The challenges of implementing primary arts education: What our teachers say

Quality arts education can produce positive learning outcomes, such as creating positive attitudes to learning, developing a greater sense of personal and cultural identity, and fostering more creative and imaginative ways of thinking in young children (Bamford, 2006; Eisner, 2002; Robinson, 2001). Arts-based processes allow children the opportunity to express their knowledge, ideas and feelings in ways that do not necessarily involve words (Livermore, 2003; Robinson, 2001). Unfortunately, the value of arts-based learning can often be overlooked because of the social and cultural dominance of literal language and written modes of expression (Eisner, 2002; Kress, 2000). Forming models of quality arts education in the early years of primary school can also be a highly problematic task. This has been highlighted in a series of recent national reviews that have investigated the current state of arts education in Australian schools. This national attention has in part focused on the level of preparedness of non–specialist teachers, in teaching the creative arts; music, dance, art and drama.