Fine Arts in Education

School can get difficult for students sometimes. They get stressed out about how much homework they have and what classes they have to work their hardest in. These anxieties can have a negative effect on the students. It can make them feel as if school doesn’t matter. Currently, I’m a student and I can say that school really is tough. What if there was a way to make school easier for the students to get through? Luckily, there is a way to make them relax and take their minds off of academics. The solution is the incorporation of fine arts into the school’s curriculum. Fine arts can be anything from theater to making music in band class. Schools should incorporate fine arts into their curriculum because it’s beneficial to the students, it can improve their attitudes, and can help students gain opportunities for higher education.

Main Point #1:

1) The fine arts should be in the curriculum because they’re beneficial to the students.

A) Students will do better in their academics. Rinne, Gregory, Yarmolinskaya, and Hardiman (2011), authors of the academic journal Why Arts Integration Improves Long-Term Retention of Content, state that “correlational studies indicate that students who participate in the arts tend to outperform their peers on standard measures of academic achievement”.

B) Rinne et al (2011) also mention that “certain forms of artistic practice have been linked to improvement of cognitive capacities thought to be important for academics”.

I) Not only can the fine arts help students with their academics, but can also increase their IQ. Rinne et al (2011) point out that “arts training benefits general cognition (as measured by intelligence quotient [IQ]), perhaps through improvement of executive attention”.

Main Point #2

1) Students can start to feel burned out or have bad attitudes about school at some point during the year. I know that I have had some of those points in my life as a student. This is where the fine arts come into play. Students can improve their attitudes by participating in areas of the fine arts.

A) Walker (2006), the author of the academic journal Fine Arts Education, says that “A well-rounded education in the fine arts helps students develop enthusiasm for diverse courses, positive self-esteem, and pride in their work”.

B) The same author, Walker (2006), says that a good education in the fine arts can also help a student develop “self-expression and self-knowledge”.

C) Walker (2006) also says to her readers that students can develop “imagination, awareness and appreciation of their own and other’s cultures and perseverance”.

Main Point #3

1) Lastly, the fine arts can help students get into colleges. College institutions are starting to consider involvement in the fine arts as a leg-up for those students.

A) Hatfield (2007), the author of the journal article The Unevenness of Arts Education Policies, says that “Many colleges view participation in arts as a valuable experience that broadens students’ understanding and appreciation of the world around them”.

B) The same journal article also says “the California State University system requires one unit in visual or performing arts, and in Ohio, state-funded universities require a credit in the arts for unconditional acceptance”.

C) It seems like institutions are starting to realize how the fine arts can benefit students, which is why at least one credit of it is needed in order to be accepted to some colleges or universities.

Conclusion:

Like I said before, school is tough on a student. Fine arts can make it easier on them. Their attitudes and grades can change and the arts can help students get accepted to some colleges. In my own experience, I can tell all of you that band has helped me cope with the struggles of school. For example, any time that I even picked up my instrument I felt happy. Any stress that I was feeling just melted away, because I knew that I was going to be doing what I love. It also helped me find good friends to associate with. I have friends that I’m still close with to this day thanks to band.

It also gave me a break from all of the academic responsibilities during the school day. I felt the same way about theater. I love performing in any way that I can. I also have good friends from theater that I still keep in touch with. So, in conclusion, I’d like to say that the fine arts is something that all schools should invest in. It can help the students and everyone in the academic environment. So, if you ever have children of your own and they want to participate in any fine arts programs, remember that the arts can actually help your child and not hurt. Thank you for your time.

References:

Rinne, Luke , et al. Why Arts Integration Improves Long-Term Retention of Content. Mind, Brain, and Education, 2011.

Dr. Walker, Karen. Fine Arts Education. US Department of Education, 2006.

Hatfield, Thomas A. The Unevenness of Arts Education Policies. Heldref Publications, 2007.