Why Teach Art?In Emphasis Art, chapter 1, it gives many reasons for why we should teach art. One of the reasons was for personal communication and expression. It reads, “The idea that a person can make an individual statement through art - one that brings meaning and pleasure to self and others and that communicates to others - is a powerful rationale.” (R.D. Clements, F. Wachowiak p. 4) I agree with this statement whole heartedly. I think art really gives students a chance to express themselves in a time when they are told to think and do the same things as everyone else around them. They should read a certain way. They should do math a certain way. But with art, they can do whatever they feel like. They can be themselves and the pressure to be someone else isn’t there. What better reason is there to teach art?
Many people need more than one reason, which is partially why I went looking for more. On a website I found, there is an introduction to the topic. One of the things the author brought up was that students are not only doing art. It was said that they are making choices. (www.whyteachart.com) Their choices in art have consequences and the student has to take responsibility for those consequences. If students can apply this to their lives, we are not just teaching art anymore. We are teaching students to be responsible citizens.
There is a passage in The Arts and the Creation of Mind that talks about flexible purposing. This was a new term for me but the way I understood it was that art teaches you to be able to change directions or goals when something better comes along. In other words it teaches you to be rational. (Eisner p. 77) I’ve worked with struggling students for quite some time now . Some are socially challenged and have a very hard time changing to go with what’s best. I think if these students were able to experiment with art, they would become more adapt to change and handle it a lot better, just one more reason why we should teach art.
I found another article in the Boston Globe. It had one of the best lines I’ve read in my research. “As schools cut time for the arts, they may be losing their ability to produce not just the artistic creators of the future, but innovative leaders who improve the world they inherit.” (E. Winner, L. Hetland) I think that is a very scary thought. Teaching kids to use their creativity and think outside the box is something that could change the world. Why would someone want to remove that?
In a world that is full of depression and anger, there needs to be some light and happiness. I think one way that could really help that become reality is through the arts. I got the idea when I was reading in The Champions of Change: The Impact of Arts on Learning. The author made a comment that the arts can help students feel higher levels of achievement through the arts. (E. B. Fiske) If students feel like they’ve achieved something they are going to have a higher self esteem. I know so many students out there whose lives would change dramatically if they were able to view themselves as successful.
The last article I looked at was about why we should teach art in elementary school. I think C. Rakoczy summed it up very well when she said “Art teaches life skills.” (C. Rakoczy) Art is fun and doesn’t feel like learning to students. Yet, they are learning skills that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. That is why we should teach art.
Clements R. D., Wachowiak F., (2010) Emphasis Art: Ninth Edition, Boston, MA: Pearson Education, inc.
Fiske E. B., The Champions of Change: The Impact of Arts on Learning, p. VIII, Retrieved from https://online.uen.org/webct/urw/lc129121021.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct
Eisner E., The Arts and the Creation of Mind, p. 77 Retrieved from https://online.uen.org/webct/urw/lc129121021.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct
Rakoczy C., Why Teach Art In Elementary Schools, Your Dictionionary.com. Retrieved from http://answers.yourdictionary.com/answers/jobs-education/why-teach-art-in-elementary-schools.html
Why Teach Art? Retrieved from http://www.whyteachart.com/
Winner E., Hetland L., Art For Our Sake, The Boston Globe. Retrieved from http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/09/02/art_for_our_sake/
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