मी मानसकन्या

Drawing essential subject in the academic curriculum

Two years ago, I visited one painting exhibition of ten years old young boy with my husband. I found that child had really good hand for drawing. I remember even I had given remark in visitors diary. This all reminded me my childhood days. When my drawings and painting use to get appreciation from drawing teacher. And my drawing he used to show that in all other class for praising it for its creativity, innovation,  neatness and for drawing itself. Later on I stood first in the merit list of scholarship examination of 7th std. and my father did not allow me to pursuit drawing. In X Std vacation, I wanted to join portrait drawing class but he insisted me to join computer classes.
   Why am I sharing with you all ?... Just to bring to your notice that this is general attitude of all parents towards drawing subject. Drawing should be taken as a hobby no build up career in it.
(Nowadays there may be change in the attitude)
    Later, when I joined a School as a teacher of maths and science; there we came across another problem regarding drawing. Generally clever students loose there rank due to less marks in drawing.
Parents complaint was " drawing subject should be optional or graded". That time Lodhi Madam was principal.(She is also very good at Drawing.).... So we few teachers discussed.....we decided to continue with same that drawing is not optional and not graded subject.
          Without doubt drawing is very essential subject in curriculum.
It develops one of important trait of learning " observation " more precisely " keen observation". Which necessary to understand Science and many other things like culture, languages, geography etc.
Before child learns alphabets and numbers, it's intelligence can be detected by drawing skills....
Geometry , abstract subject can be understood better by visualization of facts. I had seen one veteran teacher teaching geometry by drawing figers in air. Means first he used to develop visualization skills of the students and then teach geometry part of it.
       
       You understand people by their body language better than conversing  with them. Because communication is 98% through body language and 2% verbally

One of old persons of our school literally taught me this skill of  understanding people by their hand and body movements.

Actually everyone has sense of drawing, which we use while shopping, selecting different color combination of clothes. While Painting the house and many times we design furniture of our requirement.

As interest of my subject I know and like  many artist like Dabholkar, Ravi Paranjpe, Dinanath Dalal , Ravi Varma etc... Cartoonist like Mangesh Tendulkar, Balasaheb Thakare, Shi. Da. Phadnis...

But you all may get surprised to know that Satyajeet Ray( the great director), Amol Palekar(Actor & Director), Mukund Phansalkar(singer) are basically good artists they all have degree from art college. Usha Mangeshkar, Suman Kalyanpurkar are good singers but at the same time they are great drawing artists.
Definitely surely drawing is essentially a part ofcurriculum.
Should it be graded?