> The article below was published two years ago and was recently used by
> Master Teacher in their December publication.  I wrote it so you may
> use what you need.
>
> Kathrine Schlageck
> Beach Museum of Art
> Kansas State University
>
> Arts at the Core of Learning
>
> The arts are a meaningful part of a child’s education - just ask the
> Barbara Tierney, principal at Ogden Elementary School and the thirteen
> Beach Museum of Art Young Curators.  Ogden’s 21st Century Community
> Learning Center and the Young Curators program has just been
> recognized as one of five exemplary programs by the Department of
> Education in a publication called “How the Arts Can Enhance
> After-School Programs.”
>
> In a day of shrinking school budgets, the arts often get short shrift.
> However, recent research shows that the arts should not, as they often
> are,  be considered as enrichment activities, but should be an
> integral part of the school curriculum.  Current  theory and research
> show that students who are exposed to the arts continue to outperform
> their non-arts peers and that the arts aid in many areas of learning,
> including the development of higher order thinking skills and as a
> powerful way of knowing the world around us.  In addition, the arts
> have been shown to be effective tools for working with special needs
> and high risk students.
>
> In 1995, The College Board’s Profile of  SAT and Achievement Test
> Takers showed that SAT scores for students who studied arts for more
> that four years were 59 point higher on the verbal and 44 points
> higher on the math portion than students with no course work or
> experience in the arts.  These findings are closely linked to the
> groundbreaking theory of multiple intelligences, developed by Howard
> Gardner of Harvard University.  This theory is based on the idea that
> people have a range of intelligences and learning styles, not just the
> linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences upon which most
> schools are based.  The arts, since they utilize all the
> intelligences,  improves the student’s ability to learn. These include
> kinesthetic (the creating of art, dance and movement), visual/spatial
> (directly related to drawing, architectures, map-making), rhythmic
> (music, writing poetry, etc.), interpersonal (communication of ideas
> and emotions and cooperative learning such as theatre), and
> intrapersonal  (knowledge of one’s internal self/self reflection which
> would include art as a form of self-expression) intelligences.
>
> In addition, arts education aids  in the achievement of “core
> competencies” for employment according to the U.S. Labor Department’s
> SCANS report (Secretary’s Commission on Achieving necessary Skills).
> The arts are cited as important for developing foundation skills,
> including creative thinking, problem solving, exercising individual
> responsibility, sociability, and self-esteem. Student engagement is
> also higher in classes which integrate the arts.  Participation in the
> arts develops communication skills, which are ranked as the second
> most important factor in hiring.
>
> Numerous programs utilizing the arts show that students reading,
> writing and math skills can be enhanced through the arts.  Higher
> Order Thinking Skills - analysis, synthesis and evaluation -  are
> naturally developed by the creation, viewing and discussion of,  and
> participation in the arts.   Creativity measures were four times
> higher for elementary student in arts curriculum than for two control
> groups in Ohio in a 1992-93 study.  Studies by the University of Texas
> at San Antonio indicate that even gifted students have had little
> experience in asking the larger questions, finding meaningful
> patterns, and reflection.  The Higher Order Thinking Schools that have
> been developed in Connecticut to address this lack of training in the
> regular curriculum integrate the arts heavily into their curriculum.
>
> The arts are an excellent means of exploring the world around us,
> providing different lenses on subject matter and are keys to the
> essence of what is human.  The visual art, music and dance forms of
> various cultures open new pathways into understanding our global
> society.   The arts are forms of expression, both when created by
> ourselves and when created by others, and can help a student with
> self-expression and self-esteem  in addition to understanding others
> better.
>
> Finally, studies clearly show that for many students, including those
> at high risk and those with special needs, whether physical, mental or
> educational, the arts provides outlets for expressions and pathways
> for understanding that can drastically improve the child’s ability to
> learn and comprehend.   Museums and art centers are increasingly
> offering after school programs which provide children with safe havens
> and educational and creative activities and various forms of art
> therapy including the visual arts and drama are standard.
>
> A number of programs in the Manhattan area are actively integrating
> the arts as a tool for improving children’s education.  Both Ogden
> Elementary School and the Riley County Grade School have been chosen
> as 21st Century Community Learning Center grant recipients by the
> Department of Education and have chosen the arts as a core aspect of
> their projects.  YES Funds annually support arts programming for area
> children and the MAC Truck from the Manhattan Arts Center is always
> busy. The Music Department at K-State sponsors the  Music Program for
> Young Children. supported by the Manhattan Arts Center, and the
> Theatre Department works with high school students each year.  The ECL
> program for young children at K-State follows the visual art
> fundamentals of the Reggio Emilia approach developed in Italy.  Other
> schools and youth organizations should take their lead from these
> programs and avail themselves of the arts programs offered in
> Manhattan.
>
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