Art Education
Alexis Iradi
Professor Mantle
ENG102-02
13 December 2013
The Importance of the Arts in Education
“Involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skill” (Smith 1). The benefits of art in a children’s life are endless, yet the arts are not taken seriously in many school district and instead are being taken out and replaced with other classes that are thought to improve students abilities on standardized tests. The drive to elevate the academic success of K-12 students has yielded decidedly mixed results. There is much pressure to improve math and science test scores, and so little emphasis on the arts, hindering children more than helping them. School districts are dropping serious art instruction, as though it is merely expensive play time and not essential to the development of successful, high-achieving students. To make matters worse, the remaining general arts programs are often executed with poor resources and even lower expectations. The diminishing of arts education in schools and in the larger culture is a huge mistake. Children are not empty vessels that can be filled with facts and then declared competent. They are human beings who respond and grow at a rate largely determined by their environment. The arts provide a depth of understanding and even the basis for understanding for some children on their long road to achievement. Most important, the arts provide a way for children to envision the possibilities of a world outside of their immediate circumstances. There is a terrific model for arts instruction that does address the developmental and aesthetic needs of children, especially for educators who define success as something greater than mere test scores. The arts now provide individuals with problem-solving skills, innovative mindsets, communicative attitudes and inspiration. With that being said, the arts can be seen as a way to improve the overall wellbeing of a
Professor Mantle
ENG102-02
13 December 2013
The Importance of the Arts in Education
“Involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skill” (Smith 1). The benefits of art in a children’s life are endless, yet the arts are not taken seriously in many school district and instead are being taken out and replaced with other classes that are thought to improve students abilities on standardized tests. The drive to elevate the academic success of K-12 students has yielded decidedly mixed results. There is much pressure to improve math and science test scores, and so little emphasis on the arts, hindering children more than helping them. School districts are dropping serious art instruction, as though it is merely expensive play time and not essential to the development of successful, high-achieving students. To make matters worse, the remaining general arts programs are often executed with poor resources and even lower expectations. The diminishing of arts education in schools and in the larger culture is a huge mistake. Children are not empty vessels that can be filled with facts and then declared competent. They are human beings who respond and grow at a rate largely determined by their environment. The arts provide a depth of understanding and even the basis for understanding for some children on their long road to achievement. Most important, the arts provide a way for children to envision the possibilities of a world outside of their immediate circumstances. There is a terrific model for arts instruction that does address the developmental and aesthetic needs of children, especially for educators who define success as something greater than mere test scores. The arts now provide individuals with problem-solving skills, innovative mindsets, communicative attitudes and inspiration. With that being said, the arts can be seen as a way to improve the overall wellbeing of a
Cited: Hwang Lynch, Grace. "The Importance of Art in Childhood Development." PBS Parents. PBS, 23 Jan. 2011. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.