This information is courtesy of Seneca Academy about why arts integration in education is so important.  We are highlighting a few of their reasons below:

1. Working in the arts helps learners to develop creative problem-solving skills.

2. Teaching through the arts can present difficult concepts visually, making them more easy to understand.

3. Art instruction helps children with the development of motor skills, language skills, social skills, decision-making, risk-taking, and inventiveness.

4. Visual arts teach learners about color, layout, perspective, and balance: all techniques that are necessary in presentations (visual, digital) of academic work.

5. Integrating art with other disciplines reaches students who might not otherwise be engaged in classwork.

6. Arts experiences boost critical thinking, teaching students to take the time to be more careful and thorough in how they observe the world.

7. The arts provide challenges for learners at all levels.

8. Art education connects students with their own culture as well as with the wider world.

9. A report by Americans for the Arts states that young people who participate regularly in the arts (three hours a day on three days each week through one full year) are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a math and science fair, or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate.

10. A study of Missouri public schools in 2010 found that greater arts education led to fewer disciplinary infractions and higher attendance, graduation rates, and test scores.

Other Sources:

The U.S. News & World Report states that while arts programs often fall victim to budget cuts, they can be an important contributor to students' overall success at school. Arts education can help kids:

• Engage with school and reduce stress.

• Develop social-emotional and interpersonal skills.

• Enrich their experiences.

• Handle constructive criticism.

• Bolster academic achievement.

• Improve focus.

In an article entitled "The Importance of Art Education" on the website for Arapahoe Community College they ask the question... Why is art education so important? It reflects our history, traditions, culture, and ourselves. It allows us to dive deep into different topics, emotions and provides the opportunity to reflect on who we are and what we believe in. It embodies critical, analytical, and conceptual thinking and is brave enough to let us explore and learn about different concepts and perspectives. As our culture and education increase STEM learning, the arts can help students develop the kind of creativity, ingenuity, communication, and performance skills that will assist them throughout their education and career.

• The Value of Arts Education~ The American Academy of Arts & Sciences