Kurt Morrison

Art 3700

Maele Shakespear

Why Teach Art?

The other day in class, my instructor asked us why we should have art education in the classroom.  There were multiple answers by my fellow classmates and then I chose to offer my thoughts.  I explained how I felt teaching art as part of an overall school curriculum would only help one become more of a creative thinker as they encounter problem solving in their more rigid classes such as math, English or science.  I also mentioned how this creative thinking could translate into their future careers in business or elsewhere.  I was initially satisfied with my answer but after further research from multiple references, I now feel that limiting the benefits of art education to simply fostering creativity is too narrow of a view. 

Allow me to begin the support of my introductory statement by referring to the Art 3700 textbook, Art Emphasis Ninth Edition.  I found a comment which caused me to quickly broaden my view of what art education can bring to the individual as well as the community and beyond.  It states, “As our nation’s culture becomes more and more media-based, citizens capable of responding intelligently to the visual culture are increasingly important.  Art education serves to develop such skills, broadening understanding and enhancing acceptance of fellow human beings.”  I found this statement to be very pertinent to the issue of cultural tolerance so prevalent in the discussions of today.  Through art education, school children are exposed to art from a variety of cultures and as a result, learning cultural awareness, diversity and tolerance on a much greater scale.

Another benefit of being in a classroom where art is being taught is that students are able and even encouraged to work together and learn from each other while still expressing individuality, whereas it is generally prohibited in most other subjects.  This principle is explained further in the article, “The Arts and The Creation of Mind” by Elliot Eisner, where he states concerning the art classroom, “In this setting, classroom norms encourage cooperation, autonomy, and community. Students can look at the work of their peers and at the same time become increasingly independent.”  I recently heard one the world’s most successful CEO’s, who specialized in turning around companies, say that one of the first requirements he has for his employees is that they work in groups, fostering a spirit of teamwork.  Art education could help prepare us for such creative and unique working environments.

Over the past number of years, funding for the arts has been an issue many schools have had to deal with.  The more I dive into my major of elementary education the more I feel that funding needs to be directed in a greater way to the educating of our children.  If there are budget woes in our local cities or states let us find other areas to cut before we deprive our children of a proper and more importantly well-rounded education.  The book, Champions of Change, The Impact of The Arts on Learning, had this very thought of funding in mind as it sought to reveal studies displaying evidence of the need for art education especially among the underprivileged students.  Quoting from the Secretary of Education at the time, Richard Riley, who provides a letter at the forefront of the book, “The arts teach young people how to learn by giving them the first step: the desire to learn.”  Art, perhaps more than any other subject, gets students excited to be in the classroom and therefore excited to come to school.

Many of us appreciate art for the way that it improves our quality of life.  Life without art is like watching television in black and white versus color.  Why would we ever want to go back to black and white.  The question should also be asked to our schools.  Why would we ever want to go back to a time where art does not exist in the classroom.  From the website www.helium.com, Summer Tyme states in an article entitled, “Why Teach Art?”  “Because we all need art, we all need artists to fill out lives with beauty of mind and heart.”  Where will these artists come from if not fostered in a daily school environment.  Sure, artists would still emerge, but how much more would our society be edified if all young children have the chance to explore their artistic talents.

The YouTube video, The Importance of Art, revealed a wonderful quote by Reverend Edward M. Catich.  He states, “Art is not freedom from discipline, but disciplined freedom.”   For those who feel art class is simply an undisciplined waste of good school time, let them rather think of it as disciplined freedom in a safe and relatively structured environment.  Another YouTube video entitled, Art Education: Let Them Be Heard, showcases the thoughts and feelings of numerous high school kids on what art class means to them.  The overall theme was simply that without the ability to express themselves in art class, their desire to perform scholastically in any area would be in jeopardy.  This supports the earlier quote by Richard Riley about art giving students the first step to learning: “the desire to learn.”

So back to my original analysis of why art education is important.  I still feel that art promotes creativity unlike any other class, but why resort to such an obvious answer, an answer that really does not lend any additional leverage to the case as to why we need art education.  In just this short time of research I was able to find numerous and I would argue even more powerful reasons to keep art in the schools.  Let’s hope our local school boards know how to Google the question, Why Teach Art?