Art Is Impactful

Art is a popular elective because it gives students an opportunity to create and express themselves. Art is not only just painting and drawing; you also get to learn about new skills, different materials, and even make unique projects. Students say that they enjoy art class because it is almost like a free period, since it can be relaxing from all the art surrounding the welcoming classroom.

Ms. Gordon, the art teacher at Fitz who teaches 7th and 8th graders, is definitely known for being relatable, patient, and supportive. She helps students understand new forming techniques and encourages her students to try their best. Ms. Gordon really enjoys her job because, according to her, “The central purpose of this art program is to cultivate unshakeable creative confidence in every student. By mastering the process of turning a unique idea into a creation, students gain the essential problem-solving skills and independent thinking needed to navigate a complex, successful life.” This proves that she wants her students to try even when everything is hard, and that shows her love as an art teacher.

Art class is not just about trying things with materials or technique. There's more to it; students have the opportunity to use oil pastel, paint with watercolors, or use clay to make sculptures. Doing projects teaches students to really see how much they have improved, even when art can be difficult, such as projects, a lot of patience, or when you have a drawing that you picture in your head doesn’t turn out the right way. One of the 7th graders stated, “How long it takes to finish, and a lot of effort and patience.” Learning new techniques is hard, especially for beginners or for someone who doesn’t have steady hands. These challenges occur to teach students and teachers not to give up or teach them a lesson on how to improve, so the next time they do it, they can do it better.         

Not everyone might agree with my opinion and might say that Choir, Band, STEM, or other electives are better. These classes also teach important skills, help students express themselves, or even give them different opportunities that can help them in the future. Some students might not pick Art since it’s only a one-semester elective, and they would rather choose a year-long elective. According to Ms. Gordon, “Art is way more than just drawing and making pretty things. It is a powerful tool for building knowledge across all subjects, and there are essential life skills that are developed through the creativity of art.” So, even with every subject, it all has to include Art. Students also might feel more comfortable in other electives, so they might think art is going to be useless in their future, but they are wrong because it teaches creativity, patience, and can be found relieving to do.

In conclusion, art is more like a class; it's more of a space to feel free, get creative, and relax. Now, you may think other electives are better, but everyone has a different perspective on everything, and I will still continue to always keep art as an option for next year's elective.