Clements 1
Alyssa Clements
Professor J. Herbers
English 105-007
12 December 2011
Arts Education
“Art is 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 (“Useful Quotes for Art Advocates”).” These words said by President
Lyndon Johnson describe the importance of the arts in society and stress the conviction he felt to
have the arts continue through instruction to the next generations. Arts education is becoming
less abundant than core curriculum but should be embraced as a positive outlet for growth, as
well as considered a crucial portion of a well-rounded education. Arts education is important
because it encourages children to explore new areas of study, provides an outlet for artistic
expression, maintains positive psychological development, and broadens children’s
understanding of the world around them.
First, some definitions must be covered. “Arts education” is the study of fine arts such as
theatre, dance, and music, as well as visual arts such as art—painting, drawing, and sculpting—
photography, digital media, and graphic design. “Core curriculum” includes subjects such as
mathematics, science, social studies, language, and literature. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary
describes “well-rounded” as “fully or broadly developed.” This means that in order to have a
well-rounded education one must be versed in a broad area of studies; one must have
experienced a both core curriculum and arts education. An education based solely on core
curriculum is not sufficient. While discussing an education lacking the arts Nita Sturiale
Clements 2
explains, “The educational system is only watering half the garden.” There must be an
integration of arts education in order to bring about a well-rounded education.
Arts education encourages children to explore new areas of study that they might not
have otherwise experienced outside of school. Yes, there are community theatres and private
dance institutions, but some children are unaware of their existence, or are unable to participate
based on finances or presently-maximized schedules. Some are simply unaware of his or her own
talent. School is the premier place for arts education and exploration to take place because there
students have instructors whose primary assignment is to teach artistic disciplines. They
understand artistic principles and are there specifically to guide students. Schools should not
assume that parents have time to sit with their children and paint or learn an instrument, or that
they have the knowledge or resources to do so. As sad as it is, some parents are not even willing
to set time aside for this type of interaction, and, as previously stated, outside establishments are
often times unavailable, especially for children from disadvantaged homes. Children are not
expected to learn the concepts of mathematics, history, science, language, or literature at home.
Why should it be any different with the arts? Arts education should be taught in schools in order
to enhance the learning experience and ensure that children are receiving a proper well-rounded
education.
There are two main counter arguments to arts education. First, core curriculum seems to
provide a more structured learning environment for children. Subsequently, a well-rounded
education should include both structure and autonomy. Core curriculum is built around concrete
facts and structured rules, while arts education promotes a “free to be me” philosophy which
disregards these boundaries (Roth). During art education programs children should be
encouraged to follow their own rules and push the boundaries. While this may sound negative, it
Clements 3
will enhance their artistic capabilities and keep them from always thinking “inside the box.” Arts
education merely provides a break from the structure of core curriculum and works as an outlet
for creative tendencies. Just as students need time to play, they also need time to let their minds
explore outside the boundaries of facts, equations, and systematic policies (Smith). The key is
balance: integrate core curriculum and arts education together so that children get the right
amount of both. Smith suggests using art education as a “learning tool” by using “musical notes
to teach fractions” and “writing and performing a play about, say, slavery.” Balance and
integration will maintain the structure children need without sacrificing arts education.
The second counter argument states that core curriculum is necessary for developing
children for their future in the vocational realm, but, in fact, arts education provides another
source for transferable skills to be acquired. The No Child Left Behind Act “measures
achievement through math and language arts scores, not drawing proficiency or music skills
(Smith).” Emphasis on these core areas comes from the desire to prepare children for life in a
career, which Michelle Glaros explains focuses on short-term accomplishments instead of
teaching students “intellectual values such as critical thinking, problem solving, and the
development of broad academic interests.” She goes on to define a career as “the general path
taken by someone, a path that will change course from time to time.” Though preparing for a
career is important—and in fact necessary—, it is also crucial to provide children with
transferable skills which can be incorporated into any environment they happen to be in. Arts
education provides children ways to improve cognitive ability, verbal skills, focus, innovation,
teamwork, drive, and many other skills (Smith). “When you think about the purposes of
education, there are three. We’re preparing kids for jobs. We’re preparing them to be citizens.
And we’re teaching them to be human beings who can enjoy the deeper forms of beauty. The
Clements 4
third is as important as the other two (Horne qtd. in Smith).” By integrating arts education with
core curriculum students will receive a true well-rounded education while gaining a diverse and
sustainable range of transferable skills that can help them in the future.
Arts education also provides an outlet for artistic expression for children who are
naturally artistic. Such children need time to nurture their own aesthetic and advance their
capabilities (Smith). Integrating arts education into core curriculum will provide a progressive
learning environment while maintaining an open arena for artistic expression.
Participation in arts programs can be linked to increased growth in the five core
psychological elements of humans, called the five points of wellness: physical, social,
psychological, intellectual, and spiritual. First, the physical aspect can be advanced through
dance, as it is a form of exercise. A study done by three universities—Deakin University,
Melbourne, Australia; Monash University, Australia; and University of Surrey, Surrey, United
Kingdom—shows that this type of exercise helps eliminate obesity, and maintains stamina and
overall fitness (Gardner 704). This same study proves that “dance classes foster respect for
physical activity…” and “dance class participants gain self-confidence with respect for both their
bodily experiences and social relationships (Gardner 703).” The social realm is also affected by
the arts, which are linked to acting as a stimulus for economic activity, growth, and sustainment;
building the sense of community and oneness; and enabling collaboration and synergy,
especially in smaller environments (“Bigger Thinking for Smaller Cities”).
The psychological element of the five points of wellness can be seen when looking
specifically at acting. Beyond the basic understanding that acting improves memorization and
improvisation skills, it also trains students in theory of mind, empathy, and emotion regulation
(Goldstein 6). Theory of mind is “the ability to accurately ‘read’ or infer a person’s inner state
Clements 5
given knowledge of the person’s facial expression, body language, prosody, verbal utterances,
and knowledge of information available to the person in question (Goldstein 7).” Empathy is
defined as “the ability to feel another’s feelings (7),” and emotion regulation is “the ability to
understand and to control one’s emotion (8).” Also, the iStartStrong Personality Assessment
describes those having artistic abilities and tendencies as being an artistic personality type. This
means that artistically-personified students need to have an environment in which to openly
portray their personality and strengths in order to exist to their fullest potential. Therefore,
schools without arts education programs are hindering those students’ development by not
providing the necessary means for personality growth. Intellectually, studies have shown that
students who participate in arts education programs—students with an artistic personality or
not—often produce higher test scores and seem to generally do better in school (Keiper). For
example, a study was conducted of first grade students in which one group had an art lesson,
then took the Metropolitan Readiness Test—in order to test their language and reading
competency—and the other group took the test without any art instruction. The group with the
art lesson did better than the group without (Hanshumaker 10). This is just one of the many
instances where integration of the arts improves the students’ overall education.
The final point of wellness is spirituality which can be defined within the terms of a deity
or religion, or simply as having a relationship with something outside the body. It is something
specific to each individual person that gives them purpose and meaning in life (Tabbert).
Realization that the arts can be an actual spiritual part of life will increase the importance placed
upon arts education, which are already such vital parts of students’ lives. As can be seen within
all five points of wellness, arts education provides numerous benefits for development and
discovery. Integration of arts education with core curriculum will help children reach their
Clements 6
highest potential in all five psychological areas, while providing them with a well-rounded
education.
Whichever discipline of the arts children choose to study—dance, music, theatre, or
visual arts—they will gain a broadened understanding of the world around them. The arts take
inspiration from all over the world and from all periods in history, meaning arts education is
simply another avenue by which children can learn about history and culture (Higgins). Arts
education also needs other core principles, and is therefore connected to core curriculum; the two
should not be taught separately. For example, a ballerina needs to know the correct angles at
which to point her feet during a leap so she does not sprain her ankle or cause hip damage;
marketers in theatre need to be able to calculate the desired profit for a show given the range of
attendees; an architect needs to be able to inspire a client with original yet contemporary ideas
for a new building. Arts education teaches children new ways to create, shape, and mold, either
physical objects or situations; it teaches them to think with innovation for the future (Smith).
Arts education is the connector between the arts and core curriculum so that by integrating the
two, students receive a true well-rounded education based on a broad and “fully developed”
(Merriam-Webster) understanding of the world while simultaneously learning how to better the
world for tomorrow.
A well-rounded education should include core studies such as history, math, sciences, etc.
but should be integrated with arts education to produce students with comprehensive knowledge
and the capacity for expression. Art education is an important part of the educational system
because it encourages children to explore new areas of study, provides an outlet for artistic
expression, and broadens children’s understanding of the world. As Albert Einstein said, “Logic
will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere (“Useful Quotes”).”
Clements 7
Works Cited
“Bigger Thinking for Smaller Cities.” Arts Research Monitors. Hill Strategies Research Inc.,
August 2011. Web. 6 December 2011.
Gardner, Sally May, Paul Komesaroff, and Rachel Fensham. “Dancing Beyond Exercise: Young
People’s Experience in Dance Classes.” Journal of Youth Studies 11.6 (2008): 701-709.
Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 December 2011.
Glaros, Michelle. “The Dangers of Just-In-Time Education.” Academic Commons. 10 June 2005.
Web. 2 November 2011.
Goldstein, Thalia R. “Psychological Perspectives on Acting.” Psychology of Aesthetics,
Creativity, and the Arts 3.1 (2006): 6-9. PsycARTICLES. Web. 7 December 2011.
Hanshumaker, James. “The Effects of Arts Education on Intellectual and Social Development: A
Review of Selected Research.” JSTOR 61 (1980): 10. Web. 6 December 2011.
Higgins, Chris. “Instrumentalism and the Clichés of Aesthetic Education: A Deweyan
Corrective.” Education and Culture 24.1 (2008): 6-19. MLA International Bibliography.
Web. 24 October 2011.
Keiper, Shelley, Ming Kuang, Hillary R. Persky, and Brent A. Sandene. “The Nation’s Report
Card: Arts 2008 Music and Visual Arts.” National Assessment of Educational Progress
(NAEP). Institute of Education Sciences, June 2009. Web. 25 October 2011.
Merriam-Webster. “Well-Rounded.” Dictionary and Thesaurus-Merriam-Webster Online. N.p.
n.d. Web. 24 October 2011.
Roth, Michael. “What’s a Liberal Arts Education Good For?” The Huffington Post. HPMG
News, 1 Dec. 2008. Web. 2 Nov. 2011.
Clements 8
Smith, Fran. “Why Arts Education is Crucial, and Who’s Doing It Best.” Edutopia. The George
Lucas Educational Foundation, 28 January 2009. Web. 26 October 2011.
Sturiale, Nita. “The Effects of Arts Education on the Development of Cognitive Skills.” The
Effects of Arts Education. N.p. n.d. Web. 17 November 2011.
Tabbert, Jerald. “The Five Points of Wellness.” Viterbo University, La Crosse, WI. 10 October
2011. Lecture.
“Useful Quotes for Art Advocates.” Advocacy. National Performing Arts Convention, 10
September 2010. Web. 26 October 2011.