The Arts In Public Schools

Music, pictures, paintings, plays, and musicals are all part of the arts. The arts have been used for many years for entertainment or even ways of therapy. Are the arts important to have in public schools, or are they distractions? The arts actually help students achieve more academically. Many people have different opinions on whether or not the arts should be kept in schools. The arts can help students get out of their shell and be who they actually are or they want to be. The arts are important to have in public schools because they help students develop language skills, concentrate and grow academically. The arts can be used to help students develop language and communication skills. Music can help students develop rhythmic skills in language and they can be used to learn patterns. Luehrisen states, “Growing up in a musically rich environment is often advantageous for children’s language development” (Brown). The arts help students not only develop in language, but helps them develop in other academic areas. “Though the arts receive relatively little attention from policymakers and school leaders, exposing young people to art and culture can have a big impact on their development. The problem is that almost no one …show more content…
Research shows that art programs help the “awareness of different people, places, and ideas through the arts helps them appreciate and accept the differences they find in the broader world” (Brown). This shows how the arts helps us see the world around us in a different perspective. The arts help furthermore show “whether exposure to the arts affected students' knowledge of the arts and altered their desire to consume the arts in the future. We also looked at whether art experiences had an effect on student values, such as tolerance and empathy. Finally, we looked at whether students' ability to engage in critical thinking about the arts was affected by these experiences”