Well-Designed Experience

Music, dance, drama, painting and drawing teachers try to incorporate academic lessons into their art classes. Students can be learning both art and academic topics at the same time. This can benefit the students extremely because it will not only engage the students in helpful activities, but it will keep them interested in learning the different topics. For example, schools may play music in the halls to introduce the students to culture that may help them to be open to learning new things in all of their classes. The painting teacher may have her student’s paint a picture of a historical event they learned about in their history class and discuss it in front of the class. The music teacher may ask the students to pick a certain song that reminds them of a book they read in their English class and explain to the class why the song reminds them of that certain book. The dance teacher might assign a dance to the students that will get them thinking of a subject to write their paper on for writing class. The possibilities are endless as to how to mix academics into the arts. It is important to do so to keep the creative juices flowing in the young minds of the students in public schools. By participating in an arts course, students are fueling their cognitive developments and are

When children take the arts classes it promotes self-directed learning, school attendance improves, and their critical and creative skill improve along with it.

To begin with, education and engagement in fine art programs are an essential part within the school curriculum because subjects such as mathematics, science, and language arts all require cognitive and creative capacities which are enhanced with the process of learning art. For instance, in the article, Critical Evidence: How the Arts Benefits Student Achievement, it states that “researchers

The educational subject areas focusing on the fine arts and cultural studies are notable for their many shared developmental outcomes and related teaching methodology challenges. Analysis of previously implemented art-based programs and learning strategies devised to supplement cultural studies indicates it may be a uniquely productive approach. The use of creative instruction in forms including but not limited to play-acting, creation of visual arts, and musical instruction has high effectiveness in the context of maximizing student receptivity to cultural transmission. Students of both subjects have also been observed to demonstrate markedly improved intellectual, behavioral, and emotional growth from programs which integrate up-to-date modern research and intuitive planning to navigate the complex environment of cultural pluralism. Many such programs feature the direct involvement of artists and other relevant professionals with students to enrich and ensure the quality of the educational experience.

By educating students any form of art, can open up new connections to imaginative thinking. The arts could even lead students to find new ways of studying that could benefit their other classes. Arts helps in finding different ways into processing ideas, not just analyzing an idea, but also taking into consideration of the more human side to things: emotion. With a student being more emotionally prepared to take on any task, it helps a student judge what is best for themselves in their routine of study. In “Necessary Edges” Yo-Yo Ma says how “we are also aware that wise and balanced judgment results from integrating the critical and empathetic, taking emotions as well as reason into account” (258). If the education system incorporates arts into the system then students could find means as to help relax from higher levels of thinking, as a means to release stress and to positively believe that they are striving to be their best. Wood supports the idea of incorporating art into education because with the incorporation of more technology placed into classes then it becomes “exhausting: a continuous period of forced engagement, with no relief in the form of time when my attention could flag or I could doodle in a notebook undetected

Although these results appear to be encouraging, one must consider what improvements are missing when implementing the fine arts. One area that lacks improvement is the math and sciences. Garcia et. al states that there is no significant correlation between improved math and science scores and fine arts exposure. This lack of improvement is a serious factor that must be considered while discussing the effects of fine arts. In today’s society, the majority of growing career fields

Students that are involved in fine arts may do better on their test scores. Most children that participate in fine arts have a better act And can cooroperate better with others. Many studies show that all this is true.(“10 Studies on the Importance of Art in Education.”)

When used well, the arts are the cement that brings all the disparate curricular areas together. In the best schools, this is often the case. The arts are valued for their interdisciplinary potential. The result is a more cohesive curriculum in which students explore relationships across disciplines. . . . the arts in conjunction with other aspects of the curriculum afford students more complete and compelling conceptions. (p. 7)

Art and music can impact students and help them do better scholastically. Jessica Velasco talks about how various studies and experiments have shown the effects art and music have academically in “How the Arts Can Help Students Excel.” She

There are many benefits in each child taking part in a fine arts related matter. One of

A student’s ability to enjoy and participate in arts instruction can help, not hinder, the students learning and comprehension in other classes. The arts classes give students creativity that sometimes can not be achieved in an average english, science, or math class. “Students need to be creative and need to understand that being creative is as important as being proficient in skills areas like math and reading. Learning basic language and math skills should be accomplished in all public schools- not at the expence of arts, but in addition to them” (Ford and

In these past few years, there has been big concern between educators in the relationship in arts-based learning and human development. The arts construct neural systems building a variety of profits running between fine motor skills to creativity and enhanced emotional balance. Gaining

Art education has been proven to help with “cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skills” as well as “motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork” (Smith). Having the ability and patience to sit down and paint a masterpiece or work through a song on the piano requires high focus and dedication. Students willing to do this will in turn have stronger skills to focus and be dedicated in other subjects. The mixture of all these abilities gained from participation in art programs lead to higher test scores and overall better performance in school. Still, these are only a few of the assets provided by art education.

    The arts engage students who may not be engaged in other classes. The YouthARTS Development Project and the National Endowment for the Arts and the United States Justice Department engaged in at-risk youth in art programs showed that the participants had an increased ability to work with others and were able to finish tasks, had better attitudes towards school, had fewer court referrals, and had an improved self-esteem (Arts and Smarts: Test Scores and Cognitive Development).

The world contains numerous religions, ways of life, and artistic expressions. By requiring students to take and art class they expose themselves to the wonderfulness of the world’s cultures. Art, music, and drama classes allow students to interpret the world around them and possibly change their outlook on life. Schools should necessitate that its students take some form of an art class in order to create more diverse students who view all aspects of life. While math, English, and science classes are important, the true values of life are found in human expression of emotion and thought through music, painting, or performance.