Waldorf Academy Toronto Launches New Report: How Arts Education Can Improve Children's Education

The renowned Ontario based Waldorf Academy Toronto recently published a report discussing the importance of arts education, and the positive impact it can have on young children. The private school, which has been providing children with a superior education for over 30 years, is now working to raise awareness of a subject that is thought to improve different aspects of a child’s education.

The Academy states that, whether it is painting, math, or science, all subjects should be treated equally. They are all creative endeavors in their own way and pose great importance in a child's development. According to specialists, a well-rounded approach is crucial to unlocking a child's talents in each individual field.

Jennifer Deathe, a Waldorf Academy spokesperson, states, "As our mission is to incentivize our students to be the absolute best they can be, it is only natural that we encourage equal treatment in this matter. The families expect us to ensure that their children have a high-level education that considers all subjects important for turning out successful adults."

The Toronto Waldorf school has made every effort to implement this belief into their existing practices. They state that every year, the students have the opportunity to participate in a play where they may take part in diverse tales of fantasy. For many children, this helps introduce them to what may be a newly discovered passion, while for others it can be a beautiful memory to look back on once they leave the Academy.

Waldorf Academy also implements this belief during the earliest stages of their young pupils’ education. "We spend a great deal of time—especially in the young years—doing crafts, artwork, and engaging our students with storytelling. This encourages their creativity to flourish and will make for a more perceptive, and clever student,” states Deathe.

As Waldorf Academy notes on their website, researchers have found that arts-rich high schools produce more successful students, both in academic achievement and advancement. The students that had been exposed to an arts education in high school resulted in almost twice as many university degrees, and had half again as many students graduate high school with mostly As and Bs. Of course, this academic performance translates into a higher quality of employment after graduation in turn, and makes for a more qualified individual that is prepared to creatively deal with unforeseen events.

"There is truly no reason to choose an education for a child that does not involve developing their creativity and artistic side as much as any other topic,” affirms Deathe. "This is a thing of the past, where it was thought that these aspects were not nearly as important as other subjects. Nowadays, it is easier than ever for a child to pursue their dreams, which makes it that much important to help them discover their passion, and encourage them to follow through with it."

The Waldorf Schools states that another important aspect that an arts education help develop is a child's literacy skills. It has been shown that students who participated in an arts program improved in six separate categories of literacy. Critical thinking skills that are important to literacy were also improved, including description, hypothesizing, and reasoning. This opens up a whole new set of possibilities for a child, who will now see the world differently from a more critical point of view, enabling them to question different aspects of everyday life.

Deathe states that this last point can be encouraged by simply having a discussion about works of art, which will allow children to question both their experience and their understanding. This leads to more complex thinking and better vocabulary as they attempt to explain their perspective.

More information can be found on Waldorf Academy's website, where they have made a wide array of resources available for parents that may be interested in having their child join one of the Waldorf Schools in Toronto. Furthermore, interested parties may connect with them through their official social media pages on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about their latest news and important announcements.