing in schools, please don’t think for a moment that drawing is a nice activity but one which serves little purpose in the real world.

The following film was made by The Big Draw 

Straight from the horses mouth, the awards body OCR stresses why we need to encourage pupils to study creative subjects:

1. The arts make self starters and develop emotional intelligence
   All require the student to set their own agenda from within themselves, rather than follow set topics as in other subjects. They have to make independent decisions all the way, and be self-critical. They also need to be brave in exposing their creations, and accept criticism. Working in teams makes students into good communicators.
2. The arts stretch…
   Music, art and drama require long hours of hard work and dedication. Students have to pay great attention to detail, to perfect and redo. Putting on a play, exhibition or concert takes strong organisational skills.
3. Arts students are highly sought-after by employers
   Many employers now actively seek those who have studied the arts. Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, was fond of saying his success was due to his hiring artists and musicians fascinated by technology rather than computer geeks. Top talent management agency, The Curve Group specialising in financial and business services, concurs: “Employees with an arts degree have developed more quickly in their roles from the start. They have discipline, confidence and can accept criticism.”
4. Arts ‘reach the parts other subjects can’t reach’
   The arts develop the broader dimensions of the human being – mind, body and soul. The arts can express the inexpressible and make sense of things that otherwise do not seem to. This can be very fulfilling and helps us function as human beings – which can only be good for society as a whole.
5. Arts ‘reach the students other subjects can’t reach’
   Teachers find arts subjects particularly beneficial for two groups: those who struggle with traditional subjects and those who are high achieving. Less academic students can become defeatist if they feel they can’t achieve: drama, music or art can be the place they blossom. With studious students, the arts can bring them out of themselves and be a release.

Watch how learning about art and design can lead to work in this inspirational video by Creative Journey UK:

And finally, pls listen to Bob and Roberta Smith in this film by The Big Draw, explaining why we teach art in schools:

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Anna share the thinking behind a community created building in Bangladesh. 

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