Friday, November 23, 2007

The integration of Art: Expanding means of Expression


With the focus on meeting national standards in the forefront of education, many low-income schools have reallocated resources away from art programs. Many US schools don't have full time art teachers, and the focus on standards has lead to the elimination of art in many urban schools.


After school programs is a perfect avenue in which to implement art into the experience of youth. Arts has the ability to retain older youth, who normally diminish in the participation as they get older, so they feel more satisfied and competent in their work. The arts value and nurture knowledge and skills that are often ignored in the formal sector of education. These skills include intuitive, critical, culturally specific, entrepreneurial, cooperative, kinesthic, and transformative skills. Art requires long term collaboration including planning, managing, strategizing, and evaluating.


A problem that some after school programs face in implementing an artistic component is conflicting values of teachers and artists. Many teachers emphasize the need to increase educational attainment and have a safe yet structured environment. Many artists emphasize the need to have free experimentation and flexibility for youth to freely express themselves artistically.


However, art has numerous benefits. Arts develop the youth mind by giving them the opportunity to learn and think in special ways. Art also serves a social function, by giving youth the opportunity to express themselves and their culture in the past and present. Art also enables students to build self-confidence, while building skills that are transferrable to other life areas.


Through art, students are able to know themselves, their community, and their culture better. Personally, I work with a small non profit organization that focuses on art as a means to have youth gain leadership skills. Through the production of murals, youth are able to identify positive place in their community.

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