Dec 13, 2019 3 min read

I read the Dec. 10 guest editorial from the Herald-Standard about why it is important to keep art in schools’ curriculum. I concur that it contributes to a “well-rounded” student, but the editorial fell short of explaining other reasons why it is necessary. 

Unfortunately, we are a nation that is all about numbers. In many cases, schools have been accused of “teaching to the tests,” and sadly, this is true. “Frill” subjects like music and art have been cut or eliminated to allow more time (and money) to be spent on core subjects that concentrate on math and science. Reading scores are under constant scrutiny as we scramble to find reading programs that boost standardized scores. Teachers are discouraged from using engaging students in time-intensive creative activities. Actually, a reverse approach has been shown to be more effective. Studies have shown that schools that offer programs in the arts have produced higher test scores.

“Thinking outside the box” has become a hackneyed term, but it is a valued characteristic that is necessary for successful problem solving and the creation of innovating ideas and new inventions. No subject encourages this kind of brain activity more than the arts. Art class, in particular, encourages creativity and makes that brain muscle stretch. Where would we be today without creative thought? Creative thought was as basic to the invention of the wheel as it is to today’s most important advances in medicine and technology.

Lastly, classes in the arts have a way of “leveling the playing field,” whose importance shouldn’t be underestimated. Gifted students as well as those struggling with disabilities, whether cognitive, physical or behavioral, all have the same opportunity to create and succeed. Art is all-inclusive. Students who otherwise struggle with academics or have social problems can find their wings and self-esteem in the arts. Whether the artwork becomes a cherished feature on the refrigerator door or a proudly displayed piece at the school art show does not diminish what it does for the individual, for they have created something that didn’t exist before. As our school systems struggle to identify at-risk students and head off potential problems, the importance of giving a student a feeling of self-worth cannot be minimized, and an opportunity to do this in the arts can, and should be, one piece of the puzzle that we are desperately trying to solve.

Sally Brown-Pawlosky

Hickory