Importance of Art Education in High School

Creative Abilities:
Why is Education of the Arts so Important in High School?
Art is very important in all of our lives because it enhances our understanding to problem solve, boosts our creative thinking and heightens self-expression. It is also considered a form of entertainment, not only for ourselves but for the entertainment of others as well. “Art in a nation’s most precious heritage, for it is in our works of art that we reveal to ourselves and to others the inner vision which guides us as a nation. And where there is no vision, the people perish.” –Lyndon Johnson, on signing into existence the National Endowment of the Arts (Lyndon). Experiences in the arts such as dance, music, visual arts, creative writing and drama, are essential to the fullest development of people of all ages because they encourage us to creatively express our interests and feelings in a way that no other curriculum cannot. Not only are art experiences fun and enjoyable, they contribute to overall academic success. Without the proper education of the Arts no school curriculum is complete (Conant 24).
Remember all the fun classes in high school we actually looked forward to? That classroom time was filled with drama rehearsals, choir practice and relaxing Studio art Painting. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, kids today are less likely to have that same art education in school. This is very unfortunate because just like reading, writing, and arithmetic, arts are a very important factor of our total education. David E. Gullatt is a Professor of Education at Louisiana Tech University whose research interest includes teaching and learning issues and school improvement initiatives. Gullatt reports that studies by the National Endowment for the Arts identified that Arts help to develop listening and thinking skills which are essential in problem solving and decision making. Students that are supplied with experiences in arts are more likely to attain higher-order thinking

Links: research provided critical evidence linking study of the arts with student achievement and success. More than 65 distinct relationships between the arts and academic and social outcomes were documented. The academic benefits include Reading, Language and Mathematics skills. Basic benefits are development of thinking skills, social skills and motivation to learn. And comprehensive benefits provide a positive school environment (Ruppert). Students experienced in the arts showed higher scores in the High School SAT tests than students with little to no art experience. The SAT Tests are the most commonly used test offered by the College Board as part of its SAT Program. It determines students’ verbal and math skills and is described as a “standardized measure of college readiness.” Data information from the collegeboard.com (college planning site used in high school) shows that senior students who have taken four years of arts and music classes in high school score 91 pts better on their SATs than the seniors who only took a half a year or less (Total). Without arts being a part of our lives it’s hard to know what we may gain from them. We may never recognize our full potential and that is why art should be recognized as core academic content. Howard Conant served twenty two years as chair of the School of Education’s Department of Art Education at NYU and retired as head of the Department of Art at the University of Arizona. Conant published a book titled art in education and in his book Conant explains how experiences for children at an early age help them to develop more fully. Through art, children can express personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings about people and things using items such as play dough. If you think about it, in pre-school all you do is art! I remember making paper chain links and macaroni picture frames to put on the fridge. When a child becomes engaged in an art activity they become more calm and relaxed. By having these fun experiences children develop an interest for learning. Through art a child can better understand the relationship between things they see and experience and their reactions to them. Art for students between the ages of eight and eleven offers early opportunity of self-expression. This is crucial because If we could not creatively express ourselves, we would not be able to make a good connection with who we really are and the rest of the world around us. Conant stated that expressing experiences through art is a way of expressing more complex ideas and reactions than can be expressed through words. This means a child can understand things more fully when put into two or three-dimensional art work. At this age I remember experimenting with different tools and materials to create art that was personal to me. My drawings usually represented the area I lived in and all my animals I observed. Through my drawings I was able to connect with nature and express the joy and love I had for living in the mountains. These are experiences I will never forget. Once we reach junior high our experiences in art change. There is a shift from being a child to becoming an adolescent anxious for adulthood. The items we construct are no longer childish and meaningless but have a greater importance. We become interested in art that gives us a challenge and involves detail. Involvement in craft-type activities helps adolescents learn detailed process and problem solving. According to Conant, such activities stabilize emotional development and produce possible hobbies. Possible hobbies include painting drawing, ceramics, jewelry making, and working with wood, plastic and other materials. Being involved in these activities gives us status to our peers and shapes us into unique individuals (Conant 139). The education of arts in High school is especially important because it is one of the most crucial spans of years for developing lasting interests. But because many college institutions do not recognize art courses for entrance credit, it is difficult to include art courses in many students’ schedules (Conant 142). Art at this age can be a possible gateway into future interests and careers. For example, two of our most basic needs are clothing and shelter. Through art students can learn which clothing best suit their personalities and appearance, and possibly learn to design their own clothes. This could lead to the interest of fashion design as a career. Art classes in high school can help students gain important information concerning modern architecture, interior design, community planning, painting, and sculpture. Such art contributes to us living in more beautiful, satisfying, and better designed environments. My experiences in art throughout high school created an image for me that wouldn’t have been possible without art. By Image I mean “Identity”, being able to express my creative side in high school gave me the personality and recognition I have today. I found my way of self-expression through taking Art and Drama classes in high school. By being educated in the Arts I acquired many awards which gave me the motivation towards earning a degree in art. This option of art education should be given to High school students everywhere. Nearly every area of living is affected by art. The cars we drive, houses we live in, kitchen utensils we use, our furniture, fabrics, logos, and much more are all designed by the hands of artists. Sadly, even though the Arts are the basis to such great creations in our society, they are the first to be eliminated from the schools budget when money is an issue. It is quite shocking to me since art is a critical component for a well-rounded child and his or her education. Cuts in art programs are unfortunate because kids today want and need to learn how to work with different tools and their hands, and use art to communicate ideas and feelings. Because schools are eliminating their art programs, they are losing the possibility to produce creative, innovative leaders to enhance the world we live in. The evidence is clear that study of the arts contributes to student achievement and well-being with its benefits being academic, basic and comprehensive. Experiences in art are essential to build character, imagination, insight, understanding and creative abilities. Art builds bridges of understanding; an understanding of cultures, identity, thoughts, feelings, emotions, problem solving and much more. It communicates and tells stories from culture to culture through creative expression. The arts make a significant contribution to helping all students achieve success in school, work and life. They build our world around us and without the arts we will be able to thrive and succeed.