Three Readings Take Away

How Integrating Arts Into Other Subjects Makes Learning Come Alive

I enjoyed this article in how they said that art is an important part of a well-rounded education.  That is my feelings exactly.  All students need to have some experience with arts.  Unfortunately as the article states, some schools are losing their arts programs because of budget cuts.  I think students experience with art helps with their academics also.  They are able to be creative and not as straightforward with the learning.  The students are having hands on experience that they will be able to connect with what they have already learned or will be learning.  It helps the students remember the learning better.  For example if you are learning about landforms and you just look at pictures to describe them, it won't be as detailed as if the students made their own landforms out of clay.  I definitely see the positive impact of art in a student’s education.  

Exploring the Benefits of Art in Elementary Education

        This was my favorite article out of the three because it went into details that I see are important to having art in a students education.  Art makes the learning more fun which makes it more meaningful and memorable.  I think art should be used in every grade level. There is research that states that art’s influence has had a positive effect on students academic life.  I really enjoyed when the author said “ As teachers we are not raising robots.” That is so true, it is important for students to be able to openly share their creative side.  Within doing art, students have exposure to other areas of learning like math and science.  The mixing of colors is one area of cross curriculum.  That is a major goal of teaching is bringing all the subjects together.  

How Arts Integration Supports Student Learning: Students Shed Light on the Connections

        This article didn’t speak to me as well as the other two but that was because it was working with the older students.  I loved the four major findings that the study provided.  It is so true that students take more responsibility for their learning in art because they are able to pretty much do whatever they want within some guidelines.  They are able to be creative which is important.  Scaffolding the students thinking skills is important by allowing them to show what they learned in art.  Art challenges students in a good way and allows them to see the world outside of school.  They are able to use the skills they learned in art when they are in public and in the real world.  

Hi Lauren!
I am just getting oriented to lead this course. I am a former K6 art teacher, then art educator at college level for over 20years, and now back in the inner city teaching K8 art! Great feedback on the articles, but one reason the arts are important to everyone is that the “art zone” is in everyone’s brain but not always used! I just put up drawings from my 7tha and 8th grade boys. One boy was shocked I displayed his work. He was at teacher conferences with his mother. I asked her if he told her that he was doing well in art. No. In fact, he did not even know it until that moment. Why? Because when you are in the “art zone” you are not aware you were functioning there. He was proud when his mother took his picture with her phone! This illustrates my belief that children can be artists, too!