DefiningArtsIntegration

DarrellAyers,VicePresidentforEducationandJazz,
TheJohnF.KennedyCenterforthePerformingArts1
Following extensive research into various definitions available for arts integration
(thankstoresearchersLynneSilversteinandAmyDuma),theJohnF.KennedyCenter
forthePerformingArtsinWashington,D.C.,concludedthatthevariousapproachesto
theartscouldbeclassifiedunderthreeheadings:

ArtsasCurriculumteachingmusic,theater,dance,visualarts;
ArtsEnhancedCurriculumusingtheartsasahooktofocusattention;
ArtsIntegratedCurriculumwheretheartformandanothersubjectareahave
equalimportanceinthelearningprocess.

Withfurtherresearchanddiscussionsaboutwhatisanartsintegratedcurriculum,the
followingdefinitionemerged:
Arts integration is anapproach toteaching inwhichstudents constructand
demonstrateunderstandingthroughanartform.Studentsengageinacreative
processthatconnectsanartformandanothersubjectareaandmeetsevolving
objectivesinboth.
Thisdefinitionclarifiestheimportanceofensuringthattheprocessandoutcomesin
bothanartformandtheothersubjectareasaretreatedequally.(Formoreinformation
1 The Centers building itself is called the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the
Performing Arts.

relatedtotheKennedyCentersworkinartsintegration,pleasevisit www.kennedy
center.org/education/artsedge.)ManypeoplearesurprisedtolearnthattheKennedy
Centerisinvolvedinartsintegration.Indeed,ithasbeensincethemid1970s.Asa
federallymandatedresourceforartseducation,theCenterembracesmanydimensions
ofthefield:

School and communitybased arts programs that directly impact teachers,

students,artists,andschoolandartsadministrators;
Systemicandschoolimprovementthroughartsintegratedcurricula,inclusive
classrooms,anduniversaldesigninfacilitiesandlearning;
Partnerships centered on the issues of arts education and artsintegrated
education;
Productionandpresentationofageappropriateperformancesandeducational
eventsforyoungpeopleandtheirfamilies;
Creation and provision of related educational materials via print and the
Internet;
Development of skills in the arts in talented young people and aspiring
professionals;and
Strengtheningofartsorganizationmanagement.

Therallyingpointformanyofthesedimensionsisartsintegrationintheschools.
Muchworkhasbeen continuestobe doneintheareaofteachingthearts.
National associations in the arts, e.g., National Association for Music Education,
National Art Education Association, National Dance Education Organization,
Educational Theater Association, as well as the Kennedy Center and other arts
organizations,strivetoensurethat,aspartoftheircompleteeducation,everychildis
providedtheopportunitytotakepartinsomeformoftheartsmusic,theater,dance,
and/orvisualarts andtobetaughtbyaspecialistinthatartform.Artsintegration
begins with the underpinning of a quality arts program in a school; it includes
participatinginandlearningabouttherichtraditionofAmericanandworldartsand

culture.
In1976,inresponsetothelimitedamountofpreserviceandongoingprofessional
development in the arts available for teachers, the Kennedy Center began offering
professionaldevelopmentforteachers,assistingtheminteachinganartformand/or
usingtheartsinconjunctionwithothersubjectareas.Manyteacherswhowantedto
usetheartstoenrichlearningintheirclassroomslackedtheskillsand/orknowledgeto
makethathappen.Theyhad,however,seenevidencethatstudentsweremoreengaged
whenaconceptorideawasdeliveredinaninteractive,participatorymannerrather
thaninalectureformat.Thiswasparticularlyevidentwhenateachingartist,avisiting
artist,oranartsspecialistinteractedwiththestudents.
Sincethoseearlydaysinthemid70s,artsintegrationhasgrownandchanged.
Proponentsofartsintegrationhaveincreased.Researchhasbeenconductedtoshow
that arts integration in the process of learning improves test scores; that students
engaging in arts for arts sake and artsintegrated teaching and learning retain
informationbetter;thatthosestudentshaveagreaterdesiretoremaininschool;and
thatartsintegrationinspiresgreatercreativityandinnovationinayoungperson.
Inthechaptersofthisbookyouwilldiscovermanytheories,manyreferencesto
articlesandstudies,andmanycommentsaboutartsintegrationanditsapplication.My
hopeisthat,together,wecanmakeaplaceineachchildseducationwheretheystudy
not only math and reading and the arts, but a place where they discover the
interconnectedness of knowledge academic, cultural, and artistic; where they
experiencetheextraordinarybreadthoftheworldasexpressedthroughthearts;and

wheretheyobserveandappreciatetheimportanceofartsandcultureincreatinga
civilizedsociety.Wemustassistteachersinacquiringthebestresourcesandskillsin
arts integration,sothattheycanactas agents ofchangefortheirschools andfor
society.
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AttheHeartoftheBigExperiment
EricBooth,TeachingArtist,ArtsLearningConsultant
_____________________________________________________________________
ArtsintegrationisthelargestexperimentinthehistoryofU.S.artsinstruction.Andit
isrisky.Thegambleisthatbybringingartslearningtogetherwithothercurricular
learning,bothwillbeenhancedbytheblending.Theriskisthatiftheartsgetusedasa
handmaidentomerelypepupboringcurriculum,orifwelinktheimportanceofthe
artstohighertestscores(andthenscoresdropforanyofahundredotherreasons),we
havedamagedthealreadytenuousplacetheartsholdinU.S.education.Ifthegamble
paysoff,theartsgainanewvalueintheviewoftheU.S.publicandartistrybecomes
morewidelydefinedthanthecurrentnarrowpublicviewofartsorganizationsand
products.Wehadbettergetitright.Iampleasedthisbookarrivestoprovidehelp.
Thereisanembeddedtheoryunderneaththeartsintegrationexperiment(andthe
chaptersinthisbook).Thetheoryisthattheartisticexperience(asexperiencedin

creation and perception) and the learning experience are intimately related. The
successesofartsintegrationresultfromsomedynamicsparkthathappensbetween
thosehumanessentialacts.Ithinkthatintimaterelationshipissimplythattheyarethe
same thing what we call an artistic experience and what we call a learning
experiencearedifferentwaysofdescribingalmostidenticalinternalhumanactions;
theylookdifferentbecausetheytendtohappenwithourhandsondifferentexternal
media.Onedealswithclay,physicalmovement,humaninteractions,soundandother
artisticmedia,whiletheotherdealswithhistory,science,math,andEnglish.But
whenbothendeavorsareattheirbest,theindividual(besheartistorscholar,younger
orolder)ismakingthingsshecaresabout.(Thatismyinformaldefinitionofart.)
Teachersaretheguidesofthatprocess,andteachingartistsareinspiringexemplarsof
itsvalidityandvalue;theyarecatalyststoreleaseitspower.Thecorequestionunder
themanyrichchaptersinthisbookis:Whatdoweknowabouthowourinstitutions
andpracticescanhelplearnersmakethingstheycareaboutinallmedia,artisticand
curricular?Andhowcantheartsserveindistinctivelypowerfulwaystocatalyzethe
dualagenda?
Manyyearsago,inaliveinterviewonamorningtalkshowontelevision,apeppy
youngintervieweraskedmetoclosewithaquick,cleardistinctionbetweenartand
entertainment.IbabbledmeaninglessverbiagefortheendlessminutebecauseIdidnt
know.Afterwards,Icametothisconclusion.Whatdistinguishesentertainment(which
isnottheenemyofart;pleaseletitnotbeopposedtoart!)isthatithappenswithin
whatwealreadyknow.Whateverourresponselaughingorcryingorgettingscared

entertainmentsays,Yes,theworldisthewayyouthinkitis.Anditfeelsgreatto
haveinteresting,exciting,beautifulthingstellmeIamrightinmyworldview.Art,on
the other hand, happens outside of what we already know. Inherent in the artistic
experienceisthecapacitytomakethoseoutsideconnections,toexpandoursenseof
thewaytheworldisormightbe.AsMaxineGreenesays,toexpandoursenseofthe
possible.
Youwillnotethatthatdefinitionofartmakingpersonalconnectionsoutsideof
whatyoualreadyknowisagooddefinitionofthelearningexperience.Atruearts
experience(notjustworkingwithartsmedia)andatruelearningexperience(notjust
performingsuchactsasinformationregurgitationthatpassforlearning)arethesame
thing.Inbothcases,wemakesomethingwecareaboutapersonallyrelevantnew
connection.Weexpandourworldandourselvesjustalittleinthatact.
Andthatacthaspower.Ithasthepowertoactivateothers.Ithastheinternalpower
ofwhatIcallthebounce.Thebounceistheamazingandpredictablereactionwe
havewhenwemakesomethingwecareabout,evenifthecreationismerelyanew
graspofanidea.Thenextmomentwewantmore.Itmanifestsascuriosity,oras
anotherideatotry,oranewquestion.Thebounceofintrinsiccuriositymakesarts
integrationwork.Itmakesformotivatedlearners,whosehungertomakestuffthey
careaboutbecomesahabitofmind,andwhichselfguidesthelearningprocessesit
createsinmusic,math,andinthefiveparagraphessay.
Theexpertiseofteachingartistsactivatesandacceleratesthisprocess.Iusetheterm
teachingartiststodescribethatemploymentcategoryofartiststrainedintheskills,

curiosities, and sensibilities of educators, who work in partnership with school

educators. (Thank heavens for them; they are irreplaceable catalysts in ideal arts
integration.)Ialsoincludeinthattermalleducatorswhoactivateartisticexperienceas
apartoftheirteaching.Creativeteachersinanysubjectareaattheirbestareusing
teachingartistrytoboostlearning.Weallseektoawakentheintrinsicmotivationofthe
learnertomakestuffhecaresaboutineverysubjectarea.Andwhenwebringthose
mediatogetherwellinartsintegration,wereformlearningprocessesthroughteaching
artistry.
Letmeclosewithareminderaboutthesinglemostpowerfulteachingtoolwehave,
whichisespeciallypotentinartsintegration.Todignifyit,IcallitTheLawof80%
usingthewordlawtomakeitsoundserious,andusingthemadeupstatisticof80%
becauseitcapturesagenuinetruth.TheLawof80%declaresthat80%ofwhatwe
teachiswhoweare.Yes,ourlessonsandcurriculumandhandoutsareimportant,an
important20%.Inartsintegrationyourrealinfluenceistheartsintegratedawareness
you bring to the encounter with learners how you listen, see, discover, make
connections,andbouncewithcuriositywiththelearners.AndifyoudoubttheLawof
80%, think of the great teachers in your own life. It wasnt the quality of their
handoutsthatmadeyoudecidetoredirectthetrajectoryofyourlife.
Weourselvesmustliveintheexcitementofmakingstuffwecareaboutwithour
students. Andifwedothis,andguidegoodartsintegratedprocessessuchasthose
fillingthisbook,weareallteachingartistswhocanmakethecrucialdifferencefor
everychildintheroom,ineveryclassroom,ineveryschool,andreformourschoolsto

make things we as a culture care about, and to realize an expanded sense of the
possible.