TIP #77: 3 Ways to Inspire Lifelong Learning through Art

Art is a natural catalyst for inspiring lifelong learning. Through artistic expression, we can instill a love for learning and equip kids with skills and attitudes for a well-lived life.
What is lifelong learning?
Lifelong learning is the ongoing pursuit of knowledge throughout one’s lifetime. This learning can be formal or informal, but it’s mostly self-directed and self-motivated. It’s a posture of being interested and curious about the world around you and always wanting to grow and learn.
Why is lifelong learning important?
Lifelong learning has a myriad of benefits. It helps us become well-rounded, better connected, and more fulfilled. It improves our health and well-being, and our quality of life in general. This kind of learning is a lifetime pursuit, extending far beyond our time in “school”.
How to Inspire Lifelong Learning through Art
Lifelong learning is about much more than just art, but art provides a wonderful vehicle for encouraging it.
Art teaches kids how to observe and look closely, which is at the core of learning. The more they practice seeing this way, the more it becomes a habit. This will benefit them not only in their artwork but in every aspect of life.
It’s never too late to develop an attitude of lifelong learning. But why wait? The younger kids start, the longer they have to enjoy the benefits. So here are 3 strategies you can use with art to help kids become lifelong learners.
1. Teach Critical Thinking
Kids are not born with critical thinking thinking skills. Critical thinking is a skill that must be learned. According to dictionary.com, critical thinking is “rational, open-minded, and informed by evidence”. We can teach kids to analyze information objectively, consider different perspectives and options, and be open-minded and curious.
When making art, kids get a front row seat to the evidence-based process of cause and effect. They use their limited skills to work with often unpredictable materials. Through this process, they can learn to consider options with curiosity and be open-minded about the results.
Kids can observe how others take different approaches to similar problems, whether classmates or artists throughout history. Critical thinking skills will help them evaluate their choices in a variety of situations and make informed decisions.
2. Encourage a Growth Mindset
Having a growth mindset is one of the most essential factors in anyone’s ability to learn, at any age. A growth mindset is the attitude or belief that we can learn new things through effort and persistence, even when it’s difficult.
Art can give kids the opportunity to practice having a growth mindset. Through trial and error with projects and materials, they learn to see problems as challenges they can tackle. Art teaches problem solving where there isn’t only one right answer, and provides a space to learn from mistakes.
A growth mindset is promoted when we praise kids for their effort or character, rather than the results they attain. Teaching them to use the word “yet” (as in… “I haven’t learned that yet”) implies belief in their future success, another growth mindset technique.
3. Be a Role Model for Lifelong Learning
This is a big one! Never underestimate the influence you have on the kids in your life. They are watching you, even if it sometimes doesn’t seem that way!
Are you a lifelong learner? Lifelong learning happens in all kinds of contexts, both personal and professional. It doesn’t have to relate to art, but sharing how you’re learning a new skill, medium, or technique right along with your students is a great example. The key is that your attitude, or frame of mind, is one of always being eager to learn new things.
Do you pursue new interests in sports, creative skills, cooking, gardening, DIY projects, languages, or technology? Do you learn through reading, listening to podcasts, watching YouTube videos, or taking classes? Talk about your interests and share the ways you’re learning with your students. Your enthusiasm will inspire them!
It helps students to see that not all learning comes from a classroom. There is no end to the avenues they can explore for learning. Kids can become lifelong learners if they adopt critical thinking skills, develop a growth mindset, and have good role models to influence them.
an inspiring quote
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” ~ Henry Ford
To be a continuous, or lifelong, learner is a choice that anyone can make, no matter their age. It’s more than just a good practice for keeping your mind young. It’s also a necessity in this ever-changing world we live in.
Being a lifelong learner is an attitude, a frame of mind for thinking about the world. It’s a way of approaching new or unfamiliar situations.
If we can encourage kids to embrace the mindset of a lifelong learner, it may be the most important thing we ever teach them.