JSA Awareness Project
In elementary schools throughout the country, the only arts programs acknowledged are the visual arts and choral programs. These, however, are not the only forms of art that a child should learn, or are capable of learning. Arts that a child could learn include, at least, dance, acting, and band. All of these art forms can benefit people as they grow older. There are ways to integrate the arts into any age’s curriculum, and despite the common stereotype, it is not a gender oriented field. At this time in 2016, any person, even boys, can agree (whether or not they admit it) that the arts are not gender oriented. When referring to the arts, however, most people are talking about visual arts and singing. Some girls even agree …show more content…
Besides being a creative outlet, the arts can benefit children significantly in many ways well into adulthood. It’s been proven that young children develop better motor skills, language development, and decision making just through art tasks like painting and talking about art with others. According to Kimberly Sheridan, Ed.D., coauthor of Studio Thinking: The Real Benefits of Visual Arts Education, ”It’s not as easy to test the skills that children learn from the arts, but that doesn’t make them any less important.” While doctors who have proven that arts help students just as much as normal subjects, the schools still think of art as a low point on the totem pole of importance. Most public schools spend their time focusing on the left side of the brain, which is more analytical and logic based. But even though the right side of the brain is mostly expressed through creative means, the right side is used in emotional awareness and intuition, which is equally important and should be taught in such a manner. The brain is efficient when both sides of it are working together equally and it strengthens the side’s connections to one another when they are both …show more content…
Not everyone will choose to go into a field of the arts, however, everyone is impacted by it. In our culture today, many use the arts to escape their problems using expression either through song, or active movement. Administrators need to incorporate the arts into the daily curriculum of elementary students. This can be on a rotational system so that half of the student’s day is not just the arts. Students also should have the freedom to choose what art forms they would like to participate in after participating in all of them. A person should not be forced into something they do not enjoy, or that causes them stress. One class period each day could be dedicated to the students learning an art form, and this could change each day of the week. By teaching children at a younger age to appreciate these art forms, they too may be able to use the arts to escape their problems when they’re older or pursue them as a hobby. Also, if children find their aspiration in life at a young age, they can focus on that talent and work with it for years, instead of finding out that they enjoy dancing, singing, acting, or playing an instrument at a later stage of their life. Without showcasing all the opportunities the arts have to offer and actively involving students in elementary school, the arts could slowly disappear. If the trend lacking exposure to various forms of art continues, this freedom
In elementary schools throughout the country, the only arts programs acknowledged are the visual arts and choral programs. These, however, are not the only forms of art that a child should learn, or are capable of learning. Arts that a child could learn include, at least, dance, acting, and band. All of these art forms can benefit people as they grow older. There are ways to integrate the arts into any age’s curriculum, and despite the common stereotype, it is not a gender oriented field. At this time in 2016, any person, even boys, can agree (whether or not they admit it) that the arts are not gender oriented. When referring to the arts, however, most people are talking about visual arts and singing. Some girls even agree …show more content…
Besides being a creative outlet, the arts can benefit children significantly in many ways well into adulthood. It’s been proven that young children develop better motor skills, language development, and decision making just through art tasks like painting and talking about art with others. According to Kimberly Sheridan, Ed.D., coauthor of Studio Thinking: The Real Benefits of Visual Arts Education, ”It’s not as easy to test the skills that children learn from the arts, but that doesn’t make them any less important.” While doctors who have proven that arts help students just as much as normal subjects, the schools still think of art as a low point on the totem pole of importance. Most public schools spend their time focusing on the left side of the brain, which is more analytical and logic based. But even though the right side of the brain is mostly expressed through creative means, the right side is used in emotional awareness and intuition, which is equally important and should be taught in such a manner. The brain is efficient when both sides of it are working together equally and it strengthens the side’s connections to one another when they are both …show more content…
Not everyone will choose to go into a field of the arts, however, everyone is impacted by it. In our culture today, many use the arts to escape their problems using expression either through song, or active movement. Administrators need to incorporate the arts into the daily curriculum of elementary students. This can be on a rotational system so that half of the student’s day is not just the arts. Students also should have the freedom to choose what art forms they would like to participate in after participating in all of them. A person should not be forced into something they do not enjoy, or that causes them stress. One class period each day could be dedicated to the students learning an art form, and this could change each day of the week. By teaching children at a younger age to appreciate these art forms, they too may be able to use the arts to escape their problems when they’re older or pursue them as a hobby. Also, if children find their aspiration in life at a young age, they can focus on that talent and work with it for years, instead of finding out that they enjoy dancing, singing, acting, or playing an instrument at a later stage of their life. Without showcasing all the opportunities the arts have to offer and actively involving students in elementary school, the arts could slowly disappear. If the trend lacking exposure to various forms of art continues, this freedom