Why teaching art matters: The lasting impact of creativity in the classroom.
Art is often one of the first subjects to be reduced when budgets tighten. It can often be seen as an unnecessary subject, or one that provides no real-world value. Despite this, decades of research show that art is essential in student development and is very beneficial when taught in a classroom.
Here are ways that show why teaching art is important to students:
Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills
Art requires students to analyze, interpret, make decisions, and execute ideas—all skills based in critical thinking and problem-solving. A study in ArtsEdSearch researched how art education impacted students, and the study found that the arts helped students’ motivation, problem-solving, and learning.
These skills can be seen in many ways throughout artistic processes. For example, a student may have to revise a piece when materials are behaving unexpectedly and think of new ideas to improve. Or students may have to interpret symbolism in a piece of art and explain why an artist made the creative decisions they did. There are many ways inspiring critical thinking can be achieved, leaving an avenue for teachers to explore how to best help their students to develop and learn.
Emotional Expression and Well-Being
Artistic creations and studies have also been shown to help artists’ mental and emotional well-being. The American Art Therapy Association states that art can improve self-esteem and self-awareness as well as enhance social skills, insight, and conflict resolution.
Implementing creative processes in any way can help students’ mental help. There are several different methods for encouraging students to express their emotions, such as drawing and journaling, depicting their emotions, or collecting pieces for murals. The possibilities to foster emotional expression and mental well-being are limitless.
Academic Performance
Some may think that art has no impact on academic achievement, but several studies have proven that idea to be false. A study listed in ArtsEdSearch provides substantial evidence for art programs benefiting school engagement, academic scores, and even interest in college and earning a degree. To support this, a literature review of The Arts in Early Childhood gathered several different studies and found that arts participation can help literacy, math, and science skills in students as well as several other aspects.
Traditional art also isn’t the only way to help students improve academically. Other methods can involve interpreting art in social studies, including theater in English, dancing for physical education, and acting for speech. All methods of artistic mediums help students with their overall academic achievement.
Conclusion
Art is not only a subject that can benefit school programs, it is a subject that should be included in all school programs. The advantages of teaching art in the classroom include improving critical thinking, promoting emotional well-being, and enhancing academic progress, but the benefits still go beyond that. Teaching art can also help build empathy, foster cultural awareness, prepare for modern life, and so many other aspects.
Teaching art is still important in this modern age, in fact, it may be more important now than ever. Utilizing art in the classroom can help students long after their education and for the rest of their lives. Art education is still needed and requires creative and motivated teachers up to the task.
Sources:
How arts integration supports student learning: Students shed light on the connections. - ArtsEdSearch
About Art Therapy - American Art Therapy Association
arts-in-early-childhood-dec2015-rev.pdf
Arts education and positive youth development: Cognitive, behavioral, and social outcomes of adolescents who study the arts - ArtsEdSearch