The importance of arts projects to enhance learning in primary schools

Abstract

This dissertation consists of two parts. The first one is a filmed documentary showing the process of an arts project (two puppet shows) and includes the children's, the class teacher's and the headmaster's feedback. The second part consists of a written report, where the project is analysed in more detail. In the introduction we deal with the role of the arts in primary education. We also outlined how the project was planned, including its reasons and objectives. Up-to-date literature was reviewed to find out what importance is given to arts education in foreign countries. The role of the arts in the Maltese context is then dealt with. We proceeded to justify our first choices - namely why we put up the puppet shows and why they were based on two fairy tales. In chapter four we discussed briefly the need for educators to reflect on their work and then evaluated in detail each session of the project. The feedback given to us by the children who worked on the project through a short questionnaire was outlined in chapter five. We moved on to give suggestions of how a puppet show could be integrated within a year four syllabus. We concluded by outlining the implications of the project, namely that all pupils should participate in an activity. We discussed the limitations of the project and gave further suggestions, most importantly that there should be specialised teachers in arts subjects in every primary school.