Elliot Eisner's 'The arts and the creation of mind' (2002)

1. 'Meaning is not limited to what words can say'. Arts allows for children and people to express themselves in so many other ways than just words. Through dance, song, painting, drawing, acting.

2. 'The artistic development of an individual is not an automatic consequence of maturation'. Regardless of age or trained abilities, everyone can be artistic and creative and children or people shouldn't be judged solely on their age or abilities. The arts is for everyone.

3. 'The arts teach its practitioners to think within the constraints and affordances of a material'. Art can be created using whatever the creator finds and uses to make the art form. Art is not limited to a few materials or types of art but it is individualised by every artist.

4. 'Evaluation and assessment should be regarded as educational resources, practices that help improve the educational process'. Assessment pieces should only be done in a way that benefits the learner and is individualised. The assessment should allow teachers a snapshot of what the child knows and what areas of learning needs more development.

5. 'The process of representation stabilises ideas and images, makes the editing process possible, provides the means for sharing meaning and creates the occasions for discussion'. The arts is a great area of study for collaboration and sharing of work and ideas. Art is meant to stimulate people and bring about topics of discussion.

6. 'Among all the fields of study in our schools, the arts are at the forefront in the celebration of diversity, individuality and surprise'. The openness and flexibility of art means that each individual that is creating the art is free to input their own cultural background into the art work and it allows for communities to create a sense of belonging and acceptance. Regardless of abilities everyone can create art pieces and work tasks can be individualised to ensure the learning is beneficial for the whole group.

7. 'The arts should be judged in education primarily in relation to their distinctive and unique educational contribution'. The arts shouldn't be viewed as secondary subject as they are pivotal to children's learning in all learning areas, especially in the younger years.

8. 'The sources of learning when working in the arts are multiple'. The arts can be used to explore many different learning areas. Art is not a stand alone subject and can by incorporated into many different types of learning in many different ways.

9. 'The possibilities for growth in and through the arts cease to exist only when we do'. There are no borders or boundaries for art and the limit of it is as large as our imagination. The arts are present in all areas of our lives from birth to death.