“Human beings need to move, they need to sing, they need to create – these are the things that maintain our humanity.”
Fundamental to the Espinosa Method of education and ingrained in our philosophy is the belief that the Arts are essential to our students’ overall education and well-being. Exposing our students to the wide spectrum of the visual and performing arts and being able to provide them the opportunity to learn from professionals trained within the finest arts’ conservatories in the world has always been key to our methodology.
At CEC, participation in the arts is an essential part of each child’s education. Not only because of their intrinsic value, but because the arts serve as an important conduit to learning important life skills. Human beings need creativity to feel fulfilled. Participation in the arts forces an individual to approach tasks from various perspectives and encourages individuals to take risks and “think outside the box.” Whether it’s learning a new musical composition, or expressing an emotion through dance or a self-portrait, every child is given the opportunity to express unique aspects of him or herself through the arts, thus providing an outlet for expression of their inner world. This ability helps children to acquire the confidence, strength and perseverance necessary to finding one’s element and niche in an ever-expanding world of opportunity.
Beyond increasing self-knowledge and awareness, the arts further strengthen skills necessary to work effectively with others, such as collaboration, accountability and the taking in of constructive criticism. A composer can compose a beautiful symphony, but if musicians do not work together in their interpretation and mastery of the notes, we would be unable to hear and enjoy the symphony. An openness to recognizing the role of all involved in the development and mastery of an art form, provides children with an openness to the fundamental interconnectedness of life.
