ELEMENTARY TEACHERS > ARTS INTEGRATION RESEARCH

THE VALUE OF ARTS INTEGRATION

What is the value of arts education? What has been proved about integrating the arts into the classroom? How can we continue to provide arts education in our schools?

Arts education is often neglected in favor of other core subjects, such as math and science, but the No Child Left Behind Act recognizes the arts of a core academic subject.  Because of this, the arts are eligible for inclusion in teacher training, school reform, and technology.

The arts:

• Help close the achievement gap
• Boost learning and achievement for young children, students from economically disadvantaged circumstances, and students needing remedial instruction
• Help prepare a creative workforce
• Serve as an essential skill for the future workforce

President Obama’s arts platform statement included support for arts education, stating that: “In addition to giving our children the science and math skills they need to compete in the new global context, we should also encourage the ability to think creatively that comes from a meaningful arts education.”  Now that’s some food for thought.