Obama’s Promise to Increase Arts Education in School
Posted January 24th, 2009 by adminDuring his presidential campaign, Barack Obama has been advocating increasing art education. He noted that children who are encouraged to study art in school perform at an overall higher academic level. “In addition to giving our children the science and math skills they need to compete in the new global context, we should also encourage the ability to think creatively that comes from a meaningful arts education,” he said. “Unfortunately, many school districts are cutting instructional time for art and music education.”
Watch video link of Obama discussing arts education at a town meeting on April 2, 2008
Numerous extensive tests in recent decades have clearly shown that children who study arts when they are young become not only more creative and intelligent later in life, but they also have higher IQs.
In fact, a person’s creative ability is often a core component used in measuring IQ. President Obama is advocating the creation of an “Artist Corps” that is sent into low-income schools to promote arts curriculum and education.
The President has pointed out that such programs require very little financial backing and will undoubtedly yield major long-term benefits. The relatively low cost of arts education is a major selling point and bodes well that these types of programs will be implemented, despite the current economic conditions.
While I agree that art education is of great benefit to students, the issue at hand is what expectations to perform academically are placed on schools.
Schools all have state-wide testing in which they are rated and ranked. Art is not a component on those tests! The assessments evaluate how students are achieving in terms of reading, writing and math.
While art education can lead to higher performing students down the road, the immediate concern is getting students to perform at grade level on content areas. Money that could be spent on art education is going to tutoring and intervention programs.
Perhaps if the states could change the assessment process, schools could actually be free to do what is good for students in all areas.
Comment by Daisygirl — March 30, 2009 @ 2:22 pm
It’s great to think that our President sees the importance of art education. I hope that he also understands the reason why schools don’t focus on art.
Schools are under a tremendous amount of pressure to perform academically. Every year there is state testing and the results of that testing gives schools a rating and they are ranked based on performance. Testing such as this forces schools to focus the majority of their attention of reading, writing and math.
With school budgets being tight and the pressure to perform being great, schools spend money towards programs that will lead to higher academic achievement such as tutoring and intervention programs.
Although art education does have many benefits, the immediate concern is for students to perform well in the content areas. I wish our President could rethink state assessments.
Comment by Daisygirl — March 30, 2009 @ 2:51 pm
I think it’s a very positive effort to restore some of the arts education in public schools.
I’ve been reading for years about the neglect of music education in particular. I think appreciation of the arts is part of a well-rounded education.
Comment by Ricardo — April 5, 2009 @ 10:33 am
This is wonderful. Many student’s lives are enriched by good arts programs at their schools. It’s great too, because it introduces them to various arts, and helps them to identify areas of strength for them to excel in for the future.
Comment by brainyhousewife — April 5, 2009 @ 10:24 pm
It’s good to see that Obama sees the need for our schools to teach the arts as well as math and science. Too many times it’s the arts that are cut off when there are budget problems. Music, art history, and all the other subjects that fall into this area are just as important as all the other subjects children are taught.
Comment by skatss — April 9, 2009 @ 9:28 am
I can actually imagine a few ways that art could be made into a subject that could be evaluated in testing. Believe me, it’s not really a pleasant thought, but I know I would have been more relaxed and confidant if there had been a drawing section in standardized tests when I was taking them. I’m not suggesting the be rated as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, but evaluators can look at what a child has put down and make some observations on how they judge the world around them and so on. These observations might be useful in explaining the scores from the other portions of the test.
Comment by maculate — April 10, 2009 @ 8:43 pm
There has been a study that Music actually makes you smarter. So I guess arts has more to offer than just expression.
Comment by elfenliedagain — June 26, 2009 @ 12:12 pm