Exploring the Importance of Art Education

By Cady Schulman

At a time when some educators are obsessed with rankings on standardized tests and many school systems face spending cuts, arts education can be seen as a luxury. But studies have shown that instruction in visual arts, music, theater and other disciplines can promote cognitive abilities, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

According to the advocacy group Americans for the Arts, arts education stimulates critical thinking, refines cognitive and creative skills and strengthens problem-solving. Participation in arts programs has also been linked with gains in math, reading and other areas, according to the research compendium Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Achievement and Social Development. 

“Research in education is showing us that the creative thought process … [and] the high order of thinking skills we need to be instilling in kids are a fundamental component of their intelligence,” says Kevin Glass, headmaster of Atlanta International School (AIS).

What it is and why it’s important

By DANIEL BEAUREGARD

As technology continues to expand at a rapid rate, careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) are among the fastest-growing jobs in the nation. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economics and Statistics Administration, STEM-related job growth was three times greater than that of non-STEM jobs over the last 10 years. Over the next decade, STEM jobs are expected to grow at an even faster rate as those fields take on an increased importance due to continuing technological advances.