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Julie Murphy

Professor Tim Waggoner

English Composition II 1201

11 July 2021

Literature Review

Why are arts programs in schools relevant to K-12 students? This is the question I’ve

been asking myself. I came upon this question because of how much the arts program in my

school affected me and so many other kids. It led to further questions such as what does it do to

help development or what affect does it have on core classes? Through research I’ve come up

with statistics and studies on child development, education, and overall benefits of having

programs and the funding needed to run these programs. To start the dive into my research

question I will continue to ask myself and answer questions through research that help explain

why the arts programs in schools are relevant to K-12 students. It not only affects development

such as personality, but it creates discipline and provides an outlet for expression.

One of the main reasons the articles acquired said art education in schools was relevant

was it helps kids expand their imagination. Guest blogger and education director, Cleary

Vaughan-Lee, from the Education Week states how integrating the arts into core classes such as

science helps her teachers teach their students more effectively. When they are taught in a new

way with choices as to how to do projects it expands their imaginations. A normal science

project would go from a paper to a 3D model. Vaughan-Lee isn’t the only one who believes the

arts expand their imagination. Sara Aridi, a New York Times writer, wrote about how the New
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York Community Trust, a foundation supporting non-profit organizations, helped bring the arts

to public schools when the coronavirus made it seem impossible. However, with some

imagination and funding they brought together some of the best artists and lightened the load of

public school teachers by filming hours of videos in dance, art, singing,etc that students could

access. In a time of virtuality, the arts found a creative way to stay alive for the students, so they

could continue to use their imaginations.

Furthermore, according to “The Arts and Human Development” study the arts can help

with cognitive development and school readiness for younger children. This study tested whether

or not neuroscience was right in connecting the dots between exposure to the arts in

developmental ages (all throughout children’s lives) and creating cognitive and social

developments. This study shows how taking art classes in school or band or dance can positively

affect children's development and education. “The Arts and the Effect on Children” article from

the Sidney Health Center also agrees with how the arts can positively affect child development.

The article went into detail about how communication skills, problem-solving, and collaboration

are a result of exposure to art programs.

While the arts and discipline aren’t thought of in the same sentence, in most cases

especially with older kids, discipline is learned through something they love and want to do, the

arts. The Mark Bauerlein article advocates for the arts because of the discipline it provides. He

states multiple examples of kids who left school or were about to give up on academics, but

continued because the arts were something that gave them an outlet to learn. He quotes Dana

Gioia saying “While he believed that arts education enriches young people's minds and

transforms their lives, he felt that arts education had the strongest impact when students
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encountered lasting works of force and beauty”(Bauerlein). While this quote can speak for itself,

the writer includes it to point out the belief in and importance of arts education to create

discipline, routine, or a schedule for kids who otherwise wouldn’t have any.

Additionally, for all age groups art education provides an outlet for expression. No matter

the year, even 2020 couldn’t stop kids from expressing themselves through theatre, dance, etc.

The Education Week article’s purpose was to touch on the importance the arts are in core classes

such as science and how expression of the student promotes a better learning environment for all.

Similarly, the New York Times article written by Sara Aridi, had a goal to talk about how the

remote world can still create room for expression. The article talks about a student who felt alone

and stuck because they were isolated. The one thing that pulled them out of this was being able

to view and create art. Their expression through art and animation helped further their life in a

positive way. Out of all the artiles expression and how art fills the criteria for self expression in

K-12 students is the main reason it is so important.

To oppose the five articles and their viewpoints on why arts education is relevant, the

article from USA Today sheds light on why arts funding was and has been cut. Additionally, the

following article I will reference is not credible due to the website's ads, lack of a credible author,

and lack of references. That being said I will use it as an opposing viewpoint in this review only

and it does have some reliable information due to some quotes from professionals. The article

goes into detail about how budget cuts due to the pandemic in 2020 led to teacher’s contracts not

being renewed and funding being cut. For that reason, a lot of arts education programs like music

were cut. This article provides insight into why some schools don’t have arts education.

However, this article doesn’t disprove the benefits arts education provides.
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To conclude, K-12 student’s education is affected by the presence of the arts in their

schools. The answer to my research question is still far away however through further research

on child development in behavior, discipline, imagination, outlets for expression, and more I will

be able to answer the question why arts programs in schools are relevant to K-12 students.
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Works Cited

Aridi, Sara. "Keeping Young Minds On a Creative Path, Remotely for Now." New York Times, 15

Nov. 2020, p. A25(L). Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/A641755235/OVIC?u=dayt30401&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=b

1190687. Accessed 9 July 2021.

“Art and Science: Working Together for Student Success (Opinion).” Education Week, Education

Week, 23 Jan. 2017,

www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-art-and-science-working-together-for-student

-success/2017/01.

Bauerlein, Mark. "Advocating for Arts in the classroom: academic discipline or instrument of

personal change?" Education Next, vol. 10, no. 4, 2010, p. 42+. Gale In Context:

Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/A248661597/OVIC?u=dayt30401&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=4

ccdc80c. Accessed 9 July 2021.

Center, SHC: Sidney Health. “The Arts and the Effect on Children.” Sidney Health Center, 12

Feb. 2020, www.sidneyhealth.org/Blog/The-Arts-and-the-Effect-on-Children.

Gross, Rebecca, and Don Ball. “The Arts and Human Development.” Grantmakers in the Arts,

Dec. 2011, www.giarts.org/article/arts-and-human-development.

Hirt, Suzanne. “A Farewell to Arts? Teachers Fear Coronavirus Budget Cuts May Target Art,

Music Classes.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 29 Aug. 2020,
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www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2020/08/24/teachers-fear-coronavirus-budget-c

uts-may-target-art-music-classes/3364102001/.