On Sunday, 19 November 2017, the Educational Research and Development Programme (ERDP) of the A. M. Qattan Foundation (AMQF) organised an encounter on “Arts in Education”, an article by Kifah Fanni.
The encounter is part of the Readings Programme, which includes a dedicated section of a research-based, reflective reading within Ru’a Tarbawiyya of the ERDP. The programme is supervised by AMQF researchers and coordinators as well as by teachers who previously participated in the Drama in Education Summer School. These include teacher Essam Yousef, coordinator of the most recent encounter.
The discussion highlighted the significance of arts in education, how arts can be deployed in education, and the nature of the learning experience provided by art. The encounter also raised the question: “Why don’t we teach our children as they themselves love to learn?”.
Teacher Muna al-Najjar said that participants of various backgrounds in the encounter concluded that art in education was a stand-alone approach. It respects one’s privacy and pays attention to their unique personal development. Al-Najjar believes that art is a means to explore ourselves and to move forward to materialise it in education.
Teacher Basel Younes stated that participants shared their scientific experiences with a view to developing the article so that it becomes an established reality at schools and universities as well as within families.
Teacher Riyadh Odeh summed up the encounter in several points. Of these, education revolves around the learner and seeks knowledge, rather than information. It is not confined to information in a book. Odeh also stressed the importance of paying attention to teachers to ensure investment and promote respect for their profession.