Running
head:
IMPORTANCE
OF
ART
1
The
Importance
of
Art
in
P-­‐12
Education
Brewton-­‐Parker
College
“Importance
of
Art
in
P-­‐12
Education”

IMPORTANCE
OF
ART
2
John
F.
Kennedy
once
said,
“There
is
a
connection,
hard
to
explain
logically
but
easy
to
feel,
between
achievement
in
public
life
and
progress
in
the
arts”
(Webster’s
Quotation
Dictionary,
1998,
p.
23).
Art
is
more
than
just
a
work
sculpture
or
painting.
It
is
more
than
an
activity
for
those
who
may
be
artistically
talented.
Art
is
more
than
just
a
side
activity
for
students
to
do
when
they
have
finished
a
lesson.
Art
is
an
experience.
Through
art,
students
can
use
their
senses
and
experiences
to
learn
any
subject
or
any
lesson.
Students
can
express
their
thoughts
and
feelings
through
various
art
forms.
Art
education
is
a
way
to
teach
students
what
they
need
to
know
in
a
way
it
can
relate
to
them.
Even
though
art
education
is
not
portrayed
as
of
high
importance
in
school’s
today,
I
feel
that
it
is
actually
of
the
highest
importance.
Gavin
Newsom
explains
it
by
saying
“an
arts
education
helps
build
academic
skills
and
increase
academic
performance,
while
also
providing
alternative
opportunities
to
reward
the
skills
of
children
who
learn
differently”
(Brainyquote.com,
2001).
Statistics
show
that
“elementary
schools
are
where
most
Americans
believe
the
arts
are
most
important
and
where
they
are
likely
to
believe
the
arts
are
deficient”
(Russonello
&
Stewart,
2005).
It
doesn’t
make
sense
that
America
feels
as
if
art
education
is
very
important
in
schools,
yet
believes
it
to
be
lacking.
Art
is
so
broad
and
easy
implemented
into
any
subject
to
create
a
better
and
more
memorable
learning
experience
for
students
of
all
ages.
Clements
and
Wachowiak
explain
that
through
art
students
develop
a
better
understanding
and
respect
towards
other
cultures,
they
become
more
aware
of
what
is
happening
within
their
nation,
they
can
see
ordinary
things
in
a
different
and
spectacular
way,
and
they
can
communicate
and
express
their
feelings
with
others
in
ways
other
than
speaking
(2010).
Art
also
allows
students
to
become
more
self-­‐aware
and
gives
them
the
opportunity
to
create
their
own
experiences.
It

IMPORTANCE
OF
ART
3
engages
their
senses
so
they
are
creating
a
learning
experience
with
their
entire
body;
“the
arts
provide
young
people
with
authentic
learning
experiences
that
engage
their
minds,
hearts,
and
bodies.
The
learning
experiences
are
real
and
meaningful
for
them”
(Kennedy
Learning
Center,
2011).
Mathematics
is
sometimes
a
rather
abstract
concept;
it
is
not
the
favorite
subject
of
many
students
including
myself.
However,
I
feel
that
through
the
implementation
of
art
into
math,
it
can
become
very
clear,
understanding,
and
fun!
When
thinking
about
math
I
think
of
shapes,
patterns,
numbers,
and
many
other
concepts;
all
of
which
deal
with
art.
You
may
be
thinking
“what
do
numbers
have
to
do
with
art?”
Well,
the
answer
to
that
question
is
very
simple.
Think
about
how
we
write
numbers.
We
use
art
when
writing
and
seeing
numbers
through
the
various
lines,
colors,
and
shapes
that
are
seen
in
them.
Clements
and
Wachowiak
explain
that
there
are
there
are
several
examples
of
activities
that
could
be
used
to
enhance
our
“math
skills”
such
as
“measuring”
and
“estimating”
and
our
“math
concepts”,
such
as
“scale
and
ratio”,
“proportion”,
“symmetry”,
and
“perspective”
(2010,
p.
115-­‐117).
Math
can
be
taught
in
a
way
that
is
understandable
to
the
student;
“rather
than
a
world
of
math
as
distinct
from
a
world
of
art,
you
can
provide
the
bridge
and
help
your
students
to
see
their
interconnectedness”
(Clements
&
Wachowiak,
2010,
p.
123).
Science
is
another
subject
that
can
sometimes
become
confusing
to
students.
There
are
so
many
areas
within
science
such
as
the
solar
system,
different
life
cycles,
weather,
and
many
others
that
can
become
quite
extensive
and
confusing.
Through
art,
students
can
create
their

IMPORTANCE
OF
ART
4
own
models
and
works
of
art
within
various
lessons
to
really
understand
the
material
in
their
own
way.
For
me,
Social
Studies
is
not
necessarily
a
hard
subject
to
understand,
but
more
of
a
tough
subject
to
remember.
Through
the
use
of
art
within
Social
Studies,
students
are
able
to
learn
and
remember
the
information.
Using
art
in
social
studies
allows
the
students
to
become
more
culturally
aware
and
to
learn
more
about
their
community
and
society.
I
feel
that
it
helps
them
understand
what
is
taking
place
in
the
world
around
them
and
also
what
took
place
in
the
world
over
time.
In
Language
Arts
and
Reading,
art
can
make
stories
and
other
things
come
to
life.
It
allows
students
to
“see”
what
they
are
hearing
and
portray
what
they
heard
or
saw
in
their
own
way.
With
art,
stories
can
be
told
and
read
without
words.
Clements
and
Wachowiak
explain
that
having
children
examine
art,
make
their
own
art,
and
discuss
it,
enhances
their
reading,
writing,
speech,
and
cognitive
developments.
Simple
things
such
as
illustrating
and
writing
stories,
writing
poems,
and
talking
about
a
memory
they
have
can
be
used
to
do
help
with
such
developments
(2010).
There
aren’t
enough
words
to
express
the
importance
of
art
in
the
curriculum,
but
to
sum
it
up
I
can
say
that
art
allows
the
student
to
become
a
part
of
their
own
learning.
It
helps
them
to
relate
what
they
are
learning
to
their
own
personal
experiences
and
feelings.
It
allows
them
to
express
themselves
in
a
way
they
are
familiar
with.
It
engages
each
student’s
senses
to
create
a
very
memorable
learning
experience.
Art
allows
students
to
“create
a
seamless

IMPORTANCE
OF
ART
5
connection
between
motivation,
instruction,
assessment,
and
practical
application—leading
to
a
deep
understanding”
(Dickinson,
1993).

IMPORTANCE
OF
ART
6
References
Brainy
Quote.com.
(2011).
Gavin
newsome
quotes.
Retrieved
from
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/g/gavinnewso233602.html
Clements,
R.
&
Wachowiak,
F.
(2010).
Emphasis
art:
A
qualitative
art
program
for
elementary
and
middle
schools.
Boston:
Pearson
Education.
Dickinson,
D.
(1993).
Why
are
the
arts
important?
Retrieved
from
http://home.blarg.net/~building/strategies/arts/dickinson_why_arts.htm
Kennedy
Learning
Center.
(2011).
What
the
arts
change
about
the
learning
experience.
Retrieved
from
http://artsedge.kennedy-­‐center.org/champions/exec_summ.html
Russonello,
B.
&
Stewart.
(2005,
June).
To
educate
the
whole
child,
integrate
the
arts.
Retrieved
from
http://www.keepartsinschools.org/Research/Materials/FinalSurveyReport_2005.pdf
The
New
International
Webster’s
Pocket
Quotation
Dictionary
of
the
English
Language.
(1998).
Art.
United
States:
Trident
Press
International.