Fine Arts for All Fine arts are the essence of a country’s culture, yet in the United States public school system, they are the most neglected of all school subjects. Fine arts programs in schools include orchestra, band, choir, theatre, dance, film, all mediums of art, and more. These programs hold numerous benefits to students, but they are facing major budget cuts or removal from school curriculums. However, we need these programs in our public schools because they strengthen mental development, foster life-skills, create an appreciation for the arts, and are often the start for budding young artists. Too often funding for such programs is cut in favor of subjects that are a part of standardized tests or sports. Studies conducted by the
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Greater funding and support is needed for fine arts programs in public schools because the arts help students’ mental development along with creating a deeper appreciation for the arts that carries with them for the …show more content…
Students are able to gain so much through fine arts. Donald Hodges has found ten understandings or experiences that music alone gives us: feelings, aesthetic experiences, the ineffable, thoughts, structure, time and space, self knowledge, self identity, group identity, and healing and wholeness (Hodges). Advantages of fine arts fosters skills in students such as “concentration, strong recall skills, evolved communication skills, and being a good team player are just a few,” and many of these are skills that are necessary in any job field in our current economy (Boyd). Fine arts programs create the perfect atmosphere and material to “foster the creativity and innovation needed for a more competitive workforce” (Parent-Teacher). As Secretary of Education Duncan states, “‘To succeed today and in the future, America’s children will need to be inventive, resourceful, and imaginative. The best way to foster that creativity is through arts education” (Parent-Teacher). There have been varying results from studies done involving fine arts and standardized test results. Some, like Christopher Johnson’s study, showed significant differences in test results between students who have musical training and those who did not, and he “compares the concentration that music training requires to the focus needed to perform well on a standardized test” (Brown). However, differing research results has lead to debate on
Greater funding and support is needed for fine arts programs in public schools because the arts help students’ mental development along with creating a deeper appreciation for the arts that carries with them for the …show more content…
Students are able to gain so much through fine arts. Donald Hodges has found ten understandings or experiences that music alone gives us: feelings, aesthetic experiences, the ineffable, thoughts, structure, time and space, self knowledge, self identity, group identity, and healing and wholeness (Hodges). Advantages of fine arts fosters skills in students such as “concentration, strong recall skills, evolved communication skills, and being a good team player are just a few,” and many of these are skills that are necessary in any job field in our current economy (Boyd). Fine arts programs create the perfect atmosphere and material to “foster the creativity and innovation needed for a more competitive workforce” (Parent-Teacher). As Secretary of Education Duncan states, “‘To succeed today and in the future, America’s children will need to be inventive, resourceful, and imaginative. The best way to foster that creativity is through arts education” (Parent-Teacher). There have been varying results from studies done involving fine arts and standardized test results. Some, like Christopher Johnson’s study, showed significant differences in test results between students who have musical training and those who did not, and he “compares the concentration that music training requires to the focus needed to perform well on a standardized test” (Brown). However, differing research results has lead to debate on