Levy1

ChenoaLevy
TinaChavez
SeniorInternship
17December2015
ArtintheCoreCurriculum
Introduction
ThatlookswonderfulChenoa.YourpaintingisoneofthebestIveseenallday!
Iknewshewaslying,shewasateacherpaidtoencourageanythingIcreatednomatter
howunattractiveitsappearence.StillIbeamedwithprideandwenthometoshowoffmy
masterpiecetomyfamily.Thiswasonlythebeginningofaverylonganddifficultrelationship
withart.Whiletheartshaveneverbeenmystrongsuitinschool,theyhavemajorlyinfluenced
myacademiccareer.Ibelievethattheartsareimportantforaquintessentialeducationtheymay
notinitiallyseemtoholdthesameweightasmathematicsorsciencebuttheycanbejustas
impactfultoastudent.MyinterestinarteducationleadmetomyinternshipattheDiscovery
ChildrensMuseuminEscondido,California.Themuseumencourageschilddevelopment
throughthemeansofartandexploration.
Therearemanyformsofartdance,music,painting,theatreandeachcarrythesame
weightofimportanceinthedevelopmentandeducationofachild.Whileartmaynotbe
regardedasasignificantfactorinearlychildhoodeducationandisoftentimesseenasan
anomalywhendiscussingaschoolscurriculum,artisanessentialelementineducation.
Howeverwithmanycutbacksinschoolfunding,curriculumshavebeenshowingafocusmore
oncommoncoresubjectssuchasmath,science,andreading,entirelydisregardingthe

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importanceofartintheeducationsystem.Artisasimportantastheothersubjectspushedin
schools.Nonethelessmanyfailtoseetheimportanceofartinayoungchildsdevelopment.Asa
studentwhocurrentlyattendsaschoolwithafocusontheSTEAMcurriculum,Iwouldliketo
furtherexploretheimportanceofincorporatingartintheeducationsystemandtheeffectithas
onastudentsacademicachievementsaswellashowvisualartshelpimproveearlychild
development.MyInterestinartsandeducationleadmetomyessentialquestion:shouldartbe
consideredapartcorecurriculumforelementary

Background
ArthasbeenanintegralaspectoftheUnitedStatesschoolsystemforcenturies.Oneof
thefirstsupportersofartinschoolcurriculumwasWilliamMinifie.Minifieadvocatedforthe
implementationofartsintheschoolcurriculumhearguedthattheartswereamethodof
fosteringcreativeandskillfullytrainedpupilsfortheadvancingindustry(Macdonald253).Since
thelate1880s,arthashadasignificantplaceintheschoolcurriculum.However,duetobudget
cuts,artsprogramshasbeenseenasatrivialaspectintheschoolcurriculumandthereforehave
beenonthechoppingblockintheprocessofminimizingschoolcosts.
Schoolstendtoputagreateremphasisoncoresubjects.Programsrecentlyintroducedby
thegovernment,suchasNoChildLeftBehindandtheCommonCoreStateStandards,have
playedamajorroleinthedecreaseinfundingforartprogramsinschools.TheNoChildLeft
Behind(NCLB)Actensuresthateverystudent,nomatterrace,religion,ethnicityorclass,has
thesamehighqualityeducation.NCLBprioritizesstandardizedsubjectssuchasmathand
readingconsequently,mostoftheschoolsfundinggoestowardsthesesubjectsultimately

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eliminatingartprogramsinschools(Metla).SimilarlyCommonCoreStateStandards(CCSS),
readieschildrenfortheirfuturecareersincollegebyplacingagreateremphasisonmathand
readingsubjects(Metla).CCSSandNCLBencourageschooldistrictstoallocatemoreoftheir
fundingtowardscommoncoresubjectsandneglecttheirartprograms.Inrecentyearstherehas
beentheideaoftransitioningthecurrentschoolcurriculumtoSTEM(Science,Technology,
Engineering,andMathematics).WhileSTEMisgearedtowardspreparingstudentsforthe
unpredictablefuture,itneglectstheimportancearthasinthispreparation.Withchangetothe
standardcorecurriculum,artshouldbeconsideredinthischangebecauseofthemajorimpactit
hasonachildsdevelopmentthroughouthisorhersschoolcareer.
Duetotherecession,budgetscutswereconsistentinschoolsacrosstheU.S.Since2008,
morethan80percentofschoolsnationwideexperiencedcutstotheirbudgets(Metla).Thefirst
ofthesesubjectstoreceivebudgetcutswereartprograms.Danceandtheatreclassesinparticular
werecutdrastically.Duringthe19992000schoolyear,20percentofschoolsoffereddanceand
theatreclasses,butinthe200910schoolyear,only3percentofschoolsallocatedfundsfor
danceclasses,andonly4percenttaughttheatre
(Metla)
.Thenumberofschoolsofferingvisual
artsprogramsdroppedfrom87percentin19992000to83percentin200910(Metla).Public
schoolsinmajorcities,includingChicago,Philadelphia,LosAngeles,andWashington,DC,still
strugglewithbudgetcuts,resultinginthecontinuedeliminationofartprogramsacrossaffected
schooldistricts.Duetobudgetconstraints,fewerschoolsofferartclassestodaythanadecade
ago.
Althoughschooldistrictshavenotyetfullyrecoveredfromtheseverebudgetcutsfaced
duringtherecession,therehavebeenfewattemptstorevivetheartsinschools.TheNational

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CoreArtStandards,forexample,wasdevelopedin2014inordertopromotetheintegrationof
artclasses.Inadditionafewschoolshaveintegratedartthroughdifferentmethods.By
incorporatingartintodifferentformsofthecurriculum,teachershavebeenabletoenhancetheir
classlessons.Thisincludessupplementingcoresubjectlessonswithartactivitiesasawayfor
thelessontoleavealastingimpression
(VincentLancrin&Goldstein,15)
.Othershaveformed
groupsadvocatingforthereimplementationofartintotheschoolcurriculum.
Incorporationofartinthecorecurriculumofschoolsprovestobenotonlyawayfor
studentstoexpresstheircreativity,butservesasauniversalbenefitaswell.Artseducation
equipsstudentswithinnovativeandcriticalthinkingskills.Inaresearchdoneby
VincentLancrinandGoldsteinitwasshownthatstudentswhoparticipateinartprogramshave
beenproventoexcelacademicallyovertheirpeerswhoarelessinvolvedinthearts
(VincentLancrin&Goldstein,23).Theskillsacquiredandtheacademicbenefitsofarts
programsareessentialincreatingawholesomeschoolcurriculumforstudents.

Methods
Theprimaryfocusofthisessayistheimpactandsignificanceofartintheschool
curriculum.DiscoveryMuseumpromotescreativityandexplorationthroughart.Iwantedtotake
thisideaandunderstandtheimpactofartinatraditionalschoolenvironmentaswellas
determineifartistrulyanintegralpartofachildseducationanddevelopment.Inordertocome
upwithavalidresponsetothequestionShouldartbeacoresubjectinelementaryschools?I
neededtocollectdata.Ididsothroughthemeansofminiatureinterviewsheldatthesiteofmy
internship.Thelocationofmyinternshipisamuseumthatattractsadiversegroupofcustomers

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rangingfromparentstoteachers.Itisoftenverybusy,withkidsrangingfrom18primarily
usingthefacilities.However,forthepurposeofmyresearchIchosetofocusprimarilyon
responsesfromteacherswhovisitedthemuseumforworkshopslessonswithanartfocusthe
museumhoststoschoolsvisitingthemuseumforafieldtrip.Ifocusedoninterviewingteachers
becauseIwantedtobetterunderstandtheeffectofartintheirownteachingenvironments,and
theirpersonalexperienceofartintheclassroom.Inaddition,whobettertotalkaboutthe
significanceofartinaclassroom,theteacherswhonotonlyequippedwithexperienceonthe
topicbuthavealsogonetoschoolandhavepursuedacareerintheeducationofchildren.
Ofthechoicepresentedforcollectingdata,Ifeltasthoughinterviewswouldprovideme
withthemosthelpfulinformationformyessay.Forstarters,IknewthatIwouldnotbeableto
measurethelongtermeffectsofasinglesubjectthatacasestudyrequiresastheschoolswho
visitthemuseumareofteninterchangeableandnooneschoolvisitsthemuseumoftenenough
formetoproperlyobservethemforacasestudy.Inaddition,observationwouldalsobedifficult
becauseIwouldnotbeabletocompareandcontrastthestudentstypicalbehaviourinanonart
basedlessontothatofalessonwithanartfocus.Asurveywouldnotprovidemewithenoughin
depthinsightsformetoformaconclusion.Thisleftmewithconductingaseriesofinterviews.
ThroughthismethodIwouldbeabletoviewthequestionthroughateacher'sperspectiveandI
wouldbeabletodocumenthisorherspersonalexperienceofinvolvingartintheclassroomand
whetherornotithelpedorhinderedtheirlessons.

Analysis

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Theartsarefundamentaltoastudentandhisorhereducation.Thereisanevident
correlationbetweenachildsacademicsuccessandtheirinvolvementinartprogramsthroughout
theirschoolcareer.Furthermoretheartsbenefitsachildsinterpersonalskillsaswellasbetter
preparethemforasuccessfulfuture.
Teachersalsowitnessfirsthandtheimpactarthasonastudentseducation.Elementary
schoolteachersthoughtsandopinionsonthesubjectofarteducationwererecordedthrougha
seriesofinterviewsconductedattheDiscoveryChildrensMuseumlocatedinEscondido
California.AsquotedbyoneteacherWellsinceweareapreschoolItrytofinddifferentways
toincorporateartintomyclasseveryday.isisclearthatthisparticularteachervaluesartinthe
classroom.Shehasnotonlyconveyedherpersonalsuccessofartbasedlessonsinherclassroom,
butalsothedesiretofurtherpursuetheincorporationofartintoherfuturelessonplans.
Furthermoretheteachermentionsthenotionofexpandingartoutsideofsimplyincorporatingart
intosubjects,IwishIwasbetteratart,itskindofdifficultformetoteachthekidssomething
Imnotverygoodat.Weshouldconsiderhiringmoreartteachers(Interview2).theteacher
presentstheideathathavingatypicalcorebasedteacherinstructartlessonsisnotenoughand
schoolsshouldconsiderputtingmorefundingtowardsartclassesandprogramsinschools.Orat
leastconsiderhiringteachingwithbetteradeptskillsinthearts.Withthepresenteddatafrom
actualteachers,itisnotpresumptuoustoassumethatteachersfindartsignificantinachilds
education.Theseteachersareabletowitnessthebenefitsofartintheclassroomandhave
actuallyadvocatedforfurtherimplementation.
IntheirpapertitledArtsattheCore:
RecommendationsforAdvancingtheStateofArts
Educationinthe21stCentury

CollegeBoard
suggeststhatstudentswhopartakeinsomesort

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ofartprogram(theatre,music,artclasses)wereabletobetterassimilateincommoncore
subjectssuchasmathematicsandreading(p.11).Inaddition,
collegeboard
suggeststhatby
implementingartsprogramsinschoolsforearliergradessuchasprekandelementaryschool
thesestudentsaremorelikelytoenrollinchallengingcoursesinmiddleandhighschool,asa
resultincreasingtheamountofstudentswhoattendcollege(pp.1112).Theevidencepointstoa
positiverelationshipbetweenastudentsinvolvementinartandacademicachievement.
Otherexpertsandresearcherssupporttheclaimthatartsbenefitschildrenacademically.
OnesuchresearcherisElizabethSpeckle.Speckle,adevelopmentalpsychologyprofessorat
Harvard,stressesthatthereisnodoubtaconnectionbetweenhowachildperformsinschooland
hisorhersparticipationinartprograms.InherresearchSpeckleclaimsthatstudentswhoare
involvedinmusicprogramsshowedagreaterdepthofunderstandinginmath,specifically
geometry,thantheirpeers(CollegeBoard,p.13).Besidesmath,ithasalsobeenshownthat
studentsinvolvedinartsprogramsachievegreatertestcores.Studentswhohadenrolledinart
classesforgreaterlengthsoftimestypicallyhadgreaterSATscoresintheverbalandmath
sections(NASAA,p.8.).Theresearchpointstoacorrelationbetweenachild'sabilitytonot
onlyunderstandsubjectmatterbutalso,dobetterthanstudentsnotasinvolvedinartprograms.
Beyondthebenefitsofincorporatingartintoothersubjects,artprogramsontheirownare
justimportantforfosteringwellroundedstudents.Thefineartsalsoprovidestudentswith
nonacademicbenefitsthatdevelopastrongcharactersuchaspromotingselfesteem,
motivation,aestheticawareness,culturalexposure,creativity,improvedemotionalexpression,as
wellassocialharmonyandappreciationofdiversity(Lehman).Theseskillsareallessentialin
ensuringastudentisamodel21stcenturycitizen,preparedforthechangingenvironment.In

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additiontointerpersonalskillstheartsallowsstudentstodevelopsocialskills.Artprojectscould
buildteamworkandteachstudentstoworkwithotherstudentsinordertocompleteapiece
(Interview1).Itisnotjustdrawingandpaintingthatencourageskillsinchildren,butalsoother
artprogramssuchastheatre,musicanddance.AstudydonebytheArtsEducationPartnership,
illustrateshowvariousformsofartbenefitsstudentsindifferentways.Forexample,dramacan
improveachildsverbalskillsaswellastheirunderstandingofsocialrelationshipsandcomplex
emotions(NASAA,p.9).Inadditionotherformsofartsuchasdancecanimproveachilds
creativethinkingskillsandteachesthemhowtoexpressthemselvesbetter(NASAA,p.9).There
areevidentlybeneficialeffectsofartprogramsgobeyondacademicachievement,thatteach
childrenskillstobevaluablemembersofsociety.
Throughthepresentedinformationitisevidentthatthereshouldbeabiggerpushforart
programsinschools.Itisclearthatthebenefitsofarteducationforchildrenaretoovastto
ignore.Childrenlearnskillstheywillneedastheyprogressthroughschoolandbynotproviding
artsprogramstostudentsisrobbingthemofaschoolcareerwheretheycanbuildmorethanjust
theiracademicprofilebutalsotheirpersonalqualities.Artsprogramsshouldbeimplemented
intotheearliestgradessothatasachildprogressesthroughschooltheyareadeptfortheirfuture.
ActionPlan
Thesiteofmyinternshipisnotatraditionalschoolenvironment,buttheymaintainthe
coreideathatartshouldbeasignificantfactorinastudentseducation.ForthisreasonIbelieve
itessentialthatthemuseumattempttoencourageartintheschoolcurriculum.
Afewoftheteachersinterviewsreferencedthefactthattheydonotfeelconfident
enoughintheirowntheirownartisticabilitiestoincorporateartintotheirlessons.Themuseum

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shouldconsiderhostingworkshopsforteacherstoteachthemdifferentmethodstoincorporate
elementsofartsintotheirclasslessons.Ifthisprovestodifficultforeitherteacherorthe
museumtheycouldthemselveshostoutreachprogramswheretheycouldvisitdifferentschools
andteachartbasedlessonstostudents.Althoughthemuseumcurrentlyholdsworkshopsfor
schoolstocomevisitthemuseum,moreschoolsmaybewillingtohavethemuseumcomevisit
them.Atravelingworkshopcouldexpandthenumberofschoolswillingtoparticipateina
workshop.However,thisisatemporaryadjustmentandthestudentswillnotbeabletohavethe
lastingimpactofartintheireducation,sothemuseumshouldoptfortheinitialsuggestionof
givingteacherslessonsonartbasedlessons.

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Appendix
Interview1
11/19/2015
Duration:5min56sec

Interviewer:
Hi,soImdoingaresearchprojectontheeffectsofartsinumpreschoolandend
elementaryschools.DoyoumindifIaskyouafewquestionsonyourpersonalexperienceswith
art?
Teacher:
No,ofcoursenot.
Interviewer:
Alright,Iwillstartbyaskingifyoupersonallyimplementartintoyourclassroom?
Teacher:
Yes.wereapreschool,soyeahwedo.Itsauhdailythingwedointheclassroom
witheverykid.
Interviewer:
Onascaleof15howimportantwouldyouconsiderartinyourclassroom?
Teacher:
Five.
Interviewer:
Doyoumindexpandingonthat?
Teacher:
Well,Ithinkarthelpsexpandmylessons.Itgivesitalittlemoredepthandyeah.
Interviewer:
Didyoufindtheworkshopheretodayvaluabletoyourstudents?
Teacher:
Yes.
Interviewer
:Wouldyousaytheyweremoreengagedorinterestedinthetopicbeingtaughtin
theworkshopratherthanintheclassroom?
Teacher:
Iwouldntsaytheywereanymoreengagedthanusual.Theymayhavebeenmore
excitedbutthatsprobablybecausewerenotatschool*laughs*.
Interviewer:
Didyouenjoytheartaspectoftheworkshop?
Teacher:Yes,Ithoughtthatitkindofenhancedthelessonabitmoreandmadeitmore
interactiveforthestudents.
Interviewer:
Doyouthinkthatinteractionintheschoolisimportantforstudents?
Teacher:
Yes.Especiallyinmygrade,becauseitshardforthestudentstofocusforalongtime.
YoualwayshavetofindwaystomakesurethattheyrelisteningtoyouandIguessjustmake
themengagedinthetopic.
Interviewer:
Doyouthinkthatartisagoodplatformforinteraction?
Teacher:
Yes.Arthelpsthestudentskeeptheirhandsmoving,butalsotheirbrainsworking.
Interviewer:Doyouthinkthatschoolsshouldimplementartmoreintotheschoolcurriculum?
Teacher:
Wellatapreschoollevelitsprettycommonthatitseveryday,butelementary
definitelyneedsitfromwhatIknow.
Interviewer:
Doyouhaveanyexamplesorexperiencesthatyoucanrecallwherearthashelped
yourstudentsbecomemoreengagedorreallyinterestedinwhatwasbeingtaught?
Teacher:
Well,arthelpsdevelopalotofotherskillslikecreativityandimagination,teamwork
toolikeiftheircreatingaprojectwithotherkids.Youknowthey'renotjustlearningthefunpart

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ofitbutalsothesocialskills.Likeworkingonsomethingtogether,comprisingandtakingturns
thingslikethat.
Interviewer:
Shouldartbeacoresubjectorintegratedintoothersubjects?
Teacher:
Ithinkboth,likeasacoresubject,injustlikeinartyoulearnalotaboutmathinalot
ofways.Butitshouldbecoresubjectinadditiontobeingincorporatedintotheothersubjects.
Interviewer:
Alrightthatwasthelastquestion,thankyousomuchforyoutime.
Teacher:
Noproblem.

Interview2
11/17/2015
Duration:4min27sec
Interviewer:
GoodMorning,Imdoingaresearchprojectonartintheschoolcurriculum,do
youmindIfIaskyouafewquestiononyouropinionsaboutart
Teacher:Nonotatallgoahead.
Interviewer:
Alright,howwouldyouvalueartinyourclassroomonascaleof15?
Teacher:
Iwouldsayafour.
Interviewer:
Doyoumindexpandingonwhy?
Teacher:
ImafirstgradeteachersowhileIenjoyartitcanbehardtoworkintoassignments
sometimes.
Interviewer
:Doyouimplementartintoyourownclassroom?
Teacher:
WhenIcan.Itskindifuhdifficultformetoimplementartinmathbutforother
subjectssuchashistoryItrytohavestudentsactoutdifferentpartsofhistoryorjustdraw.Also
itsfuntodoartandscience.
Interviewer:
Didyouthinktheworkshopyouattendedtodaywashelpfulorsuccessfulin
incorporatingart?
Teacher:
YeahIthoughttheworkshopwasinteresting.Ithinkthattididagoodjobmixingart
andlesson.Thekidsalsoseemedtoenjoyit,theywerereallyinterestedinmakingthechickens
andIthinkseeingtheminpersontoo.
Interview:
Doyoufeelasthoughartprogramsareimportantforchildrensdevelopmentin
school?
Teacher:
Yesbecausenotallkidslearnthesameway.Somelearnbetterwithhandsonactivities
andIthinkthedifferentkindsofartaregoodatdoingthat.
Interviewer:
Doyouthinkschoolsshouldmakeagreaterefforttoimplementartintothecore
curriculum?
Teacher:
Definitely,Ireallythinkartisimportantinschool,andtheyshouldstartthinkingabout
hiringmoreartteachersbecauseIthinkhavingartinschoolisimportantforchildren.FormeI
personallydonthavetheskillsorcraftynesstoproperlyteachartprojects.

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ArtforArt'sSake?EducationalResearchand
Innovation
(2013):185200.Print.
Lehman,P.(2001).Whatstudentsshouldlearninthearts.Contentofthecurriculum.Alexandria,
Va.AssociationforSupervisionandCurriculumDevelopment.(122)
Macdonald,Stuart.
TheHistoryandPhilosophyofArtEducation
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Pub.,1970.Print.
Metla,Valyeria."SchoolArtPrograms:ShouldTheyBeSaved?"
LawStreet(TM)
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Monts,LesterP."ArtsattheCoreRecommendationsforAdvancingtheStateofArtsEducationin
the21stCentury."14Sept.2009.Web.10Dec.2015.
Ruppert,SandraS.
CrticalEvidence:HowtheArtsBenefitStudentAchievement
(n.d.):n.pag.
2006.Web.10Dec.2015.