Arts integration uses artistic explorations to investigate curricular content, providing a way for rigorous investigation, representation, expression, and reflection of both curricular content and the art form itself.
For many educators, the idea of integrating the arts may seem appealing, but the challenge of being proficient in every art form can feel overwhelming. Some may say, “I can’t do it. I’m not an artist. I can’t draw, and please don’t ask me to sing!”
However, integrating the arts into education goes beyond the development of professional artists. It encompasses the process of enriching learning experiences and engaging students from diverse backgrounds, abilities, and linguistic skills. Furthermore, it plays a crucial role in catering to students who have varied learning styles, beyond traditional methods such as reading and writing. This holistic approach ensures that the educational environment is inclusive and supportive of all students, regardless of their individual strengths and challenges.
A lot of people think arts integration is meant to take the place of art teachers, but that’s just not the case. We need both! Art educators are all about teaching the ins and outs of a specific art form. In the classroom, the arts help to back up the main curriculum, enhance learning, and track progress. By incorporating the arts, students get to learn in different ways, which helps each student thrive in various subjects.
The arts approach engages students in learning, developing a curriculum that focuses on curiosity and creativity while also fostering 21st-century skills like creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication.
Under this approach, students no longer passively learn; instead, they actively react, respond, and interact, leading to deep and meaningful learning experiences. This methodology goes beyond seeking the “right answer” and focuses on students gaining essential skills for higher-order thinking.
As Silverstein and Layne highlight, arts integration provides various pathways for students to understand and demonstrate their learning, fostering a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the concepts.