Outperforming The Masses : How The Performing Arts Benefit Those With Disabilities

In their “Music Matters” pamphlet, the Arts Education Association argues that arts education improves students’ abilities in Core tested areas and brain development. It is vital for every child to be able to better themselves in addition to their mind. A new study from the National Institutes of Health Magnetic Resonance (MRI) Study of Normal Brain Development says that training in music helps children be more mature emotionally and behaviorally, in addition to refined fine motor skills (Nutt). These are the developments that all children need in order to develop healthily. Mathematical skills are learned and reinforced in musical practice, which is why band kids perform better in math than their other nonmusical peers as they age in their educational careers (Arts Education Partnership). This is important because this development is dual-purposed for two subjects and relates them both to academic improvement. Leveling the playing field in the terms of students better understanding an essential subject will also aid in their development because they will be able to understand English more. Music students also have stronger determination, leadership skills, and observation and performance abilities that future universities and employers search for in successful students and employees (Arts Education Partnership). These benefits are multi-purposed and useful in numerous aspects of a person’s academic and employment future. Should these be made available for all students in order to give them equal opportunities to prepare them for the real world, then they will most likely have the opportunity to become

Disability is one of the most important issues in society because of the many fallacies that have been conjured up by people who have not been exposed to individuals with certain disabilities. This stigma has been incorporated into the notion that people with disabilities are “useless”. People with disabilities do not need to have a physical problem, many have a certain mental state that is not parallel to a fully cognitive person. These disabilities range from extreme physical handicaps to mental issues to a depressive state of mind. All of these fall under the umbrella of the term “disability”. Such biases and prejudices contributed to the discrimination of people with disabilities, but that has been eradicated by the many laws or acts that

The inclusion for artists with disability in theatre shows equality between artists with and without disability. Drama can give people with disabilities a social life as through drama activities they have the opportunity to make new friends and make social interactions. An ex-drama student says that being included in theatre as a child gave her a safe place away from bullying at school. This safe place helped her make real friends who accept her as she is. When the persons with disability feel that they are being included and accepted by the people around them, they will start accepting their own disability.

When children participate in programs that provided fine arts, the arts help improve their cognition and social development. According to studies done by the article, Section III: The Arts Cognition, and Social Development, "An interest in a performing art leads to a high state of motivation that produces the sustained attention necessary to improve performance and the training of attention that leads to improvement in other domains of cognition." Because of the motivation that the fine arts gave to children, they were able to improve the attention needed for cognitive skills such as memory, logic and reasoning, and auditory. Furthermore, fine arts not only improve their cognition skills but also their social skills. In the reading, Section III: The Arts Cognition, and Social Development, "Students with lower socio-economic status who had sustained involvement in theatre arts were shown over time to have greater self-confidence, motivation, and empathy than did their non-arts peers, according to a ten-year national study of over 25,000 high school students." As a result, they are able to get out of their comfort zone and explore their surroundings. In addition, with the increases of motivation obtained by fine arts, they are able to achieve what they want with less fear of failure than

Humans are social creatures. We identify ourselves through our community, loved ones, and those who genuinely appreciate our presence. Our identity defines our personality traits, highlight social roles. Those with disabilities are often confused about their identity because they are misunderstood and stigmatized. Through the use of literature, one can empathize better with other people especially those who are misunderstood by society. Disabled people are more likely to be neglected and subjected to prejudice or discrimination. In “Delusion of Grandeur”, Terry Ann Thaxton, talks about the struggle between Adam and his mother because of his disability. Adam struggles to cope with his environment and finds himself isolated and misunderstood. Families ultimately suffer but through their experience, they can learn some amazing lessons.

Graziano, Matthew Peterson, and Gordon L. Shaw a group of children were given piano lessons and math training for a certain amount of time, while a control group received only the math training. At the end of the experiment the children were all given a math test; the children who had been given piano lessons scored fifteen percent higher on their math tests than the ones who received only the math training. (Deasy 110) According to Chorus America’s Chorus Impact Study, “parents with children singing in choruses report their children get significantly better grades than children who’ve never been part if one.” This fact is proven in their research that states that sixty four percent of chorus students reported that their language arts skills had improved, fifty seven percent reported that they improved in math, and sixty one percent reported an overall increase in their academic skill levels since joining fine arts. From those statistics, it is almost impossible to imagine that anyone would consider removing fine arts from public schools.

People with disabilities are part of the society; Are present in any area of ​​human endeavor. The worst maltreatment suffered by individuals with disabilities is that they are not seen, with exceptions, like any other person. Disability is not a characteristic of the subject, but the result of their individuality in relation to the demands that the environment poses. The type and degree of disability that the person suffers from prevents them from using their resources autonomously, being forced to look for other alternatives to meet his essential needs. People with disabilities, in fact, in everyday life, are not like other people: they have limitations and problems that do not affect ordinary people in the same way. The aspect that matters is that these people, with their limitations, have the right as all to the maximum development of all their potentialities.

Those with disabilities have to accept their lives as being deprived of some joyful instances that may never happen. Individuals with handicaps may not be able to be active with their (or other’s) children, dream jobs may not be within grasp, memories may not be accessible while other’s take them for granted and shun those who desire that which they’ve already acquired (“People With Disabilities”). Provided, life is hard with a disability but additionally, those with handicaps must suffer isolation which is unfavorable in multiple ways. With isolation the person has no help, no support, no companionship, and feel ultimately rejected shutting them down in a social manner (“People With Disabilities”).

I think theater and other performing arts is very important for children. Not everybody learns by a structural classroom setting. Taking exams and writing is not always a way to check for understanding. I believe that other children who do not learn by just doing math, writing papers, or a structural studying habit can learn by acting things out or making it into a song. For example, I used to make things into songs or act it out with my hands when I had to memorize things. I had to have a certain motion on how I study to be able to remember it for the test.

There aren’t many shows or movies that revolve around or even include characters and actors that suffer from disabilities. In most situations when someone is casted to play a character that suffers from an illness, medical condition, or disability, a person who actually doesn’t struggle with any of those conditions is casted, which doesn’t really show any true representation for people with certain conditions. Even when a show or movie includes a character with a disability, the disability isn’t life-threatening. When a show or movie includes a character with a disability, a person who doesn’t actually live with the disability is casted. The television show Glee has gotten a lot of negative attention for casting a non-disabled actor to play a character who suffers from paraplegia, which is also known as leg paralysis. Hollywood has barely made any progress towards hiring actors with disabilities. When a show does include a disabled person, it often is full of negative stereotypes, which just shows that the writers did little to none research on living with a

In fact, people with disabilities possess certain qualities that allow them to experience and perform at a different level than non-disabled people bringing their experience and focus to key aspects of a task. For example, a person with a disability senses things differently then we normally would, allowing them to respond differently. The person with a disability will be compensated for his/her lack of greater abilities and strength in other areas, abilities that are sometimes beyond the ordinary. Individuals with disabilities are able to bring work ethic skills to complete an assignment allowing them to make a contribution

Disabled people are not often represented in “normal” roles in society, especially in the workforce. Therefore, many people objectify them in the the sense that they are looked at as object of inspiration. (“I am Not Your Inspiration, Thank You Very Much”. Stella Young.)

Arts education provides students with the building blocks for the development of experience, knowledge and skills across many domains including imagination, self-expression, communication, relationships and creative and collaborative problem-solving. Research suggests that the use of quality arts programs have been linked to enhancing students overall academic achievement, empathy towards others and engagement in learning (Russel-Bowie, 2006; Cornett, 2014). The inclusion of arts in the curriculum is a globally recognised concept, encompassing many different cultures and concepts. More specifically the micro-teaching experiences at the Lady Cilento Children’s Festival will be focusing on the area of performing arts including a combination

Furthermore, school is a place where you make friends and integrate with one another. However, individuals with disabilities are often susceptible to face vast number of stereotypes, labels or discomfort at school. That is because of the lack of consciousness and biases that is created by imposing a distinction between non-disabled versus disabled from an early age. Valerie Piro tells us that some her classmates told her that she has a “perfect personal essay topic” (Piro 3). Her friends imply that she has the “perfect essay topic” because of her disability. Yet, it is rather confusing that they are being ironic, jealous or making fun of her situation. As Piro emphasizes, human beings need to “encourage one another to demand that society accept”

Over the years, perceptions towards disability have been significantly changing as result of the long pathway the disable community has taken fighting for Civil Rights, inclusion and against discrimination. Unfortunately, this last one has not been totally accomplished yet. Barriers to social integration still exist in the society. Perhaps the greatest barrier is not the disability itself; is the attitude of people.