Fine Arts

Imagine world that is bland, along with its individuals all the selfsame. In result of the reprehension of creative courses in academia. That previously mentioned world would soon become an actuality. When budget cuts were accruing in my school district; I remembered my fine arts teachers were petrified that not only their department would cease to exist but they would no longer have an occupation. There is a constant reminder of how paramount the sciences and mathematics are; but the fine arts such as music, ceramics, art, and all the other courses that allow creative freedom are important as well.

One reason they should not be cut from schools is, fine arts have tremendous benefits. The arts also help with early childhood development. Some say they are the building blocks of child development. Arts education helps with motor skills, language development, decision making, visual learning, inventiveness, cultural awareness and diversity, and even improved academic performance. High arts education in a school engages, learning, results in higher test scores, and lowers drop out and truancy rates.

In order to revamp Core tested programs, schools have been shifting focus to those areas and changing instructional times for various classes, which prevents students from achieving their full potential in the affected classes. Instructional time is important, especially in the fine arts. In order to have an arts program with the tangible results and benefits previously explained, elementary students require to have at least 50 hours of instructional time in order to give them a solid base in art disciplines (Good, 374). The schools who would prefer to focus their resources on the Core tested programs will see improvement in the Core areas, but there are other subjects that leave a footprint along the beach of test scores that help improve

While reading both opinions on how art, whether it be music or paintings, does or does not improve cognitive ability, I’ve come to the conclusion that it does. The articles that were in favor of the arts had great points. They were able to state their point of view, while backing it up with research and scientific facts. The articles against the arts stated that they do not improve learning ability, but rather auditory and visual skills. Despite auditory and visual skills not directly improving a child’s learning ability, they are still a substantial part in child development. Even so, the author of the passage still acknowledged creative imagination’s potential to help a child perform better in learning assessments and IQ tests. Involving in art in the school system, whether that’s learning about it or having the students do it themselves, really can improve school performance in several ways, including heightening brain activity, making them more attentive and enhancing their wellbeing.

• Visual art classes help develop motor skills in young children in elementary schools. Topic 3: Fine arts can be beneficial on student’s performance. • Art education improves student’s performance in core academic subjects. • Students with four years of art courses scored 91 points higher on SAT exams than those who took half a year or less.

“Students who study art are 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and 3 times more likely to be awarded for school attendance” ("11 Facts about Arts in Education"). Music and art are clearly not two subjects that schools today can afford to cut off funding for based on this evidence. Music and art programs are responsible for increasing school attendance, which can lead to being one of the most important things in a student’s academic success in school. Students have to attend school and be present in order to attain the information from their classes and teachers if they wish to succeed. Better attendance means more students are in class, which means more students are getting the information they need to excel from their teachers, which ultimately means better grades and test scores for schools. As of today, arts are defined as core subjects in only twenty-six states in America (Mandel). If only twenty-six states are treating art education as a core subject, that means that twenty-four states are currently neglecting art programs and not considering them important to their student’s education. If more states are educated on the importance of art programs for young students, and the arts are defined as core subjects nationally, then there will be a

“It has become a mantra in education that No Child Left Behind, with its pressure to raise test scores, has reduced classroom time devoted to the arts.” This

I’ve been involved in Fine Arts since the beginning of my middle school career. Since that first day way back in fifth grade when I picked up that alto- saxophone, I haven’t been able to put it down. Today I would consider myself advanced when it comes to music/band. I currently play the alto and the tenor saxophones. I feel good about myself when I tell people about being involved in band and all of the different things that the band does. Playing an instrument is a talent and I would consider myself very talented. I have lettered in band all my four years of high school. For the past two years I have attended The All-Star Masonic Marching Band Camp. I was very honored to be a part of something so big like that.

Approximately 20 years ago global studies comparing student test scores in the core subjects showed that American students were not performing as well as students in many other countries and that this performance appeared to be worsening. As a result, the federal government became more involved and forced schools to adopt a new set of standards that emphasized the core subjects. Unfortunately, this initiative often led schools to limit or discontinue arts education. Programs and laws such as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) initiative, Common Core, and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) have, while trying to improve our students performance, caused another problem. Many studies show that students who participate in arts education have better observation skills, comprehension, better attention to detail, improved social skills, are less likely to be depressed, etc. this is why the lack of education in the arts is doing a disservice to our nation 's students.

Imagine one of your favorite classes, the class that you are most passionate about, being discouraged from continuing. Some schools have already excluded the fine arts program while other schools are still considering it. The schools that are considering or have already discouraged the fine arts programs think that the school’s budget should not be wasted on the fine arts programs and should be used for the favorable academic programs. However, not all schools agree with cutting out the fine arts program because some schools value fine arts and academic both. In my opinion, schools should definitely not exclude the fine arts program because the fine arts are inspiring, passionate, expressive, and helpful in understanding academics to an interested student.

Fine arts classes benefit students and schools alike. Fine arts are needed courses, not just as electives but as core classes that promote learning and creativity in the lives of students. There are three different styles of learning: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Fine art provides an avenue for all of these learning styles to be utilized during one class period; therefore, all students are able to understand and benefit from the curriculum. In a normal academic setting all types of learning may not be used, so a percentage of the classroom will not understand the lessons as well as it could have if it had arts incorporated into the class. It may seem impossible to include arts into an academic setting, but it is possible,

In the United States, school systems are making budget cuts with the arts programs being the first to go. The arts programs however are a very crucial part to a student’s life. But first, what exactly do the arts programs consist of? According to US Legal, the definition of an Arts education, in other words the arts programs, is “learning, instruction and programming based upon the visual and tangible arts. Art education includes performing arts like dance, music, theater, and visual arts like drawing, painting, sculpture, and design works. Design works include design in jewelry, pottery, weaving and fabrics.” It is a fundamental core that the boards of school tend to overlook. As Sir Ken Robison says, “We don’t grow into creativity, we get

Schools that offer fine arts classes have lower dropout rates and raised attendance. The fine arts positively impact students of lower socioeconomic status more those of a higher  status. The fine arts have no barriers for race, religion, and culture when it comes to being involved in the arts. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to be involved (Katy Independent School District). Without the arts these students have no outlet for creative capabilities and no way to express their talents. Students who need this way of expressing themselves are overlooked and they are the ones who need it the most (Dickson). When viewing the participation of arts in the eyes of a ten-year old, “It cools kids down after all the other hard stuff they have to think about” (Arts and Smarts: Test Scores and Cognitive Development).

The arts are slowly disappearing before our eyes and this is a major problem that if not solved could create some severe consequences for the United States as a nation academically. Though there are multiple reasons the arts are being cut, the two main reasons are the No Child Left Behind Law (NCLB), and funding cuts to schools and public organizations. Those who oppose the arts believe that the arts have no applicable use in real life, however there is mounting evidence that shows that the arts are key factors in reading and language skills, mathematical skills, thinking skills, social skills, motivation to learn, and promotes a positive school environment. The arts have also been shown to help keep high-risk dropout students in school.

There was also a study done in 2004 by a private philanthropic organization trying to prove that the arts have some sort of benefit to children in school. The group was led by neuroscientist Michael S. Gazzaniga. About four years of research went by until they finally reached a conclusion, releasing a report in March of 2008 titled “Learning, Arts, and the Brain.” The studies suggested evidence that pointed toward the arts actually improving reading and math abilities. One of the studies they did was noticing how the brain reacted when they had several seven-year-olds sit in front of a computer and work on activities that had the same qualities as engaging in something art related. The results of the study showed that doing art based activities can train your brain into being more attentive, which improves cognition.