Blog
The Impact of the Arts in the Classroom
In an effort to push the arts back into the classroom as fully accepted core subjects, The Teacher’s Academy will continue to shine a light on the positive academic and social impact the arts have on students of all ages.
Our course, Integrating the Arts in the Classroom, offers teacher data driven- research backed evidence of social, emotional and academic growth experienced by students who have had an integrated arts program during their scholastic tenure. Studies also show that the lack of exposure to the arts leads to increase behavior issues, truancy, and drop-out rates. Additional benefits from and integrated arts program are: motivation, engagement, self-confidence and pride. As teachers, we can also use artwork to begin difficult discussions on subjects like racism, immigration and social injustice. We can also use it to hopefully, open the hearts of our young learners. (Kaphar, Titus Kaphar Studio, 2021).
Enjoy these clips from our course: Integrating the Arts in the Classroom.
FIND YOUR INNER ARTIST
Whether you are a natural artist or not, creating art might be the hardest part for most of us. However, if you have gathered ideas, visualizations, scenes and maybe even a melody in your head, you are on your way to creating something that affects you deeply. In turn, that creation may have the same effect on others. In the research section of this course, you were asked to develop a thesis statement. This is one sentence that answers the research question.
Sit for a moment with the thesis statement you wrote and all the supporting evidence you gathered from your research. Consider the revelations in your research that affected you most. Was it a story you heard? A song lyric that’s stuck in your head? An image from a photograph you can’t seem to shake? The smell of the trash that’s still making you nauseous? Learn what type of artist you are by the things that have the strongest effects on your mental and emotional state. Then, without reservation or apology, create something that represents that feeling. That “something” may still be a sticking point.
Here are a few ideas for budding artists to attempt:
- Sketch/ Drawing/ Painting- combination of art mediums
- Poem/ Lyrics
- Scripted Scene
- Album cover
- Playbill cover / Insert
- Improvised Scene
- Book cover and summary
- Interpretive Dance
- Mural
- Comic Strip
- Scene
- Sculpture
- Photograph
- Bulletin Board
- Poster
- Advertisement
- Edited Photograph (A photo that has been manipulated to portray or enhance a theme)
ARTIST STUDY
Clearly, there is enough evidence to prove that integrating the arts into the curriculum has academic value. It also has social, cultural and inter-personal value. Art reflects personal stories and personal experiences and it can open our hearts or change our perceptions in a very non-threatening way. When we view artwork, we are getting a glimpse of the artist’s vulnerabilities, their inner thoughts, fears, pain, sadness, joy, excitement, etc. When we create artwork, we are exposing ourselves to analysis and criticism. Through artwork, our students experience vulnerability from two different viewpoints. (One from the perspective of the artist and one as the artist.) These experiences help to build empathy and understanding in our students so they become more accepting of differences, more tolerant and more compassionate. Continue to discover more about our featured artists and creative ways to Integrate the Arts in the Classroom.
Renew your educator license with online courses from The Teacher’s Academy. Our courses offer teachers strategies, resources and projects that are designed to be used in the classroom right away. Maintaining your teaching license is easy, quick and affordable. The Teacher’s Academy courses are accepted in over 25 states including:
- Teaching license, Act 48 Hours in Pennsylvania
- CPE #902185 Clock Hours Texas
- On Going Professional Development Colorado
- Professional Conference/Workshop, Professional Growth Points, Indiana
- Continuing Education, Professional Development Points, Tennessee
- Professional Development Points Virginia