Elementary-school educators learn how to use the arts to teach ...

In a fifth-grade classroom at Aloma Elementary School, an experiment is under way.

[Dennis]

Great and important story.

[Greta mitchell Moss Park]

Great article!! How exciting to hear what some very creative teachers are doing in the field of the Arts. Collaborative learning will keep our school music programs connected and vibrant. thanks so much for a clear reminder.

[Greta mitchell Moss Park]

Very important story. These types of articles inspire me to try harder to keep my classroom connected to other hardworking teachers. Thanks so much

[Ann Lowe]

Try Imagination Story Cards. They are abstract cards that the kids "see" things in and write stories from.
Go to www.imaginationstorycards.com for more information. I have used them at my local Montessori school and the teacher said they were a great tool to help balance academic learning.

[Barbara]

I am estatic to learn the many ways we can teach children to be engaged in school. It is awesome to see educators seeking to teach students through art rather forcing them to remain seated and quiet all day with just a pen and a notebook in hand.

[Heather Whitfield]

This article is a great example of how to educate others on the importance of arts integrated into the classroom. Also, I am excited to see that former educators are heading up this program instead of others who have never had experience in the education field.

[Tammy Steele]

The arts are important for a lot of reasons the greatest of which is that, if taught correctly, you learn how to focus, to think deeply and communicate clearly.
As the article points out integrating arts into the teaching of other subjects helps teachers structure lessons that address different learning styles, especially children who like to learn by doing and by applying their knowledge in a variety of situations.

[Mirandi Watson]

Research has shown that integrating the arts into core curriculum subjects improves academic achievement. This sounds like a very good program. My hope is that this type of program catches on and spreads throughout the nation. It would benefit our students greatly if this type of program becamce the norm instead of the exception.

[Mirandi Watson]

Very good point! Not all children have the same style of intelligence and not all learn through the same methods. Arts create that hands on experience that some students need in order to learn.

Tammy Steele wrote:

The arts are important for a lot of reasons the greatest of which is that, if taught correctly, you learn how to focus, to think deeply and communicate clearly.
As the article points out integrating arts into the teaching of other subjects helps teachers structure lessons that address different learning styles, especially children who like to learn by doing and by applying their knowledge in a variety of situations.

[Suz]

We have the privilege of being in a Chicago suburb where the District prides itself in the needs of the "whole child" and most of us not only see the value in integrating the arts in our gen ed. curriculum, but also defend it when things get too skewed toward high stakes testing scores. could we do more? Of course!

[CEC]

Glad to see the article but I like to see a follow up that looks at arts integration (AI) nationwide. There are now at least 1,000 AI schools and several statewide programs like ABC schools in SC and Value Plus in TN. What's more, AI shows so much promise because it focuses on the teaching students to use a problem solving process artists use to understand and create arts products which happens to parallel the comprehension problem solving strategies literacy experts recommend. The "comprehension revolution" called for by literacy researchers could be grounded in AI philosophy and strategies.

[Mary McCullum Baldasaro]

It's wonderful to see the Arts incorporated into curriculum in such appealing ways. In our region, we have a similar program, called 'Learning through the Arts', in which professional Visual Artists, Musicians, and Dancers work with the classroom teacher to create dynamic lessons incorporating the Arts in non-Arts subjects. It does engage learners.

[Kathy Jaffee]

I'm so glad to hear that the importance of the arts in themselves and as tools to create multiple paths to learning is once again being discussed. Teaching through the arts has been a passion of mine for many years. You may want to check out Weaving in the Arts: Widening the Learning Circle (Blecher and Jaffee, Heinemann, 1998), a book my teaching partner and I wrote on the topic.

[SDenton]

I really apppreciated reading this article and I agree with the writer's contention that arts education supports increased achievement in all academic areas.
I just wish that the writer had provided links to the "numerous studies" that support this idea.

[Interested reader]

What a wonderful program! Arts access should be a priority in all schools!

[Carol Rambo]

Our schools need more programs like this. I commend the Orlando Sentinel for covering this story.

[kristy]

yes - so true - so obvious - so valuable! Kids need to dream, to imagine, to try stuff out in a safe place. The arts saved me and I'm a professor now - it was the place my mind felt best. Long live arts education!

here's a conference I started on Imagination Education, for your interest (this is last year's program):

www.nl.edu/imagine

[Amy Ashley]

Integrating the arts into a lesson gets the students interested and involved, not just sitting back listening to a teacher lecture. Not only does integrated arts get the children excited about learning, but the teachers as well. I think by teaching through the arts, it makes all subjects more relatable to the students, and therefore easier to retain and recall information.

[Ashley Jones]

This article makes me excited to know that there are people trying to do everything they can to help students learn. If numerous studies show that the arts are improving the grades of our students, then the arts need to be integrated into our classrooms. Also, someone in our country needs to be supporting our schools and donating money for our arts programs.

[Amy Ashley]

I agree with Ashley. If there are so many studies that show the numerous benefits of integrating the arts, then why arent there more funds availible?? Or better yet...why arent the arts mandatory in every state's curriculum??

Ashley Jones wrote:

This article makes me excited to know that there are people trying to do everything they can to help students learn. If numerous studies show that the arts are improving the grades of our students, then the arts need to be integrated into our classrooms. Also, someone in our country needs to be supporting our schools and donating money for our arts programs.