Feeding students’ souls at Headstart International School Phuket

Often in life we can get caught up in the importance of academic achievement and this leaves little space for the Arts. It has been shown in extensive studies that we need to stimulate both sides of our brain – the creative and the logical – because without this we will not be rounded people with a full knowledge of the world and what’s out there for us to access.

By Elizabeth Mason

Wendy Earle, who writes on the arts and culture for online current-affairs mag “Spiked” and is convenor of the Institute of Ideas, Arts and Society Forum, explains her view on the importance of the arts in education like this, “The arts are central to the idea of education being about inculcating a love of learning, of acquiring knowledge. It is no accident that the arts are traditionally connected with the idea of being educated. Hence an educated person is assumed to be interested in the arts.

“Twentieth-century German philosopher Ernst Cassirer explained the importance of the arts as follows: ‘Science gives us order in thoughts, morality gives us order in actions; art gives us order in the apprehension of visible, tangible and audible appearances.’ A good education includes a good arts education, introducing children and young people to great literature (novels, poetry and short stories, plays), dance, visual arts, music and film.”

Last week the Headstart International School Creative and Performing Arts Department showcased their talent along with many guest singers, performers and artists. This was a fantastic opportunity for students to go above and beyond in their learning, for teachers to be the audience, and the organizers and members of our talented community to come in and share their skills.

On Monday morning we started off with a professional acrobatic show which thrilled us with their hair-raising performance, our school orchestra played a fantastic rock anthem by the band Rage Against the Machine in our school atrium and over lunch everybody danced salsa with Ms Barboza.
We had the visual as well as the performance arts with students taking part in print workshops last week and this week and also several visits to local art studios.

As the week progressed we celebrated community through a drumming circle, drama, music and dance performances, continued our Green ethos with a Trashion Show with clothes made out of recycled materials and ended the week with our own HeadStart’s Got Talent competition.

It makes us all realise how much talent is at our fingertips and yes, the academics are very important, but if we put effort into both the academic and the arts, amazing things can happen in our communities and beyond.