| Volume 25 Number 19 | October 16, 2024 |
Building Teacher Confidence Through ‘Storywork’: Exploring the Power of the Arts in Classrooms
Tasha Riley
Griffith University, Australia
Brittany A. McCormack
Griffith University, Australia
Troy Meston
Charles Sturt University, Gulbali, Australia
Citation: Riley, T., McCormack, B. A., & Meston, T. (2024). Building teacher confidence through ‘storywork’: Exploring the power of the arts in classrooms. International Journal of Education & the Arts, 25(19). http://doi.org/10.26209/ijea25n19
Abstract
Arts integration in core learning domains has long been acknowledged as an engaging and effective pedagogical approach. Creative activities encourage students to take risks, make mistakes, and consider alternative perspectives, promoting curiosity and developing problem-solving capacity. Arts integration is valuable in classrooms also for sensitively addressing complex issues related to identity, race, and culture. Yet, despite the numerous academic and social benefits of the arts, contemporary neo-liberal constraints are gradually diminishing funding for arts-based practices in Australia. Using an interpretive, contextualized qualitative methodology based on Indigenous Storywork (Archibald, 2008), we present research findings showcasing examples provided by Indigenous experts on the potential of arts-based practices in schools. Our Indigenous Storywork demonstrates how, through an arts-based approach, a more profound appreciation of Indigenous culture and history can create an inclusive learning environment that considers local protocols and values.
