What are the benefits of working with clay?
A. The purpose of art instruction in the elementary school is in keeping with the general objectives of education. Art experiences should contribute to an individual’s knowledge and to the development of those habits, skills and attitudes that will aid him in adjusting to his environment. He should become aware of and sensitive to beauty in nature, and art. When the instructional environment includes a variety of art media, children tend to experiment with them. As a prime example, children like to model with clay because using the material allows them to express their ideas and feelings. One of the most important studies on arts education was released by the US Department of Education in the winter of 1998. Based on a 20 year study by Dr. James Catteral at UCLA involving over 25,000 secondary school students, the results showed that involvement with the arts is linked to higher academic performance, increased standardized test scores, more community service and lower dropout rates. Th
