Throughout the last decade, schools have been cutting art programs out of their curriculums. While students develop active play skills through art classes, they also develop other fundamentally important skills from music and theater classes. The following are just five ways art help students develop essential traits for their futures.
Student Engagement
Art is hands-on and allows students to focus on positive achievements and allows them to create projects that foster collaboration. Attending art classes allows many opportunities for a student to increase their confidence and learn how to demonstrate their skills through their artwork. Art education helps students express themselves in ways they might not be able to communicate and connect to new personal experiences.
Develop Positive Habits, Behaviors, and Attitudes
Students who are given a chance to participate in an arts education help foster a positive culture with their fellow students. Schools with arts curriculums have seen a decrease in disciplinary referrals because art classes give students a way to channel bad behavior through creativity. Artistic disciplines also help students develop character and teach them good habits in behavior and attitude that help them be successful in the future.
Teaches Language and Mathematics Skills
As students learn to read music, they are learning how to build their vocabulary and understand language. This also helps them develop their mathematics skills through measurement, number manipulation, and proportional thinking. Studies have shown that students who take art classes or play an instrument often outperform their classmates who do not participate in the arts.
Increases Leadership
Many students who are apart of art education programs develop a variety of leadership skills. These skills prepare them for their future careers and help them create a sense of identity and confidence.
Teamwork
Students who regularly engage in a variety of art classes are becoming active members of their school community. They build skills that help them work in teams and help them work to achieve common goals with each other. This helps students understand the differences they all have and help them realize that teamwork leads to a great project or performance.
Overall, arts education is essential in shaping the minds of our students. Without art, our students will miss critical opportunities to grow and develop for their futures.