It
is a common perception that visual and performing arts are an easy subject,
that it is just something that people do for fun and that it harbors no
educational value.
These perceptions however, are not true. Today’s visual and performing arts programs
are key to sustaining a well-developed education for students. When budgets are tight, schools should
look in other areas before they decide that the arts are the place to take from. First, it must be learned what
qualifies as visual and performing arts.
According to the Collins English Dictionary (2012), visual arts are “created
primarily for visual perception, as drawing, graphics, painting, sculpture and
the decorative arts”.
The Collins Dictionary (2012) also defines performing arts as “arts or skills
that require public performance, as acting, singing or dancing.”
Art
in all forms teaches more than just the creative process; it also effects the
learning process.
It engages parts of the brain that no other subject touches. “When well taught, the arts provide
young people with authentic learning experiences that engage their minds,
hearts, and bodies.
The learning experiences are real and meaningful to them.” (Catterall, 1999, p.12). Hard sciences appeal to the formula
based side of thinking, while art appeals to the emotional senses. Hard sciences are important to a
complete education as well but one must view visual and performing arts in the
same light. They
should be considered and treated as equals.
In
”Champions of Change” Catterall (1999) states that art connects students to
themselves and to the people around them.
Not
only are students creating for themselves and learning new things, but they are
also connecting with peers who are doing the same thing and discovering new
aspects about themselves at the same time. Art
can also challenge students who do not feel tested with other liberal arts (Catterall,
1999, p.12). It
poses new challenges because of the unusual nature of the creative process. The student is stripped of all
existing formulas and left to create something new. In the same breath, art promotes self-directed
learning, which is an extremely valuable skill to possess for “real world”
circumstances. It allows for students to explore for themselves what its like
to problem solve on their own.
It promotes students to learn for the learning experience not just for test results and performance outcomes (Catterall,
1999).
Not
only do the arts effect the learning process, they also have lasting effects on
human development. A
study done for the Champions of Change shows that involvement in the arts
increases high school students’ test scores in various subjects. Simply having the option to enroll in
arts classes can raise a students’ ability to learn new information in other
subjects. Implementing art programs in schools
can engage the “right side” of the brain.
But what few know is that both sides of the brain work together at the same
time.
There are
many myths and misconceptions surrounding the "left brain, right
brain" concept. For
instance, the belief that "right brained" people are artistic while
"left brained" folks are more logical is a bit of an exaggeration. In fact, it is when both sides of the brain are
working together that your thinking is at its best (Mayberry, 2012).
Art
forces students to think critically, which can also exercise the left side of
the brain along with the right, therefore strengthening the logical side of the
brain. When viewed closely it is important to
notice that visual and performing arts is a completely different form of
education than other core academic subjects.
In
the article “Turtles, Art and Children” Susan Langer says:
Artistic
training is the education of feeling, as our visual schooling in factual
subjects and logical skills such as mathematical ‘figuring’ or simple
argumentation is education of thought.
Few people realize that the real education of emotion is not the conditioning
effected by social approval or disapproval, but the personal, illuminating
contact with symbols of feeling.
However, art education is neglected, left to chance, or regarded as a culture
veneer.
Langer is stressing that creating art
is the education of feeling, and that no other subject can teach a lesson as
valuable as that.
It is also stated that art is neglected, and viewed as something that people
simply do for fun, and holds no real educational value. Art is a breath of fresh air compared
to the cut and dry monotony of science and math. The process of creating art is a
highly personal experience, not only does the student learn about who they are,
they learn about what they are capable of.
The creative process can open up doors in the minds of young students and
adults alike that would otherwise be untouched. It is uncommon to see any other
academic subject teach lessons quite like ones that the arts teach.
One
may question, what exactly is being cut from these art programs? According to
the article Debating Options for when Arts Get the Squeeze (2009), Jill Massie states
“the California State Arts council budget has been slashed from $17.5 million
to $1 million. Massie
also states that New York City junior highs are cutting arts and other
electives for more classroom time in math and reading.” It should be stressed that math and
reading along with other core subjects are indeed important, but visual and
performing arts are equally as
important as those core subjects.
Lastly, Massie discloses, “the Arizona legislature cut $7 million in arts
funding.” Ryan Hurley of the article Cuts in
Art Programs Leave Sour Note in Schools (2004), says that “the Westside Academy
will most likely have to return a $25,000 grant for its music program donated
by VH1’s Save the Music that they used to purchase a piano lab, because the
school no longer employs a full-time music teacher.” These cuts are just a few of the numerous declining budgets around the
United States. When schools are looking at program budgets
they should keep in mind the impact that art has on students. This is why schools should implement
an even budget cut policy.
It is not fair for just one program to get slashed so heavily, let alone one
that holds this much impact on the learning process and human development. Theoretically, each program would have
less money taken from their budgets if money is being eliminated from every
department. To
most people, these massive budget cuts are a non-issue because they are ill
informed. It would seem that most of today’s
population is unaware of the cuts. The best solution to eliminating such
drastic cuts would be to raise awareness in your community and propose the
prospect of an even budget cut policy to the school board. Students should never be deprived of
such a rich experience.
There
is nothing quite like the personal experience and self discovery that visual
and performing arts brings to students, and to everyone for that matter. School boards should acknowledge that
the benefits of enrolling in arts classes are just as valuable as the lessons
learned in core academic subjects such as math, science and English. Visual and performing arts is key to a
students’ full education.
While it is a different type of instruction, it should be praised for the
unique lessons and experience in the “real world” that it provides. Visual and performing arts teaches the
education of emotion. Both
sides of the brain work together when creating art, therefore both the right
and left side of the brain are strengthened in the process. Art matters to students and the teachers instructing them. It should never be viewed as something
that is considered “easy” or simply a “cultural veneer”. School boards need to understand that
they have put price on self-discovery and imagination. Art in all forms is important and everyone should acknowledge this.
References
Art
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