Schools

5 Reasons Why Art Education Still Matters in the Classroom

With work from the annual art showcase by Community Consolidated School District 146 on display throughout April, Patch asked a middle school art teacher why students still needed art in the curriculum.

As school budgets are being trimmed because districts are unable to rely on the same state funding it had in the past, curriculum areas such as art have become endangered species.

These classes and programs are usually the first on the proverbial chopping block, because they're considered luxuries in comparison to the essential core classes based around math and English.

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But districts, such as Community Consolidated School District 146, still find ways to expose students to art and allow them to flex their own creative muscles. In the classroom, teachers, such as Central Middle School's Cindy DePinto-Dawud, shows students how to build a concept and see the project through completion, according to a D146 newsletter article from last year.

With this approach, DePinto-Dawud has students exercise their reading and writing skills, alongside developing tools for problem-solving and analysis, the report added.

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Outside the classroom, the district encourages students to create their own art for the annual Creative Expression Artistic Showcase. Each year, students from all of the district's schools are able to submit original artwork made outside class to be part of the juried art exhibit. Twelve works are then chosen to be on display at the Tinley Park Public Library throughout April.

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With the showcase's reception Wednesday, April 10, Patch asked DePinto-Dawud for five researched-based reasons why art is vital in a child’s education. Here's how she answered:

  • Students use critical thinking skills to solve creative problems in art from concept to completion.
  • Art is linked with improvements in motivation, higher-level creative thinking and concentration.
  • Successful visual communication builds confidence in students.
  • Art encompasses all other subjects, especially math.
  • Students reflect on their own work as well as others’ through analysis and critique.

For 12 other potential reasons, check out this article's media gallery for a look at the artwork of the students who earned a spot in the showcase.

Annual District 146 Creative Expressions Artist Showcase Reception

 When: 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 10. The artwork will be displayed throughout April.
Where: Tinley Park Public Library
Cost: Free

YOUR TURN: What do you think about the importance of art in the classroom? Is it a way to teach students not only about creativity but also allow them to develop other practical skills, such as problem-solving? Or is it an unnecessary luxury at a time when schools struggle with math and English scores? Share your thoughts in the comments sections.

 

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