Fine Arts are defined within the Encarta Dictionary as being, “any kind, for instance, painting, sculpture, architecture, drawing, or engraving, that's considered to possess purely aesthetic value” (Encarta, 2004). Though this definition is employed in a relationship with the humanities within the regular world, concerning teaching, fine arts is defined as a topic beneficial, not essential, to the training process and is usually phased out due to lack of your time, little learning potential, and no money. Fine arts is just seen as painting and drawing, not a topic studied by a tutorial scholar. Writer Victoria Jacobs explains, “Arts in elementary schools have often been separated from the core curriculum and instead, offered as enrichment activities that are considered beneficial but not essential” (Jacobs, 1999, p. 2).
What is missing in classrooms is the lack of teacher knowledge of the advantages of maintaining an art-based curriculum. Teachers “have little or no understanding of the humanities as disciplines of study. They consider the humanities instruction as teacher-oriented projects wont to entertain or teach other disciplines” (Berghoff, 2003, p. 12). Fine arts expand the boundaries of learning for the scholars and encourage creativity and a deeper understanding of the core subjects, which are language arts, math, science, and social studies. Teachers got to incorporate all genres of fine arts, which include, theater, visual art, dance, and music, into their lesson plans because the humanities give the scholars motivational tools to unlock a deeper understanding of their education. Teaching the humanities is that the most powerful tool that teachers can present in their classrooms because this permits the scholars to realize their highest level of learning.
From 1977 to 1988 there have been only three notable reports demonstrating the advantages of art education. These three reports are Coming to Our Senses, by the humanities, Education, and Americans Panal (1977), Can we Rescue the humanities for American Children, sponsored by the American Council for the Humanities (1988), and therefore the most respected study, Toward Civilization, by the National Endowment for the Humanities (1988). These three studies conjured that art education was vital in achieving a better education for our students. While these studies proved the humanities to be beneficial to the training process, it had been not until 2002 when the research analysis of Critical Links: Learning within the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development “provided evidence for enhancing learning and achievement also as positive social outcomes when the humanities were integral to students’ learning experiences” was taken seriously by lawmakers (Burns, 2003, p. 5). One study, during this analysis, was focused on the teaching of keyboard training to a classroom to ascertain if student’s scores on spatial reasoning might be improved. it had been then compared to those students who received computer training which involved no art components. This concluded that learning through the humanities did improve the scores on other core curriculum subjects like math and science where spatial reasoning is most used (Swan-Hudkins, 2003).
This study shows how one little change within the way students are taught through the humanities can have a strong impact on their learning achievements and understandings. Another study showed at-risk students who, for one year, participated in an art-based curriculum raised their standardized language arts test by a mean of eight percentile points, 16 percentile points if enrolled for 2 years. Students not engaging during this sort of activity didn't show a change of percentile (Swan-Hudkins, 2003). Though this might not appear to be an enormous increase, at-risk students were ready to use this sort of learning to raised understand their learning style thus bettering their learning patterns. the foremost interesting case study during this analysis involved the faculties of Sampson, North Carolina, where for 2 years during a row their standardized test scores rose only within the schools that implemented the humanities education in their administrative district (Swan-Hudkins, 2003). Teaching the humanities must be incorporated in every teacher's daily lesson plans because, supported by these studies, students who are taught through the humanities raise their test and learning levels.
Due to the high volume of attention President Bush’s, No Child Left Behind Act, has required in schools, teaching the humanities is left behind. one more reason for the shortage of arts within the classroom author Victoria Jacobs explains, “Given the shrinking budgets of faculty districts around the country, art specialists and art programs have disappeared from many elementary schools” (Jacobs, 1999, p. 4). Fine arts are being seen as non-educational or an extra-curricular activity. Therefore, when cash is scarce in class districts, this subject is being cut. Teachers got to find how to include the humanities into the classroom instead of believing outside activities and Jacobs suggests teaching “through the humanities … with a way of using the arts successfully and during a way that it's not just “one more thing” they need to include within the curriculum” (Jacobs, 1999, p. 4).
The arts can open the minds of scholars in ways mere reading and writing will never be ready to accomplish. Yet, the purpose of teaching this subject isn't to show about the humanities, but to show through the humanities. Jacobs explains,
Teaching through the humanities requires students to interact within the act of creating art. for instance they could draw an image, write a poem, act during a drama, or compose music to further their understanding of concepts in content areas aside from the humanities. Teaching through the humanities helps students experience concepts instead of simply discussing or reading them. This approach is according to educational theories that highlight the importance of reaching multiple learning styles orbits of intelligence. (Jacobs, 1999, p. 2)
Teaching through the humanities is often wiped out many various ways counting on the teacher’s interests, but truth is that the only thanks to reinforcing the scholar's learning experience. during a time where budget cuts and new learning laws are being established, teachers got to be more informed and educated on the negative impacts of the loss of the fine arts programs.
Three, veteran teachers at a public grade school did a case study which involved teaching through the humanities. They believed “our students had to experience cycles of inquiry wherein they learned about the humanities and through the humanities, which they needed to ascertain teachers of various disciplines collaborate” (Berghoff, 2003, p. 2).
The study was supported by teaching a lesson unit on Freedom and Slavery through the humanities. Ms. Bixler-Borgmann had her students hear the song “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” in many various sorts of music, like an African-American Quartet, Reggae, and Show Tunes. She then incorporated this lesson into the importance singing played to the slaves at that point. Ms. Berghoff had her students read samples of African-American folk literature and write down sentences that made an impression on them while they were reading. She then incorporated those sentences into group poems. Ms. Parr explored two art pieces entitled, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and had the scholars mention artwork by asking three questions: "What goes on during this picture? What does one see that creates you say that? What else are you able to find?” (Berghoff, 2003). She also had the scholars specialize in the pictures, concepts, and meanings that the artists wanted to depict. Ms. Parr felt this can teach the scholars the way to uncover the hidden meanings in other core curriculum subjects (Berghoff, 2003). After the study, the scholars were asked what and the way that they had learned from this sort of teaching.
Many students wrote in their journals that working in multiple sign systems in parallel ways heightened their emotional involvement. They found themselves brooding about what they were learning in school once they were received or at work. They noted that albeit that they had studied slavery at other times, that they had never really imagined how it felt to be a slave or considered the slaves' perspectives and struggles. (Berghoff, 2003)
The students had learned more from this lesson because they were ready to use all sorts of learning and were taught from an angle which is never used, through the humanities. “Studies indicate that a successful arts integrated program will use these components to guide student learning and assess growth and development (Swan-Hudkins, 2003). the scholars were ready to learn supported abstract thinking and find the deeper meaning of the teachings prepared by the teachers.
“The study of the humanities has the potential for providing other benefits traditionally related to arts….arts has been linked to students’ increased critical and artistic thinking skills, self-esteem, willingness to require risks, and skill to figure with others” (Jacobs, 1999, p. 4). With these benefits, teachers can't afford to limit their teaching of the humanities within the classroom. Teaching through the humanities is the key element of learning and therefore the traits teachers strive to determine and reinforce in their students. By working through the humanities, rather than about the humanities, the students’ educational experience is going to be achieved differently than simply teaching the quality sort of learning. Former Governor of California, Gray Davis, noted, “Art education helps students develop creativity, self-expression, analytical skills, discipline, cross-cultural understandings, and a heightened appreciation for the arts” which “students who develop artistic expression and artistic problem-solving skills are more wish to achieve school and can be better prepared for the roles and careers of the future” (California Art Study, 2003, p. 1).
Exposing students to abstract learning will teach scholars about logic and reasoning and help them grasp what won't be represented on the surface. Recent Reports from the National Art Education Association (NAEA) confirmed with Governor Davis once they reported “Students in art study score higher on both their Verbal and Math SATs than those that aren't enrolled in arts courses (California Art Study, 2003, p. 5). Attached may be a copy of the test many students within the arts and students with no arts coursework.
What are a far better thanks to enhancing a lesson plan than to feature another dimension of learning than by incorporating different levels of teaching? a corporation that has the idea of that specialize in different learning styles is Links for Learning, [http://www.links-for-learning.com]. This company understands the importance of incorporating arts into the classroom. Former Secretary of Education, William Bennet wrote, “The arts are essential elements of education a bit like reading, writing, and arithmetic…Music, dance, painting, and theater are keys to unlock profound human understanding and accomplishment” (Swann-Hudkins, 2002).
An example of the advantages of teaching the humanities would be the study of an educator who taught the water cycle lesson through movement and music. the scholars were introduced to the water cycle within the traditional sort of teaching, reading, and lecturing. Yet, so as for the scholars to completely understand the “experience” of being a snowflake, the scholars listened to Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite (The Waltz of the Snowflakes) and closed their eyes visualizing the journey snowflakes encounter on there thanks to the bottom . an excellent side effect of dance is that “exposure to dances foreign to them (the students) helps them to know and appreciate differences in societies. Their minds become hospitable new ideas and a special perspective. This understanding helps to eliminate possible prejudice, enriching the scholar and our society” (Swan-Hudkins, 2003, p.17). While the music was playing the teacher asked them questions, such as, “How are they getting to land” and “What does one see as you're falling”. The second time taking note of the music the scholars were asked to act out the water cycle through movement and dance. Teachers should know “a class that has dance can make students feel empowered and actively involved in their education. In creating their dance, students develop conceptional thinking, which isn't always expressed verbally” (Swan-Hudkins, 2003, p. 17).
With these activities, the scholars were ready to become a part of the water cycle rather than just using their listening skills and trying to mentally find out this lesson. The teacher also had the scholars write a poem using words they felt while they, the snowflakes, were falling to the bottom (Jacobs, 1999, p.2). “The motivational powers of the humanities are significant as this teacher explained, “Hooking a child is a half, if less than half, the battle of learning. If you'll hook them, then you'll get them to learn” (Jacobs, 1999, p. 6). Teachers got to gain access to all or any sorts of learning which may only spark their motivational powers.
Harvard Project Researchers Winner and Hetland remark, “The best hope for the humanities in our college is to justify them by what they will do this other subjects can’t do as well” (Swan-Hudkins, 2003, p. 18). Teachers got to gain a far better education in teaching their students through the humanities. Without the humanities, teachers are limiting their students’ ability to use their entire thinking process, providing less opportunity for complete comprehension. Teaching through the humanities is that the most powerful tool that teachers can concede their classrooms because it enables scholars to realize their highest level of learning.
With the shortage of attention, art is getting outside of the classroom, teachers cannot afford to not incorporate dance, theater, visual arts, or music in their lesson plans. Fine arts is that the core curriculums' constant and most vital companion. No child should be left behind, and teaching through the humanities will reinforce this concept.
