Article 1: Arts Education
Issues and Topics of Discussion in Arts Education
One of the major issues in arts education is the balance between arts-specific education courses and arts integration. Examples of arts integration are visits from a teaching artist—such as a professional dancer, musician, actor, or visual artist from the community or from an arts organization. Another example of arts integration is when the school music or art teacher collaborates with a classroom teacher to provide learning opportunities in both an art form and at least one other content area such as math, science, history, or language arts.
Arts education would ideally include both arts-specific curriculum and arts integration. Students would learn the specific concepts, skills, and techniques of an art form while also understanding the relationship between that art form and the larger academic content fields.
Arts education—particularly in large urban areas—has been profoundly affected by school partnerships with local arts organizations and artists in the community. Partnerships help schools by offering students access to community performances or artists-in-residence. Field trips to museums and other similar experiences in the artistic and cultural world help inspire students. Ideal arts education partnerships foster collaboration between the community and the school; they also involve parents and families.
Arts educators often discuss the balance between offering arts programs for the especially talented arts student as opposed to arts education for all students. Competitive and selective schools help to identify promising students who may become professional musicians, visual artists, actors, or dancers. General arts education offerings and arts integration programs afford access to all students.
Some schools—again, particularly those in large urban districts—are designated as arts magnet schools or schools of the arts because they have more-extensive programs for students interested in the arts. These schools typically have entrance requirements that include auditions for performers and portfolios of work for visual artists.
Arts education in the United States has been consistently challenged by restrictive funding. The arts were identified as a core subject in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB; signed into law in 2002). This designation qualified arts instruction for federal grants and other support from both the Department of Education and the NEA (both arms of the federal government). Nevertheless, NCLB currently requires schools to report student achievement test results for only reading and mathematics. There are many reports of decreasing instruction time for such subjects as the arts. Standardized testing at the district and state level has further restricted time spent on the arts; students often use that time to prepare for high-stakes tests.
Article 2: Does Arts Education Matter?
A “Zombie” Idea?
Like the Mozart effect, claims that learning the arts (music, art, theater, or any arts) promote brain development, learning, and academic achievement are often repeated—yet seldom withstand research scrutiny. A team from Harvard University (Hetland & Winner, 2001) performed 10 separate meta-analyses of 188 studies testing the claim that studying the arts promotes academic improvement and came up largely empty-handed. They found: no cause-and-effect link between studying the arts and academic indicators; no link between an arts-rich education and creativity; mixed results for learning music and high mathematics achievement; no significant link between learning music and reading skills; and no convincing link between visual arts and reading achievement.
Nonetheless, claims that the arts promote other forms of learning persist—a zombie idea that keeps coming back to life no matter how often it’s put to rest. So, does that mean arts education isn’t valuable? Not at all. Rather, the persistence of these claims may reflect the fact that we ask arts education to do something we seldom ask of other forms of education: justify itself in light of its effects on other fields. How often do we, for example, ask athletic directors to prove that playing baseball leads to better math skills or improves verbal skills?
Must be at least five paragraphs, including :
Introduction (Include your claim)
Body Paragraph 1 (Include your Reason 1)
Body Paragraph 2 (Include your Reason 2)
Counterclaim (Mention your opposing claim, and refute it)
Conclusion (summarize everything you discussed in paragraphs 2-4)
400 word minimum.
Must include a works cited page, which includes:
Title of the article
Author(s) of the article
Publication date of the article
I. Introduction:
In the field of arts education, there are various issues and topics of discussion that arise. One of the main concerns is the balance between arts-specific education courses and arts integration. Arts integration involves incorporating teaching artists or collaborating with classroom teachers to provide learning opportunities that combine the arts with other academic content areas. Another issue is the accessibility of arts education for all students, as some schools may have more extensive programs for students interested in the arts, while others may have limited resources. Additionally, the restrictive funding of arts education poses a challenge for schools in providing adequate instruction. This article addresses these issues and examines the value of arts education.
II. Body Paragraph 1: Balance between Arts-Specific Education and Arts Integration
Arts education should ideally combine both arts-specific curriculum and arts integration. Students should learn the concepts, skills, and techniques of an art form while also understanding how it relates to other academic fields. Arts integration allows for interdisciplinary learning and offers students a broader perspective on the arts. This can be achieved through collaborations with teaching artists or classroom teachers, providing a more well-rounded education that connects the arts with various content areas such as math, science, history, or language arts.
III. Body Paragraph 2: Access to Arts Education and Arts Magnet Schools
Many schools, particularly those in large urban districts, have formed partnerships with local arts organizations and artists in the community to provide students with access to community performances and artist-in-residence programs. These partnerships enrich students' experiences and help inspire their artistic pursuits. In addition, certain schools are designated as arts magnet schools or schools of the arts, offering more extensive programs for students interested in the arts. These schools often have entrance requirements such as auditions or portfolio submissions to identify talented individuals in the arts. However, it is important to ensure that arts education is not limited to only a select group, but is accessible to all students.
IV. Counterclaim: Challenging the Value of Arts Education
Some argue that arts education does not have a significant impact on academic achievement or brain development. Research studies have shown mixed results when examining the link between studying the arts and academic indicators such as creativity or high mathematics achievement. However, it is important to note that claims about the arts promoting other forms of learning persist, despite lack of conclusive evidence. The value of arts education should not solely be measured by its effects on other fields of study. Just as we do not ask athletic directors to prove the direct correlation between playing sports and improved academic skills, arts education should be valued for its intrinsic benefits.
V. Conclusion
Arts education is a vital component of a well-rounded education. It provides students with a unique way of expressing themselves, encourages creativity, and fosters an appreciation for the arts. While there may be ongoing debates regarding its impact on academic achievement, arts education should not be solely judged on its ability to improve test scores. The balance between arts-specific education and arts integration, alongside efforts to make arts education accessible to all students, are crucial in ensuring that students receive a comprehensive education that includes the arts. Despite funding challenges, it is essential to value and support arts education for the enrichment it brings to students' lives.
Works Cited:
Article 1: "Arts Education - Issues and Topics of Discussion in Arts Education"
Article 2: "Does Arts Education Matter?"