Rebecca Wade
15436247
Performing Arts Culture Across the World's Seven Continents
The performing arts in early childhood education
Educators teach for understanding. Therefore it is imperative that educators keep coming up with interesting ways to help engage children in the experiences and learn. This includes a variety of play based learning activities, the introduction of technology and integrating children's current interests.
Young children live in complex and diverse family cultures and structures that differ according to sociocultural, racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds and lifestyles (National Childcare Accreditation Council [NCAC], 2010), thus, to honour diversity, the classroom and environment must be inclusive and diverse in a variety of ways. Becoming culturally competent is a clear expectation of the
National Quality Framework (NQF) and features strongly in the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the National Quality Standard (NQS). It is something for all of us to consider in our practice with children and their families irrespective of where we are in Australia or the range of diversity present in the communities we are part of (Early Childhood Australia, 2013). Including family diversity and culture through pictures, visits and conversations will allow the children have a strong sense of identity and feel safe secure and supported (DEEWR, 2009).
- Knowledge of ways to build new understandings
- Knowledge of ways to honour diversity
- Integrated curriculum
An integrated curriculum is the cross correlation of learning goals or achievements across a range of subjects in one experience or activity. The performing arts is able to integrate the learning areas of Drama, Dance, Music, Media Arts and Visual Arts. Teachers delivering integrated programs need to have experience and knowledge across a range of disciplines. It helps if they possess a wide range of skills, expertise and experiences. An arts cross curricular curriculum helps children achieve both academically and socially (Dinham, 2011).
- Respond and reflect
When children are taught the ability to respond and reflect on their own work and the lessons they have experienced it allows them to become critical thinkers, as well as audience members, who can interact after the experience to deepen their knowledge and further their ideas (Bullard, 2010). Through responding and reflecting in the performing arts curriculum children understand how their own works have an impact on audiences and how the arts are rarely neutral, stirring emotional, cognitive and physical responses; they see that they can make others laugh or cry or feel other emotions through their performing arts. They consider the responses of others and decide whether to use these to modify their responses (Curriculum Framework, 1998).