Reasons to support the argument for arts in the classroom.

As one of the creators of KinderArt.com, I often receive letters from teachers who work in public school systems where the arts are not a priority. Faced with dilemmas like how to raise test scores and how to stretch budgets as far as they can go, school board officials need to make tough decisions.

It is always disturbing to hear of yet another set of district policymakers doing away with arts education in the schools. Trouble is, many hold the misconception that art is a superfluous, isolated subject when, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

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Teaching your students about art is a good idea—here’s why:

• It’s been proven that early exposure to visual art, music, or drama promotes activity in the brain.
• Art helps children understand other subjects much more clearly—from math and science to language arts and geography.
• Art nurtures inventiveness as it engages children in a process that aids in the development of self-esteem, self-discipline, cooperation, and self-motivation.
• Participating in art activities helps children to gain the tools necessary for understanding human experience, adapting to and respecting others’ ways of working and thinking, developing creative problem-solving skills, and communicating thoughts and ideas in a variety of ways.

So, where do you begin? Start by remembering that teaching children about art is not just about showing them how to recognize a van Gogh or Picasso, it’s about preparing young minds for a future of invaluable experiences—art related or otherwise.