Lagos — Rachel Weening is an Art Education specialist who has taught children from Kindergarten to secondary level in the U.S.A, Canada and Nigeria covering different subject areas. Rachel has been involved in training teachers in Nigeria for the past one year. She currently teaches Art part time in Lagos.

Growing up in a family where pursuing ones imagination and creative ideas was not just a far fetch dream for me, but a reality that was nourished and encouraged. This nourishment and encouragement are the exact things that has brought me far from my snowy, mountainous, spacious home of Canada, to hot and sunny Nigeria. As a child I was filled with ideas and imagination. I used my creativity to come up with games, toys and especially to create crafts and art projects. Now a small secret that I will divulge here unashamedly, is that I was born a very introverted, shy and extremely sensitive person. Knowing me now and what I have accomplished, where I am today and how I get up in front of crowds to speak, you would never have guessed it! But alas, it is the truth. However, I do not think I could have been here and followed my heart's desires to pursue my passions and dreams, if it weren't for my upbringing, particularly that my parents encouraged and nourished my artistic and creative mind and abilities.

I can remember growing up wishing and hoping to one day become an artist. My secret aspiration really was to be a photographer for National Geographic Magazine and to travel the world. I wanted to show expression and convey my own views and ideas through photographs, to the world. I wanted to use this tool to bring people of all races and colours to work together to ensure change; to make the world a safer, more joyful and happy place for all of mankind. As I grew older I realized that I also had a passion for children and for teaching. This is ultimately what has brought me to Nigeria. I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to teach in the USA, Canada and finally Nigeria. Here in Nigeria I have come to realize the great need to focus on the importance of creativity and of Art Education. I currently teach art part time at primary school level whilst the other half of my time I spend training teachers and creating resources for schools. Not only do children need to grow and be encouraged in their creativity and their artistic abilities, but teachers and educationists can learn just as much! If teachers can grasp the importance and encourage creativity and arts, then children will benefit immensely and creativity will easily spread like wild fire with astounding results.

Consequently, it is just as important to concentrate on the importance of creativity and arts in Nigerian schools as well as the other core subjects such as Math and English. I have had the first hand opportunity of seeing the results of effective Art education curriculums in many schools. Not only have results been seen in the pupils themselves, but in their teachers as well. This growth enables and creates well-rounded individuals who think for themselves so they may succeed in this world and in where ever they go and in whatever they do.

Art is essential to learning and not just a subject that is for fun or 'making crafts'. Learning about the visual arts gives students a window into the rich and interesting world around them, teaching them about their own history and culture, as well as those of other people. It cultivates self expression, imagination and creativity as well as critical thinking and problem solving skills. Pupils who learn about art develop their skills to seek meaning as well as to make personal evaluations and judgments. Understanding and making art can teach students how to work cooperatively in groups and how to work hard to achieve a goal especially by putting their critical thinking skills to the test and learning to solve problems! What do you do if there is no purple paint, only red and blue? What if there are only scissors and no pencils, how can you draw with your scissors?

The development of all of these skills not only makes pupils better learners but it also helps children to feel good about themselves; it builds self-esteem. And in a world in which ideas and information are often delivered visually, children need to learn how to analyze and judge the meaning of images and how to use them to communicate their own ideas. By doing this, they may better serve their communities, become better citizens and in turn work to solve the greater problems of the world in the future. More so, It's been proven that early exposure to the arts promotes activity in the brain. The more activity there is in the brain in turn allows for greater achievement in learning and understanding in all subject areas. Here are even more ideas of why art and teaching creativity is ESSENTIAL to Nigerian education.

- Art helps children understand other subjects much more clearly; from math and science, to language arts and geography. As an Art Educationist, I often incorporate many other subject areas into my art lessons allowing for there to be re-iteration of what the pupils are learning as well as allowing pupils to see connections between various subjects and their importance.

- Art nurtures inventiveness as it engages children in a process that aids in the development of self-esteem, self-discipline, cooperation, and self-motivation. When children can find proper venues to express themselves through art and creative activities, children are less likely to be violent and are able to come to terms with many of their emotions. When children are able to understand what they feel and how to properly express themselves, they grow in their ability to deal with many issues and others in a stable, healthy and constructive manner.

- Participating in art activities helps children to gain the tools necessary for understanding human experience, adapting to and respecting others' ways of working and thinking, developing creative problem-solving skills, and communicating thoughts and ideas in a variety of ways. When children are able to think for themselves and feel confident, this encourages pupils to reach deep into their imaginations for ideas and are able to analyze, use their critical thinking skills and solve problems in a variety of ways.

All of these things are vital for when children enter the world and seek to solve problems that they face in this ever-changing world.

So, where do you begin? Start by remembering that teaching children about art is not just about showing them how to fold, paint, draw or cut, it's about preparing young minds for a future of invaluable experiences art related or otherwise.