Since 2001, budget cuts in art education have increased dramatically. In New York from 2006-2011 funding for art education in public schools were cut 68% (Phifer 2).This epidemic is spreading all across America due to the push for better standardized test scores. Reading and math have become the governments highest priority, leaving the arts in the shadows. But what if the arts could also improve test scores? Despite what many government leaders believe, budget cuts in art education are depriving Americas children emotionally, academically and socially.
Emotional stimulation is a key part of the arts. Before and during adolescence students go through many emotional changes and experiences. It is important that they find a healthy and natural
…show more content…
In art classes, one big factor is for students to be able to talk about their piece of art with their peers and teachers. Through this exercise they learn how to communicate with others in a professional and comfortable manner. Studies show that “Children who regularly participate in a comprehensive arts program are four-times more likely to be elected to class office” (Abrakadoodle). Children who participate in the arts are also more likely to meet different types of people and learn to socialize with many different personalities. For children who come from economic hardships, academics and making friends can be extremely tough. But, through art education these students have a greater chance to accomplish what they thought they couldn’t in past. It’s proven that art in schools “has a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child and has proven to help level the "learning field" across socio-economic boundaries” (Americans for the Arts). For students who participate in art competitions, they are able to travel and experience meeting new people and being in new places. Students are always encouraged to gather opinions from other students and work together, expanding their team-building skills and teaching them to respect contrasting viewpoints. Since the arts is universal, students learn about arts in other cultures and the history of it. They begin to appreciate and be aware of different cultures and …show more content…
Because of budget cuts, children will have a lowered emotional awareness and be less capable of expressing their emotions in a healthy way. Their literacy and critical thinking skills will not be up to par and students will not be as able and willing to start and finish their work. Children won’t be as socialized and have an awareness for different people and customs. All in all, the government should stop cutting funds for art education just because they want better standardized test
For example, adolescents are often forced into therapy by their parents or school as a result of an inability to cope with stress in a socially acceptable way. Patients at this stage are too old to engage in play therapy, where therapists analyze a child’s behavior during play and when presented with toys. Also, patients acting out during adolescence are often too young to obtain the maturity to verbalize their emotions in a socially acceptable form. Art therapy is useful at this stage of development because similar impulses expressed in play therapy are expressed through drawings, meanwhile not requiring verbal communication. Art therapy introduces the mature defense mechanism of sublimation to the patient, guiding them to achieve better self control as they learn to communicate their impulses through art and talking about their art. A particular form of therapy is managed in groups, and adolescents are encouraged to engage in conversation about their drawings while they are creating them. This creates an environment of low anxiety, allowing patients communicate internal conflict and disregard their normal defense mechanisms that are used to conceal these emotions. The defense mechanism of sublimation is apparent in this process, as the use of color, composition, space and shapes to provide an
Holcomb, Sabrina. "Arts Education." Rss. National Education Association, 17 Jan. 2007. Web. 10 May 2016.
In sum, cutting arts programs poses concerns on local and national levels. The inequity in education, epitomized by the disturbing revolving door of arts teachers in Detroit, is an issue that cannot be taken lightly. It is imperative that citizens engage individually and collectively through different participation mediums in order to reverse the trend regarding arts programs.
Efland, A. (1990). A history of art education: Intellectual and social currents in teaching the
Joseph M. Calahan, Director of Cooperate Communications of Xerox Corporation states, “Arts education aids students in skills needed in the workplace: flexibility, the ability to solve problems and communicate, the ability to learn new skills, to be creative and innovative, and to strive for excellence” (National Performing Arts Convention). On January 8th 2002, President George W. Bush signed The No Child Left Behind Act, or NCLB, into legislation, since then the nation's schools have overrun teachers and students with yearly-standardized test. School funding is determined by these yearly-standardized tests. Because of NCLB art programs in schools have taken blows in funding, teachers, and curriculum. Since the legislation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, flaws in NCLB such as, high-stake standardized testing and lack of funding are consequentially denying young artists to lose the opportunity to flourish in creativity, self-expression, and imagination, because of this NCLB is unsuitable to be upheld in our nation’s education system.
“Every student in the nation should have an education in the arts.” This is the opening statement of “The Value and Quality of Arts Education: A Statement of Principles,” a document from the nation’s ten most important educational organizations. The basic message is that music and art programs in the schools help our kids and communities in real and substantial ways. There is an abundant amount of facts and information that supports this statement. The benefits of arts education can be narrowed down into 4 basic categories: success in developing intelligence, success in ...
You don’t have to remove art from the picture just so you can have more of what you want, even if having more than one study hall sounds great. People may also believe that removing these programs gives them more time to focus on the core subjects, so they can do better on standardized tests. Nope, wrong again. Aforementioned, art helps tremendously with these tests, and taking them away would probably only hurt more than help. Another reason that people may think that cutting art from the schools is a good thing, is because they think that it cost too much.
Children learn in so many ways through art. As mentioned earlier they learn to express themselves, to show relationships between things and
Not only can art help improve a kids education over all, having it taught as a regular part of the curriculum helps children learn to express themselves in a way that is safe and promotes problem solving. There is no right answer in art so it allows the student to explore all options before finding the one
Art Education is not always valued in school settings. Although some may see it as an unnecessary use of school funding, there are many who believe it is beneficial to students in more ways than one. There are many different studies that have been conducted to test the effects that art education has on school-aged children. Some studies have proven that art education can help students to improve in other academic areas. In a journal article from Ohio State University’s “Theory in Practice,” Karen A Hamblen states, “There are linkages between art learning and learning in other subjects areas and that art study can promote creative behaviors, critical thinking skills, and academic achievement.” It has also been found that the arts can teach children better self-regulatory strategies, and even foster more confidence and self-efficacy in school which relates to confidence in academics. Overall, art education in schools has been very beneficial and has proven to ignite creativity, confidence, critical thinking skills, and academic achievement in students.
The arts are important to schools and to the students. The arts help the students to concentrate, and helps them develop language. The arts also helps with spatial-temporal skills, with socializing, and with communicating.
The arts are not only a nice way to pass time; the arts can greatly help with education. Schools in the United States have encouraged children to have an outlet and if the outlet is not sports, most kids take some kind of art class. According to Velasco (2012), a child development specialist, certain students who have taken at least one art credit every year since the start of third grade were more likely to comprehend math and literature easier; for example, counting the beats in every stanza of music or learning the history and background of song lyrics. Velasco also states that students scored 1.5 times better in standardized tests, than kids who did not take an art credit. By helping schools fund art programs, the skills learned by students taking these classes can ultimately help schools excel in academic achievements, and they can aid students to a brighter future.
The creation of art, music, dance, sporting activity and literature should be made a fundamental part of every school 's pre-K to 12th grade curriculum. The creation art it’s very important for children from their early age, a lot of benefits children can do and learn through art. A lot of benefits they can receive:
When I was in high school, I was very involved in the arts. I took a band, choir and two years of visual art. During the years of high school, I knew that the fees for the art courses cost much more than other electives at my school. I also observed that the school focused more on their athletic and academics programs, than on their art programs. We had many fundraisers to raise more money for the art programs even after paying an already expensive fee to takes these electives. Schools are neglecting the visual arts programs and placing all of their money and focus on academics and athletics programs. I propose a balance between the arts, academics, and the athletics.
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” -Pablo Picasso. This quote is pretty straightforward. It says how all children are artists and how they grow older are not an artist anymore. A child’s drawing can tell so much about what they are thinking and feeling about their surroundings. They see things differently from adults and teens because when they are drawing or doing some sort of art they are not told that it is a “bad picture” or what ever they are doing is “not right.” They don’t have a limit upon their thoughts and ideas, but when they grow up, they do. Starting from the first day of school they are taught about the wrong things and the right thing. As we grow older there are more classes that have right and wrong answers to a question like for example math. We learn to follow the steps, use the formula, and get the right answer but because of these classes we forget about the arts. If the arts are forgotten then student’s way of expressing what they feel is taken away. Which brings more pressure to students in classes like math, physics, geography, and etc. That is why schools should make arts classes mandatory because arts classes help students build their artistic and creative skills, makes them better learners, and encourages them to find other ways of expressing their thoughts.