Music and the arts in the curriculum: creativity can be learned
- Author
- SEB Education
- Category
- School Life
- Reading time
- 5 min read
Music and the arts are often seen as extra activities, but what they teach shows up in every other subject. Learning a rhythm requires attention and memory; painting requires planning; rehearsing a play requires collaboration and the courage to be seen.
Listening before playing
In music lessons, children start by listening: identifying sounds, recognising patterns and keeping time with the group. Playing together teaches something rare — waiting your turn and listening to others as closely as to your own instrument.
Art as a way of thinking
In the visual arts, the focus is not on a pretty result but on the process. Children experiment with materials, make choices and explain what they wanted to express. It is a way of thinking that reappears later in writing, science projects and problem solving.
When a child explains why they chose that colour, they are making an argument. Art gives a voice to those who have not yet found the words.
Beatriz Nogueira
Art teacher
Throughout the year, performances and exhibitions open to families show this journey — and for many children they are the first experience of presenting their work to an audience.