Art is everywhere; Signs displaying artist created logos adorn commercial buildings, with the signs themselves a work of art. Designers and artists create everything from the clothes we wear and the style of our hair to the cars we drive and the homes we live in. Even such items as telephones and office equipment are born first in the mind of an artist. Not as obvious are the ways in which we solve problems and navigate our lives using the skills we most likely learned in Art class. As an art teacher in my tenth year of teaching art, and over twenty years of experience as a professional artist, I am keenly aware of how art and the creative process enrich people’s lives. Art class not only teaches students how to create art, but also teaches valuable skills that students can use in every aspect of life. Unfortunately, economic struggles are forcing school administrators to make cuts in the classes that are offered and art is one of the first classes to be cut. Art teaches students many valuable skills they need to thrive in the world, and even skills that integrate with, and enhance the lessons taught in other subjects, therefore Art class should be saved.
What makes administrators decide to cut art first? Many educators mistakenly perceive Art class as a place where students simply play with paint, paper, and crayons. Art class is perceived as a place where students are just having fun and not learning valuable skills students need to thrive in academics and in life. In addition, some educators view core subjects as teaching the most important skills students will need to survive in the world. It is definitely true that students need the skills taught in what are called, “core” subjects in order to thrive in the world: Core subjects typically include English, Math, Science, and Social Studies. However, students equally need the skills developed in Art class: Creativity, creative problem solving, eye hand coordination, self expression, patience, perseverance, and the ability to think abstractly, to name a few. To clarify, creativity is the ability to invent new and original ideas or things, using the imagination (Encarta).
The skills students learn in Art class give them the ability to creatively use and apply the skills they learn in other academic subjects. For example, a student in English class is assigned an essay to write. Writing is self expression with words that are orchestrated from the imagination. To begin, this student may choose to free-write in order to brainstorm material for the essay. Abstract thinking flows freely while free-writing and writing requires eye-hand coordination. After the free-writing is finished, the information must be organized into a rough draft. Creativity plays a key role in organizing information for an essay as it transforms otherwise bland, random information into an engaging essay that communicates the author’s ideas effectively and interests readers. Next, creativity is further used to revise the rough draft and prepare the essay for editing. The entire process of writing an essay combines the skills learned from both English and Art classes. This example illustrates the use of skills learned in Art class in an academic setting. What about real life? How do the skills learned in Art class benefit a person in his or her every- day life?
Finding meaningful employment serves as a realistic example of a challenge many students face in life outside of school. Many students begin a job search by developing a resume. As many professional employment services advise, a resume, a document that requires self expression, should have an element of creativity that sets it apart from all the other resumes a potential employer may have on his or her desk. Once the resume is complete, it is time to look for available jobs. Searching the want-ad section of the newspaper is the most obvious place to start, but what other resources are available? Enter abstract thinking and creative problem solving skills. Using imagination, a potential employee may decide to create business cards with contact information and a clever phrase or image that can be personally delivered to potential employers. Not only does this demonstrate creativity, but it also illustrates perseverance to a potential employer. Using the skills learned in Art class does not end after a student secures a job. On the contrary, there are many more opportunities to use creative skills on the job.
Students who work in addition to attending school quickly learn that most academic subjects are interconnected. For example, a student working in a pottery studio’s glazing department must learn a variety of skills from multiple academic disciplines: Math, to calculate volumes and estimate glaze shrinkage, Physical science to predict and analyze the effects of kiln temperatures and rates of change, Chemistry to formulate glaze recipes that will produce a desired effect, Art to design patterns and determine glaze application, History to research what has already been done so materials are used most efficiently, and English to document the entire process so that it can be repeated successfully. Most jobs require the proficient use and application of skills learned from a variety of academic disciplines, including Art.
Art and the creative process teach students how to communicate with visual symbols, with music and through theatre. Art also teaches valuable life skills. Cutting art from K-12 curriculum is a disservice to society as well as students. Society is robbed of citizens that can express themselves effectively and solve problems with creative, imaginative solutions. Without the valuable lessons learned in Art class, students graduate high school without the benefit of skills that could enable them a higher quality of life. As a society, we need citizens that are capable of creative problem solving, the ability to express themselves whether using visual symbols or spoken language, and to think abstractly. As a society, we need to provide our students with the valuable lessons that are most effectively learned in Art class.
Works cited
Encarta World Dictionary (North American Edition). Microsoft Corporation. 2009. http://www.bing.com/Dictionary/search?q=define+creativity&FORM=DTPDIA&qpvt=creativity
