CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Background to the Study
The Child from birth to adolescence experiences some developmental changes which involves physical, intellectual, social and emotional growth. Although people change throughout their lives, developmental changes are especially dramatic in childhood. During this period, a dependent, vulnerable newborn grows into a capable young person who has mastered language, is self-aware, can think and reason with sophistication, has a distinctive personality and socializes effortlessly with others.
The school should encourage each child to identify with his own experiences. These schools should help the learners to go as far as they can in developing concepts that express their feelings and emotions. Kparevzua (2002) stressed that it is necessary for schools to train children in Art Education to acknowledge the role of art in their society and to broaden their awareness of the values inherent in the arts that are available in society.
While learning, development occurs naturally in young children, they will not occur automatically without conscious contributions from adults either as parents or as teachers (Lansky and Mukherji, 1980). Development according to Anderson and Krathwohl (2001) is related to the gradual increase in skills and abilities that occurs over a lifetime. It is comparing students prior and post knowledge experience and ability to perform, problem solve and understand ideas, concepts in many areas of life. While each person progresses as an individual, the stages of development are similar for almost everyone.
Every learning environment, class or art lesson requires different teaching strategies and tactics. Hence, it is desirable that the art teacher knows something of the various instructional methods, their advantages and limitations. These methods are the technique or approach the teacher adopts in trying to impart knowledge to the learner. Robert (1971) in Uzoagba and Ogboji (2008) made it clear that there is no one method of teaching art and craft and superior teachers use many methods and combination of methods.
If the learners are taught with the right method putting in mind their stages of development, creative abilities could be fostered correctly. According to Uzoagba and Ogboji (2008) to be a good art teacher, it is necessary to posses essential qualities to facilitate effective teaching. Douglas and Schwartz (1987) suggest that when the art teacher uses a carefully structured, inductive and in-depth approach to teaching, motivation will be stimulated; provides opportunities for discussions which attract attention to the complexity of art and thereby arouse curiosity; and helps children to identify the criteria by which they can evaluate themselves as they work and thereby serve as a stimulus for accomplishment.
Also the child‟s feelings of curiosity, sight, thoughts and attention span should be aroused. And suitable opportunities should be provided for training his senses. These are the means by which the child relate to the outside world, and also recognize the world. Danko-Mcghee and Slutsky (2003) suggests that one way to nurture child development is through art because the arts if properly taught are basic to individual development since they more than any subject, awaken all senses. However, children lose interest in art because of lack of motivation, non-conducive environment, poor instructional style and lack of qualified teachers among others.