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
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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
Holcomb, Sabrina. "Arts Education." Rss. National Education Association, 17 Jan. 2007. Web. 10 May 2016.
A recent development in public education has been the decline in arts programs nationwide. Budget cuts to arts programs are responsive to decreases in state funding, especially in states with conservative economic policies. Many states have also enacted legislation disabling local school districts’ abilities to justify employing art and music teachers. Consequently, several problems have manifested themselves, including the loss of arts programs proving detrimental to the overall quality of education for today’s children. First and foremost, arts programs improve overall performance in core school subjects; this is demonstrated clearly through higher test scores amongst students with exposure to arts and positive correlations between arts and core class engagement. Other reasons supporting retaining arts programs include to help foster community development, produce creative minds, develop problem-solving skills, aid in child development and visual-spatial skills, and encourage underprivileged students to remain in school (Metla, 2015). By removing arts programs from some public schools, an alarming issue of public concern arises. Public education, given that it is considered to be a non-rivalrous and non-excludable, is deemed a public good (Clark, 2016). Cutting arts programs in public schools, especially when cuts transpire in schools saturated with heavy minority populations, creates inequitable education and creates a serious issue of public concern.
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.
Much too often in America today, modern music and art programs in schools are perceived to many as extracurricular activities rather than important subjects that are vital to a students learning and skill development. The truth of the matter is that encouraging music and art education in public schools has a much larger impact on student’s grades, academic performance, and the economy than the majority people realize. Within the next year city school budgets will be dropping by twenty five percent, and despite the fact that music and art programs have been showing a dramatic contribution to student’s learning, this substantial drop in funding for the programs will lead to no dedicated money for art or music programs (Mezzacappa). There is no doubt that a cut in funding for art programs will take a huge toll on students overall grades and test scores. Research has found that the studying of music and art facilitates learning in other subjects and enhances children’s skills in other areas (Brown). Furthermore, providing students with a creative outlet can do great justice in reducing the stress from many other classes and even offer insight for students in possible career paths involving the art field. The art industry today currently supports 4.1 million full-time jobs (Dorfman). By increasing the funding of music and art programs for students preschool through twelfth grade we can see a dramatic increase in the education of children across the United States, assist with skill development in young students, and greatly benefit the economy at the same time.
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
...rts into schools is not as hard as it seems. Including arts in the class room is a simple as playing music. It is proven that just listening to music or even a simple rhythm will engage both sides of the brain and help it to learn more efficiently (Weber 1). Even though this country is in an economic recession, fine arts are a necessity to the schools. The arts may cost a little extra money, but in the end the benefits of keeping fine arts in the school system will bring about rewards never imagined. The students will have a safe place to express themselves, a motivation to stay in school, and a higher test score. Fine arts are evidently needed; so now, what will people do to make sure that the arts have a permanent place in the schools? Will people realize the difference the arts make and change their ways, or will the voice of fine arts dwindle and die?
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.
Jane Alexander, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), once said, “Many children are missing out on something which gives their education context, gives their lives depth and meaning, and prepares them to be the future workforce.” This “something” that she spoke of is music and art education. Unfortunately, she is entirely correct. We are currently seeing in our country a dramatic cut in arts education curriculum in our public schools due to the limited amount of both time and funding. In many cases budget cutbacks mean arts education cutbacks. This limited amount of resources often forces administrators to place a value on the various subject areas. There is always a demand for greater concentration upon the traditional basics: English, math, science, and history. There is also a new focus on computer competency and a renewed focus on the need for foreign language education. Add to this health education, family life education, industrial arts education, AIDS education, home economics, physical education, and business education and one begins to wonder where arts education fits in.
Art is everywhere , every tv show, every ad , and every book is art. That is why it is a vital part in today 's education system, but in the rush to bring ip standardized test scores art programs are being dramatically cut and forgotten about altogether. With the new focus being on Common Core State Standards, which does not include art as a core, schools are having to take away art budgets to focus on cores that are being tested on.
Art classes throughout kindergarten and up to my junior year in college have taught me so much about expression, performance and making a statement. Learning and practicing art introduces a new way of processing information, and approaching problems. In my
“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.
Students who study art are 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and 3 times more likely to be awarded for school attendance. Cool fact right? Schools cutting art along with music programs is a problem that is all too real. When schools cut art programs they are also cutting the skills that could very well improve the students. The benefits and the entertainment that they all could have had are gone as well.
Art is as old as time, it seems. Any application of imagination, regardless of perception; given that perception varies, can be qualified an art. The creative procedure that is art can be used to transmit their beauty or emotional power. Yet, art isn’t always meant to evoke emotions, but to teach. This course focuses on the topic of “Knowledge through the arts” and I never realized how much art was relevant to learning.
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.