All About the Arts

All About the Arts

Madison Grunow
ENG 104, Section 17
Professor Romano
November 16, 2015

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All About the Arts

When thinking of extracurricular activities, the usual things people think of include
sports, academic clubs, and band. Some schools, however, dont have these options anymore
because arts programs are being cut. If we are to look at the issue of cutting arts programs we
need to discuss why they are being cut in the first place, why we need to save them, and finally
what we can actively do about saving the arts. While discussing these issues there are a few
important topics that need to be covered including the Common Core State Standards.
Over the past several years public schools have had to look at the programs they offer
more closely to decide which ones they must cut due to budget cuts. This is a sad truth as most
extracurricular activities offer special benefits to students, but now schools must decide which of
these benefits is worth losing. The benefits that arts education provides has been discussed time
and again and it is what many people use for their argument for why arts programs should not be
cut. Before getting into this, lets discuss why the arts are being cut in the first place.
One of the biggest reasons that arts programs are receiving less funding or being removed
altogether is because of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The Standards define the
skills and knowledge students are supposed to gain in order to graduate high school and be
successful in a career, college courses, and training programs. The CCSS website states
specifically that, the standards were created to ensure that all students graduate from high
school with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college, career, and life, regardless
of where they live, (Common Core, 2015). The point of the Core Standards is to ensure that
students across all states were on the same academic level. When these standards were put in
place, not all of the states were on the same level to begin with. While some states might have
been ready for these standards to take effect, others could have already had higher standards in
place. There are also states that could have had standards lower than the CCSS because they lack
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the funds to provide the school with enough resources such as teachers and textbooks. All of this
speaks to another reason why the implementation of the Core Standards was not thought out very
well and needs to either change or be eliminated.
These standards were put in place approximately five years ago with no intention of
collecting data to see if the standards are actually doing what they were created for. It is not
sensible to put standards in place that are meant to improve the education of the future of our
country and then not collect data to see the actual results. When scientists try to find a cure for a
disease, they dont simply create a new drug and give it to patients. Instead they research the
potential causes of the disease, experiment, and finally look at the results to see if their findings
match their expected outcomes. Only after doing all of this work do scientists run drug trials
while continuing to collect data and look at the results. The education of young minds is a
delicate matter that needs to be given a lot of attention. If scientists go through great lengths to
ensure their product is going to work, then there should be more work that goes into creating
standards for students across all states. If there isnt going to be a lot of thought and care put into
the CCSS, then it is contributing to the cutting of arts programs for no reason.
While it does make sense that the CCSS wants to have students across all states on the
same level in terms of knowledge and skills in moving on to college and entry-level jobs, their
execution does not make sense. Not all students learn the same way and for there to be standards
that assume all students do learn the same way is not logical. Some students simply arent good
test takers. Personally, I dont test well and I actually learn more when I have to do research for a
paper, create a project, or have to do a presentation on a topic. Katie Lepi wrote an online college
report on the different styles of learning that included an infographic from Blue Mango Learning
showing the seven different styles of learning (Lepi, 2012). These different styles of learning
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include visual, aural, verbal, physical, logical, social, and solitary. While this one source explains
seven different types of learning, other sources such as IUPUIs Learning Center website
contained three different learning styles including visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. With so many
different ways that students learn it does not seem sensible that we are all taught to the same
standards in the same way. This shows another reason why the Core Standards should be
changed or eliminated, especially if they are part of the cause of arts programs being cut.
Now that you have a decent background on the CCSS and how it is effecting education,
lets talk about its relevance involving the cutting of arts programs. The CCSS puts an emphasis
on standardized tests in core subjects. Valeriya Melta discusses the CCSS in her report as well as
Marci Major in her case study involving the decision-making process of keeping or cutting music
programs in K-12 public schools. They both mention how these standards have put a bigger
emphasis on core subjects at the expense of arts programs and classes. Ken Robinson, creativity
expert, refers to how the CCSS have impacted public schools in his TED Talks video, Do
Schools Kill Creativity. He states, We are now running national education systems where
mistakes are the worst thing you can make and the result is we are educating people out of their
creative capacities, (Robinson, 2006). Robinsons approach to the removal of arts programs in
public schools is different and refreshing in comparison to other sources that discuss this same
topic. He talks about how the reduction of arts programs has essentially killed the creativity of
students. He says that our education system has brought us to the point where making a mistake
is the worst thing a student can make. If the pressure of performing well on tests is causing such
a huge impact on the creativity of students, then clearly we need to rethink how we educate our
students.

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This emphasis on standardized tests and pressure to do well year after year on such tests
puts a lot of pressure on public schools. Schools are under this pressure because they could lose
funding if they dont perform well enough which they put on the teachers. The students are also
under pressure because they now have a mindset centered on doing well on these tests where
making too many mistakes could cause a major drop in their grade. I like what Yohuru Williams
has to say about demonstrating students knowledge. He brings up the point that arts programs
allow students to demonstrate their skills and knowledge with their bodies on stage or in galleries
whereas the new standardized tests have students show their knowledge by filling in bubbles
with a number two pencil (Williams, 2014). This goes back to how each student learns in a
different way and with this they have different ways of demonstrating their knowledge. Students
are now more concerned with making sure that they know the right answer to questions for a test
rather than actually learning the material. With this mindset, students are afraid and unprepared
to make mistakes, which as Robinson points out, If you are not prepared to be wrong, you will
never come up with anything original, (Robinson, 2006). Robinson, Major, and Melta all bring
up the point that emphasizing the core classes at the expense of arts classes removes the room for
creativity and originality in students who will be the future of this country and this world.
As many of the sources that I researched pointed out, the implementation of the Core
Standards have created a bigger emphasis on core classes which in turn takes away from arts
classes such as music, theatre, and actual art. Melta wrote in an article on Law Street Media
about school art programs in a discussion of whether or not they should be saved. In this article
she discusses how public schools put more funding into core subjects at the expense of arts
classes. This being said, schools with a lot of low-income students that dont receive a lot of
funding are the ones that usually cut arts programs almost immediately upon adopting the CCSS.
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Schools with a lot of low-income students are under pressure to meet these standards due to low
budgeting from the aftermath of the recession. It is communities and schools like these with low
incomes that need the most attention when it comes to saving the arts.
The purpose of the standards was also to help students succeed in their future endeavors,
but that should not boil down to creating standards for two subjects. These standards only pertain
to math and English language arts/literacy, but these are not the only subjects that schools teach.
Creating standards for only two subjects makes it seem as though all other subjects are irrelevant
in terms of preparing students for the future. This is not the case. While having a basic
knowledge in math and English language arts (ELA) is a great step to future success, it is not the
only step. In fact there are many steps and many different paths and directions you can go in on
the way to a successful future. Every career path you follow is going to involve some sort of
math and some form of writing, but that is not all they are going to require. Some careers will
involve learning how bacteria and diseases behave while others might include how different
melodies and harmonies intertwine to create a beautiful work of art. Science courses open up the
minds of students as they learn how the world around them works, yet there arent any standards
for these classes. On the other hand, music classes provide students with skills that they will use
throughout their lives, yet these classes are being cut.
Valeriya Melta talks about what music education offers students in her report on school
arts programs. Melta goes into detail of how the arts helps with child development. She mentions
that exposing young children to visual arts and music education aids in developing motor skills,
hand-eye coordination, improvement in communication and listening, as well as overall brain
development. These are all valuable skills that will helps students succeed in their future. Yohuru
Williams builds on this in his post on The Huffington Post when he talks about how research has
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been done that shows the positive effects that the arts have on students (Williams, 2014).
Williams says that the research has shown that music, theatre, and art have helped in brain
growth and development as well as teamwork, perseverance, and commitment. Both of these
sources talk about the skills that students develop through arts education that they will continue
to use throughout their lives. If this is the case then instead, they should be incorporated more
into the school curriculum rather than begin removed completely.
Being involved in arts programs does so much more for students than people would
imagine. Personally, being involved in band since fifth grade has provided me with so many
valuable skills that I will continue to use throughout my life, the biggest of which is the ability to
step outside of my comfort zone. When I was younger I moved around a lot, but band was the
one thing that remained constant. I was always surrounded by people that loved the same thing
no matter where I went, the enjoyment of music. Band really held me together as I bounced
around from school to school and I know Im not the only one. Arts classes like band, choir, art,
and theatre arent just classes to most kids, they are places that allow students to freely express
themselves and explore who they are. Unfortunately places like these are slowly withering away
as more and more arts programs are being cut and with them the places that students go to in
order to relieve their stress and explore who they are without fear of being judged or bullied. You
will never find a place more open-minded and accepting than the band room. Once you step
into that room, no matter what city or state youre in, you know that you are free to be who you
are because at the end of the day everyone that walks into that room shares the same love and
passion for the arts.
Arts programs provide a multitude of benefits to people of all ages, but perhaps one of
the biggest benefits of all is that it provides somewhat of an escape for students. As discussed in
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the interview with Chris Wing, removing music, art, or theatre from a school removes a childs
opportunity for an outlet because money isnt available to support it. Students look to
extracurricular activities not only as a way to improve their college applications, but also as a
way to relieve stress. As students begin to take on a harder course load and take on more work
outside of school such as volunteering or a job, the stress starts to really take a toll. While some
students look to extracurricular activities like sports to relieve their stress in a physical way,
others look to theatre, music, or art. Not every student can be an athlete, so what happens to them
when they can no longer participate in an extracurricular activity because it has been cut? These
students no longer have a way to express themselves or relieve some of that stress they could be
under. These are crucial reasons as to why the arts need to be saved.
Cutting arts programs also creates a problem for students that have to deal with a bad
home environment. Sometimes students look to be involved in activities outside of the classroom
as a way to not be at home. For at-risk students, arts programs are especially beneficial. They
provide an opportunity for students to stay off of the streets and away from correctional facilities.
Arts programs have also been shown to improve academic achievement, reduce disciplinary
referrals, and increase attendance and graduation rates.
Both Chris Wing and Marci Major discuss the economic cause of the removal of arts
programs. In his interview, Wing talked about the recession of 2008 and how our country is still
being affected by the aftermath, especially the arts. He continued with how the decrease in
number of people working has contributed to the decrease in funding for school budgets. Major
also mentions this in her case study on the decision-making process for keeping or cutting music
in K-12 public school districts. She states that the unemployment rate has doubled in the past ten
years which has lowered state and local tax revenues. This is a problem as explained by Wing in
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how his school receives funding through property taxes. Due to the fact that this problem is
partially due to our economic standing as a country, there is only so much that public schools can
do to fix it. This being said, there is a bigger responsibility on each individual community to do
their part to keep the arts alive. If we want to save the arts, then we need to stand up and do
something about it.
Different companies and schools have started new programs within the last few years to
help bring back the arts, especially in low-income communities where the arts are without
question the first programs to be cut. Lucas Kavner mentions the Turnaround Arts program in his
blog post on the Huffington Post where he discussed President Obamas 2013 arts budget. The
Turnaround Arts program is an example of a way that people are trying to make a difference in
students lives by trying to bring back the arts in public schools. Turnaround Arts is a program
that provides art supplies, musical instruments, and Turnaround Artists that work with students
and teachers in high-poverty and low-performing schools. The program was created after 10
years of research showing the benefits arts education has on academic achievement. The program
showed improvement in academic achievement, reduction in disciplinary referrals, and increase
in attendance after just three years. This program is an example of how people are trying to do
their part in saving the arts.
Several sources note some other programs and movements to help bridge the gap that
budget cuts have created. Debbie Block mentions a program that helps rebuild arts programs
known as Education Through Music. This is a nonprofit organization that helps to establish and
maintain music programs in schools in New York City. Ben Niles describes another program in
New York that helps to bring back the arts in his blog post in The Huffington Post. Niles talks
about Julliards Music Advanced Placement Program. This is a Saturday program for inner-city
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kids designed to help show the benefits of the music education in cities both big and small.
Admission into the program is not based on skill, but on potential, willingness to learn, as well as
the ambition and passion for music. He also goes deeper into learning about the impact of this
program in his documentary, Some Kind of Spark. These different programs also demonstrate
the different ways that people and organizations are trying to bring arts education back into the
lives of students across the country. Arts programs depend on private funding for survival and
thats what these programs are trying to accomplish; they are trying to save what is left of the
arts.
It takes nothing short of a simple Google search to find studies that show the benefits of
music education. Amongst these include the skills that students develop from music education.
For example, one study led by Erika Skoe and Nina Kraus at Northwestern University took three
groups of adults with varying degrees of past musical training. One group did not receive any
musical instruction during childhood while another group had a shorter period of musical
training than the other. The results of the study were explained by Skoe and Kraus, We found
that the brainstem response was more robust in adults with musical training compared with those
with no past instrumental training, (Skoe and Kraus, 2012). The study also showed that the two
groups that did have musical instruction did not differ in brainstem responses. This revealed that
something as simple as learning a musical instrument can have lasting effects on the human
brain. This study showed just the effects that music education has on brain, but there are so many
more benefits that music education provides. There are numerous studies that have been
conducted that show how music education benefits with brain development, social and emotional
development, and academic achievement. The National Association for Music Education holds

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such studies, like this one, that scientifically show these benefits. If arts education holds so many
benefits, then it is definitely worth saving and we need to do our part help save the arts.
While the issue of reducing funding for arts programs and removing them altogether is
slowly getting better, it is still an issue that needs to be solved. Informing people on this issue in
the causes of the problem as well as solutions is always a great start. The case studies, blog posts,
and articles written on this issue help to inform people across the country. The programs that
schools and organizations are creating help to further inform people on a wider scale as they are
spreading to other schools in the country as made evident by Turnaround Arts. Showing the
benefits that arts programs create also helps to bring this issue into light which is what these
programs do by showing the impact they have made on students.

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References
Block, D. G. (2014). Music for musics sake. Teaching Music, 21(6), 20.
(2015). Common core state standards initiative. About the standards [website]. Retrieved from
http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standards/
Kavner, L. (2012, August 31). Obamas 2013 arts budget focuses on education, mitigating NEA
cuts [Blog post]. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/30/obamas-2013-budgetarts_n_1843866.html
Lepi, Katie. (2012, November 27). The 7 styles of learning: which works for you? [Report].
Retrieved from www.edudemic.com/styles-of-learning/
Robinson, K. (2006, February). Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity? [Video file]. Retrieved
from http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity#t-7009
Major, M. L. (2013). How they decide: A case study examining the decision-making process for
keeping or cutting music in a k-12 public school district. Journal of Research in Music
Education [serial online]. April 2013; 61(1):5-25. Available from: Academic search
premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 10, 2015.
Melta, Valeriya. (2015, May 14). School art programs: should they be saved? [Report]. Retrieved
from http://lawstreetmedia.com/issues/education/cutting-art-programs-schools-solutionpart-problem/
Niles, B. (2013, March 6). Music: just for rich kids? [Blog post].
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-niles/music-just-for-rich-kids_b_2820066.html
Skoe, E., & Kraus, N. (2012, August 22). A little goes a long way: how the adult brain is shaped
by musical training in childhood [Research journal]. Retrieved from
www.jneurosci.org/content/32/34/11507.full.
Williams, Y. (2014, September 17). Rhythm and bruise: how cuts to music and the arts hurt kids
and communities [Blog post]. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yohuru-williams/rhythmand-bruise-how-cut_b_5838406.html
Wing, Chris. Personal interview. 24 September 2015.

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