Liberal Arts In Public Education

Math, science, history, and literature are some of the key subjects taught in schools. Students learn many skills needed for college in these courses. However, students cannot be truly prepared unless they have had the opportunity to express their creativity throughout elementary and high school. Many people support keeping the arts in schools because of the opportunities these programs provide students of all ages with. Though money might be an issue when it comes to supporting and funding the arts in schools, there are ways to overcome these obstacles. While subjects such as math, science, literature, and history are extremely important for students of all ages to learn, the visual and performing arts in school should be recognized with

Divergent and analytical thinking are vital skills. Humanities and Liberal Arts majors encourage critical thinking, and a broad knowledge of diverse topics. For example, English majors work well with analysis, grammar, and writing. Those skills can be applied to politics, law and business. Liberal Arts and Humanities majors learn to form strong opinions, evaluate, reflect, and problem solve because they are given opportunity to experiment, create, and collaborate with others. The Liberal Arts and Humanities can also be a great foundation for students who are determined to become leaders. Students will acquire all sorts of abilities that are necessary for leadership success like critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and communication skills. These majors teach students how to think critically, and this is a key skill needed in all disciplines. A Liberal Arts degree does not equal total ignorance of how a computer or the economy works, nor does it mean that those students are missing out on critical knowledge. As a matter of fact, they have very important skills to offer. All the STEM in the world is useless without context. People need the ability to interpret data and incorporate humanity. It is important to have all aspects of education, STEM, liberal arts, and humanities. While STEM degrees may appear more translatable into a paycheck six months from now, some of the most successful people I have known were Liberal Arts majors. If you ask any employers what skills they would like to see in recent graduates, its communication skills, the ability to write well, and the ability to work well in groups. Liberal arts focused on reading, language and writing are equally important to society as STEM subjects are. Liberal Arts and Humanities graduates may not go on to jobs that are as profitable as engineering of physical science careers, but they fill jobs that are important to a

In his essay, The New Liberal Arts, Sanford Ungar addresses common misperceptions related to a liberal arts education. He speaks to their usefulness, the employment opportunities after graduation, their value despite the cost of tuition, and other misconceptions. His overall message is, despite the recent emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and math degrees, as well as technical or vocational training, liberal arts degrees are still important and are a valid option to consider when deciding on your educational future. While his essay could easily apply to anyone with these misperceptions, it appears to be targeted directly towards students in high school or early college who are trying to decided on the direction of their education

The beauty of creativity is that it is abstract, yet ubiquitous: in art, music or how one decides to compose an essay. However, creativity has recently been declining among the human population. According to an article, named, “The Creativity Crisis,” by Newsweek.com in July 2010, authors, Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, state, “the Torrance Test … indicates that the public’s “creativity quotient” has steadily crept downward since 1990” (Prompt 1). Bronson and Merryman report that the test, which evaluates one’s creativity, had been dispensed to myriads of people across the globe, and have concluded that creativity has been slowly diminishing. Kyung Hee Kim, professor at the College of William and Mary, also comments that this is most prevalent and grave among students from kindergarten through sixth grade (Prompt 1). Consequently, society, or in this case, the world fears that current students and future generations will not be nourished with the creativity required to thrive as individuals, affecting the world as a whole. Ultimately, this poses the question whether a creative thinking class, which solely focuses on the education of creativity, should be taught in the school. This school should impose a creative thinking class, due to the fact creativity is a vital element for the future and is the solution to the creative crisis.

Critical thinking means to think correctly in to find knowledge that is relevant and reliable. In terms of a liberal arts education critical thinking is crucial because a liberal arts education teaches students skills that are needed in the rapidly changing world that usually requires a lifetime of self-learning and understanding. Critical thinking is something that people usually must learn on their own; however, as a liberal arts school it is taught, so we have a better understanding of thinking critically.

The author concludes that the debate of liberal education will continue throughout generations to come. That students should immerse themselves within liberal arts not to just make a living, but to become more complex and diverse, to find creative ways to solve new problems, and develop as a person as a person. (Ugar 196) By incorporating the gained knowledge of the liberal arts, undergraduates can pass it down to the future

For centuries, a liberal arts education was a sign of a well-rounded, creative individual. However, in an ever changing era, a liberal arts education is nothing more than an example of how little people enjoy change. Nowadays, numerous jobs require basic to intermediate computer skills, literacy in basic business and economic concepts, and a remedial understanding of geography, social customs, and current events. The core curriculum of a liberal arts education, which includes history, math, art, science, English, literature, and a variety of social sciences, needs to be expanded to encompass the subjects people encounter every day in the 21st century. This paper is directed towards a general audience dedicated to improving centers of

Liberal arts education has been pursued by great thinkers and enthusiastic learners throughout the centuries. Great thinkers have sought out to expand their knowledge and gain a better and deeper understanding of the world in which they live. This has been accomplished by laying foundations of knowledge gained through diligently studding subjects such as physics, mathematics, art, history, philosophy, music and denoting an equal appreciation for each of these subjects. Each of these subjects is capable of expanding our comprehension of how the things of this world work. Not one of them is more capable as compared to the other, in regards to broadening our horizons or expanding our critical thinking abilities. Instead each subject matter holds within it the power for personal, professional and mental growth.

There is value in a required class in the Liberal Arts Education” [Dr. Andrew Mills]. This was how Dr. Mills began his speech. This statement caught my attention and I began to wonder. What is the value or pre-eminence of taking courses outside my major? Will I benefit much from that or is it just a mere waste of my time? Thankfully ,Dr. Mills answered my questions as he intimated that in a liberal arts education set up, one gains character traits that will not only come in handy when looking for a job but that will also make one a great critical thinker with an open mind.

to understand each branch of the tree better if you can see how it is involved

I was drawn to Bates, initially, because I knew I wanted to attend a small liberal arts college. A liberal arts education is very important to me. Being undecided as to my area of study, I know a liberal arts education, like a Bates education, will allow me to explore several interests, challenge myself, and grow. I also know that a liberal arts education will expose me to the humanities and the sciences, will continue to teach me how to think critically, and will help me develop lifelong skills.

After reading through Robert Harris’s article regarding the purpose of a Liberal Arts education, I came across quite a few of his Harris’s ideas that affect my life as it is now, and will affect my life in the future. Harris’s notion that general knowledge is an ally of faith, was one concept that I feel has the greatest impact on my life. Since I have started my degree at Liberty University, I have taken classes like biology and American History that have incorporated God’s teachings in a way that I have never seen taught before. Because of these classes incorporating fundamental Christian values into their coursework, I now have a deeper understanding of the Lord’s message. I can also see the intricate designs of God’s work throughout

When I first went to college I was seventeen years old with a knack for writing, an investment in history through story-telling, and curious about group dynamics, psychology, and sociology. When I was seventeen these weren’t the words I used to describe my interests in continuing education and because of this I remember scanning through majors that didn’t fit all my interests simultaneously. For a moment, Liberal Arts caught my eye as it gave me the freedom to explore my own identity. However, upon sharing this out loud with those in my mesosystem the underlying message of choosing this major ultimately

A study in general education (liberal arts) affects different aspects of my development both physically and mentally. A liberal arts education has shaped the form I conceive and return over individual circumstances. After attending class and reading all the benefits of a liberal arts education it has shaped the direction I held regarding a Liberal Arts education. A liberal arts education has shifted the way I study and the process I go about completing my school work. Furthermore, from the manner I organize my day to the way I organize my goals, a liberal arts education really shaped the way I do my everyday schedule. The liberal arts class changed me into a greater adapted, more efficient and effective member of society. A liberal arts education taught me the value and efficiency of critical and independent thinker. Within the real world, an individual who can show aforementioned qualities is higher valued than the person who cannot. With a liberal arts education, you are more fit to acquire and exhibit these skills. A liberal arts education are intended to broaden the general knowledge and experiences of the students, and the class accomplished just that. The class affected my mentality about school and the way I see the real world.

A STEM education is a necessity in the United States because the country is lacking knowledgeable people in such fields. However, one is better equipped for multiple job and career positions with the addition of a liberal arts education. It is nearly impossible to transition to different careers with only vocational training. In 2003, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development studied math and science literacy among fifteen year olds. The United States was ranked number twenty-four in math literacy (Drew 27). They are behind countries such as Finland, Slovak Republic, and Hungary. Likewise, the United States was ranked number nineteen in science literacy (Drew 27). It is obvious that the country is behind. STEM education needs to be reformed at the secondary and post-secondary levels of schooling. Katrina Trinko, a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors, agrees that more emphasis should be placed on STEM education; however, this emphasis should not be at the sacrifice of a good liberal arts education. She writes, “Even technology wizards can become more innovative with a solid background in liberal arts” (Trinko 6). A liberal arts education is beneficial to people in all career fields.