Importance Of National Standards In Arts Education

National Standards in Arts Education

The study of the arts for all ages is a vital component of the education system. Art forms such as dance, music, visual arts, and more act as a gateway into further understanding of one’s self, and the world around them. Therefore, providing students with knowledge of these forms allows for further human development and teaches them skills for the future.

There are multiple boards/branches that ensure children are exposed to the arts within the schooling system. These branches include the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS), the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), National Association for Music Education (NAFME)as well as others. The goal of national arts standards in education is to “provide

These two topics act as a base for the arts standards and underneath them are the five disciplines. The first discipline is “Arts as Communication.” This discipline states that the arts play a large role in the world today, more specifically in the media, and that through their understanding, we can enhance communication as well as interpretation of ideas and others. The second discipline recognizes that the arts have a substantial impact on the individual level and encourages students to both create and perform; this is called “Arts as Creative Personal Realization.” The following discipline, “Arts as Culture, History, and Connectors,” focuses on using art to explore other cultures and origins. The goal of this discipline is the comprehension and appreciation of the vast variety of art forms. This discipline not only expands knowledge, but works to bring people/ideas together by appreciating their differences. “Arts as Means to Wellbeing” is also a very important discipline that, through art education, “enhances mental, physical and emotional wellbeing” (“Conceptual Framework”). The final discipline is called “Arts as Community Engagement.” This discipline fosters partner and group work among students as a way to experience artistic engagement and community bonding. Each and every one of these disciplines has a purpose and act as vital components

As seen above, they clearly outline what information needs to be taught, how it should be covered, and how it can be applied/useful in future life situations. Because of this, it is important to recognize that these standards are “living documents.” This means that they are constantly adapting to meet the needs of students as well as changing to align with the ever-evolving society that we live in. There are multiple instances in which we would see a change in the national standards for arts education. For example, standards will be raised as the level of student achievement increases; expectations will become heightened as incentive for students to work even harder and continue their success. Another example as to why these standards would be altered is due to technology. New technology is constantly being created, and the standards by which children are taught should advance alongside of