Amen! I wish I could hand this article to every administrator and teacher and ensure that they read it.
This article not only supports the VTS curriculum and how important it is for students to observe in the art room but how it transfers to science and other subjects and how in turn this supports STEAM. We have school board members that believe adding art to STEM will "water it down". Clearly, they are missing important skills that the visual arts foster. Branching out from innovation, VTS gives students confidence to take risks. Students realize that their ideas come from their thoughts and experiences and they build confidence to put forth their ideas through VTS discussions. Students analyze and judge images as they discuss the work which builds on the studio habit, reflection. The arts offer so many skills independent of other subject areas. Classroom teachers are recognizing these skills. I have had teachers ask to help them with their drawing because they realize early student writing is done through images. It's a slow shift but it is happening.
Why Do We Teach Arts in the Schools?
Winner and Heatland are giving the arts room to stand alone based on the skill set it can offer students a more winning argument than simply they support standardized tests. But the article argues that the arts do help in other subject areas and that is not a bad thing. VTS supports the work arts can transfer in schools and is backed with research. Many studies supporting arts in our schools are tough to measure. The article states research done to study VTS supports raised test scores. As an arts educator, all of these studies can be used to support the visual arts in schools regardless if art raised tests scores and transfers to other subjects or can independently build various studio skill sets. By using both sides of the research we build a stronger case for our art programs.
Image #5
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