Arts+in+the+Schools



Arts in the schools are crucial when it comes to a child’s education. According to Mulder-Slater (2001), music and art can increase brain activity and promote learning. It gives students a better overall experience and helps them understand humans more clearly (Mulder-Slater, 2001). Right now, schools are struggling to see the importance of arts and keep arts in the curriculum. Budget costs are not helping, when a budget cut takes place, arts are always the first thing to go. Educators should realize that arts are beneficial and should not be cut.
 * Introduction **

Art is a huge part in education and a huge factor in the development of the whole child. Students can use art forms to express themselves, engage other's emotions, and trigger their own emotions. Art can be a great form of reward and a sense of accomplishment for students when they are creating artwork, and may affect behavior issues positively. Because students are making their own decisions and using their own creativity it is rewarding them by giving them a sense of independence and approval of their own work. Children can use their own imaginations to drive their artwork, revealing themselves as well as their ideas they wish to communicate. In the classroom, using art with academic lessons can engage the student’s interest for learning. Keeping art in schools and classrooms not only betters the whole child, but it provides a more creative learning experience.
 * Art Education **

**Music Education **  Music education is so important in the schools for several reasons. Students are learning the history music and what music was being played in different time periods. Music can also help in learning math and science skills as well. Students will be learning how to count to keep a steady beat and how long to hold the beat for. Students can also learn about languages because many songs are written in ancient languages. Also, students will improve their gross motor skills which improve their coordination. Music classes can also teach about art because many music pieces were inspirited by art. All in all, children learn so much from music. It is very important to teach music to our children in schools.

**Conclusion Keeping arts in the schools is very important. The arts contribute in many ways to academic achievement, student engagement, motivation, and social skills. Keeping arts in the schools would lead to a generation that would have greater skills then students coming from schools without art education. Art education allow students to express themselves, dig into their imaginations and develop personal interest. The importance of art education in schools dramatically affects the overall achievement of a student. **

**Works Citied** Mulder-Slater, A. (Oct, 2001). //Why is Art Education Important?// Retrieved from http://www.kinderart.com/artspeak/important.shtmlhttp:www.essortment.com/family/importancemusic_scfk.htm // Zull, J. E. (2005). Arts, Neuroscience, and Learning. //New Horizons For Learning. // Retrieved from http://www.newhorizons.org/neuro/zull_2.htm

Fowler, C. (1991). Every Child Needs The Arts. //New Horizons For Learning. // Retrieved from http://www.newhorizons.org/future/Creating_the_Future/ crfut_fowler.html

Caterall, J. (2002). Critical Links: Learning In The Arts And Student And Academic Development. //New Horizons For Learning. //<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Retrieved from http://www.newhorizons .org/strategies/arts/catterall.htm

**Images** [] [] []

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-style: normal;">Photo taken by Aubrey Thomas (art, music and physical education teacher) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-style: normal;">Photo taken by Aubrey Thomas (art, music and physical education teacher) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Lacey Bolyard's notes-- 1. Article: Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who's Doing It Best Notes: This article talked about the importance of arts in schools. -Smith talked about how research is necessary to get what we want from students, things such as, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 7.5pt;">“ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">academic achievement, social and emotional development, civic engagement, and equitable opportunity.” -more time is being devoted to math and English while less time is being devoted to the arts -arts are becoming less and less in our school systems when they should be becoming more and more -some political leaders support the arts Source: Smith, F. (Feb, 2009). //Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who's Doing It Best. //Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/arts-music-curriculum-child-development

2. Article: Why is Art Education Important? Notes: The article gave a number of reasons why art is important. -it helps students understand other subjects better -increases activity in the brain -gives them a better experience, helps them understand humans more clearly The article also gave some ideas of what students could do in an art classroom. Source: ** Mulder-Slater, A. (Oct, 2001). Why is Art Education Important? Retrieved from **<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">3. ** Article: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Schools struggle to keep arts programs Notes: This article talked about how the arts helped students, the struggles the arts faces and what was done by one school -arts allow students to get better grades in other courses -students realize new talents -a school that was struggling with budget cuts set up a foundation so the arts program could continue to have their spring program Source: DeForge, J. (2008, Aug, 10). Schools struggle to keep arts programs. //The Republican. //Retrieved from// http://www.masslive.com/metrowest/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-15/1218093434299880.xml&coll=1

//Kayla Hewitt’s Notes

1. Arts, Neuroscience, and Learning Mastering an art is a mystery, how do we describe it as mastered? Whatever we master is our “art”: painting, business, motherhood, nursing etc. No one can write a formula for success for art The brain physically changes when we learn; most change is more powerful with emotion. Changing connections in the brain is learning. In some cases, such change does not occur at all unless the emotion chemicals and structures in the brain are engaged. Art triggers emotion; artists create things that engage others emotionally. we feel rewarded when we create new objects or actions. And since creativity is based on the decisions made by the creator, the reward system kicks in when we are in control and inventing things that we have thought of ourselves Students will love these academic experiences if we allow the normal neurochemistry of learning to take over. To the extent that they provide freedom, creativity, and mastery, the academic basics become an "art."

Zull, J. E. (2005). Arts, Neuroscience, and Learning.// New Horizons For Learning. //Retrieved from http://www.newhorizons.org/neuro/zull_2.htm

2. Every Child Needs The Arts

Arts reveal aspects of us, our lives, the world around us, and the relationships between. Themes can be represented in art forms as well as pieces of history. Themes are expressed and communicated through the arts. If human beings are to survive, we need all the symbolic forms at our command because they permit us not only to preserve and pass along our accumulated wisdom but also to give voice to the invention of new visions. We need all these ways of viewing the world because no one way can say it all. The arts are symbol systems that permit us to give representation to our ideas, concepts, and feelings in a variety of forms that can be "read" by other people. The arts were invented to enable us to react to the world, to analyze it, and to record our impressions so that they can be shared. If our concept of literacy is defined too narrowly as referring to just the symbol systems of language, mathematics, and science, children will not be equipped with the breadth of symbolic tools they need to fully represent, express, and communicate the full spectrum of human life. Arts are the ways we apply our imagination, thought, and feeling through a range of "languages" to illuminate life in all its mystery, misery, delight, pity, and wonder. They are fundamental enablers that can help us engage more significantly with our inner selves and the world around us.

Fowler, C. (1991). Every Child Needs The Arts.// New Horizons For Learning. //Retrieved from http://www.newhorizons.org/future/Creating_the_Future/ crfut_fowler.html

3. Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Social and Academic Development

Achievement motivation through the arts directly impacts at risk students with their schoolwork. A wide range of social skills accompanies learning in the arts and engagement in arts activities. The arts contribute in many ways to academic achievement, student engagement, motivation, and social skills. An expansion of arts programs in the schools could lead to a generation with greater skills and interest in the arts than today's young adults who came through rather arts-starved school systems.

Caterall, J. (2002). Critical Links: Learning In The Arts And Student And Academic Development.// New Horizons For Learning.// Retrieved from http://www.newhorizons .org/strategies/arts/catterall.htm

Allison Ports's notes

1. Keep arts in the schools A child can aquire so many skills by having art, music and gym time incorprorted in their daily schedule during the school day. This website is great because the whole site is devoted to keeping arts in the schools. There is a link for programs, research, and how to get involved. This site provides a lot of statistics on a child's development by incorporating the arts. []

2. Why is Art Education Important? Article discusses why art in the schools is important. There is a great section on how children can make connections through drawing. By letting the children draw, they are using their imaginations. Participating in art activities helps children to gain the tools necessary for understanding human experience, adapting to and respecting others' ways of working and thinking, developing creative problem-solving skills, and communicating thoughts and ideas in a variety of ways. []

3. Art is Important! Article on how the children see art with philospical understandings. []

Kayla Hewitt link to TaskStream webpage: http://www.taskstream.com/ts/mhewitt/ArtsInEducation.html ]]

[[http://www.education.com/reference/article/art-important-young-children/|Allison Ports link to task stream page http://www.taskstream.com/ts/ports/ArtinSchools.html

Lacey Bolyard linked to the task stream page. http://www.taskstream.com/ts/bolyard1/ArtsintheSchools.html ]]