2011 is the 20th anniversary of the George Lucas Foundation, Edutopia.  Edutopia.org “spreads the word about ideal, interactive learning environments and enables others to adapt these successes locally”.  With art education quickly being diminished from many elementary schools, it is so great to see that on Edutopia.org, they are teaching and inspiring successful art integration within schools.

In their article, “Why Arts Education Must Be Saved”, Edutopia gives us five amazing reports on the success of academically integrated arts curriculum. Read about National Novel Writing Month, coming up in November, or watch a video of students singing Opera, to increase brain-based learning. Click here to find these stories and more.

Follow the below link to read this interesting article written by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman for Newsweek.

The Creative Crisis

Art education does more than just teach kids how to draw and paint. According to Tom Jacobs from Miller-McCune, research in education shows children need more than just math and reading skills to succeed later in life.  Schools who neglect arts in their curriculum will graduate students who lack fundamental social skills and are unprepared for “the jobs of tomorrow.”

Researcher Liane Brouillette from the University of California—Irvine believes the arts are an invaluable tool in teaching the benefits of relationships.

“[The arts] naturally and frequently involve group tasks. Activities such as dramatic play or dancing in unison provide a venue for learning collaboration and cooperation.”

To read more about how the arts can serve as a forum for discussion of emotions and other sensitive classroom issues, please click on the link below.  

Arts Programs Foster More Than Creativity

In the quest to increase children’s reading and math scores and to secure financial support from the federal government, schools have severely scaled down and even eliminated their arts programs. What is the real cost in depriving children of an arts education?

Tim Gebhart of the Epoch Times reports that arts education has been shown to enhance children’s learning and overall development.

“Many studies show that involvement in the arts drastically improves SAT scores. Children involved in the arts are more likely to get involved in other school programs, are less likely to use drugs, are less prone to stress, and tend to have a more positive outlook on life.”

Click below and find out how the arts can predict a child’s future success in college and beyond, and tell us how the arts have bettered your life.

Arts Essential for Making the Grade in Education

 Read   “Don’t cheat children out of arts education”

“As a product of the public school system, I believe the availability of art education, and the tools necessary to keep up with the technologically advanced direction art is taking these days, needs to be recognized as a serious problem plaguing our public school system.

Chicago was a city built and designed by artists; it was a city that piloted the art education movement with the establishment of the Art Institute as the Academy of Fine Arts in 1879, so why is this very avant-garde location letting the availability of art to its public schools fall behind in comparison to the rest of the country?

Studies have shown an art-infused education leads to better standardized test scores. Also, according to a study by the National Center of Education Statistics, 90 percent of schools nationwide offer visual arts programs, whereas Illinois stands at only 63 percent.

Art assimilation in the classroom teaches children and young adults to build relationships with others while collaborating on a project. As you can see, with the right tools and resources we can help educate and guide the next Daniel Burnham or Frank Lloyd Wright.”

In a new book coming out “Studio Thinking: The Real Benefits of Visual Arts Education” (Teachers College Press), scholars Ellen Winner and Lois Hetland of Project Zero argue forcefully for the benefits of art education.

Their philosophy focuses on the arts being critical for art itself.  “In their view art education should be championed for its own sake, not because of a wishful sentiment that classes in painting, dance and music improve pupils’ math and reading skills and standardized test scores.”  In 2000 they published research indicating that art classes do not improve a child’s academic abilities. This study met with a great deal of argument. In their new book they argue  for the benefits of art education, while still defending their 2000 thesis.

Read more about their research in

Role of Arts in School

“A shrinking budget doesn’t have to mean saying goodbye to arts programs. Here are some creative ways to find the funding you need.”

Read more:

http://The Art of Funding

Read the full article at:
http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2009/04/16/arts-and-smarts-test-scores-and-cognitive-development/