Book by hudson jones

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About the Author

Teaching The arts

Hudson Jones is a Junior at Los Altos High School in Los Altos, California. He is currently also attending Freestyle Academy, taking courses in English, Film Production and Graphic Design. He is exploring many different areas of study as potential majors in college, such as creative writing, screenwriting, psychology, political science and education. He has a passion for social justice and participated in the March For Our Lives. Other causes that interest him are gender and racial equality, LGBT rights, and more. Hudson enjoys playing with his two pugs, Calvin and Posey. He lives with his parents and his younger sister, who is a Freshman. He enjoys trips with his family, watching Disney movies, hanging out with friends, eating, and reading. One of his favorite books of all time is To Kill a Mockingbird, and he is also a big fan of the Harry Potter series.

Hudson Jones

Teaching The arts

Hudson Jones

Dedication

I dedicate this book to my sister Sami, for being so willing to embrace her creative side. Keep going off the beaten path, you’ll find your own way to a great place no matter what.

Left: an incomplete piece of student artwork

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Acknowledgements

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hank you so much to everyone who helped out with my project! It was a long process, but in the end, a fulfilling one. Special thanks to Lisa Martinez, Susan Cook, Kimberly Dickerson and Linda Covello for agreeing to be interviewed and sharing their experiences with the arts with me. I also have to thank my tutor Carly for helping me through the writing process, as well as Katie Bousse, for being a great partner for our documentary film. I’m especially grateful towards my two dogs, for helping me through the stressful times. Finally, I’d like to thank Freestyle Academy for giving me the opportunity and the resources to make this project happen.

Left: a ceramics teacher at CSMA demonstrates how to use a pottery wheel

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Table of contents Preface

Nine

Introduction

Eleven

Chapter One

Thirteen

Chapter Two

Seventeen

Chapter Three

Twenty-One

Conclusion

Twenty-Five

Works Cited

Twenty-Seven

Preface

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ince I started high school, I’ve always had an interest in education in America – what works, but also what can be improved upon. I’m really excited that I got to incorporate that interest into this project. From beginning to end, the documentary has surprised me (luckily, in more good ways than bad!). I challenged myself at the start of this unit that I would make the most of this project, and I feel like I’ve lived up to that goal.

I’ve learned various skills that I never would have without the documentary. From a film producer’s angle, I learned more about shot composition, dual camera set-up, and interviewing, which was, at first, the most stressful aspect, but quickly became one of the more fun parts of the project; it was great getting to meet so many people and hear their perspectives on a topic they know about! In English, I actually wrote a three-page

expository essay about how my research subject is significant today. The main thing I learned about extending my writing from three to eight pages is that it seems intimidating, but once you get one page out, the whole paper flies by.

My hope for those that have taken the time to read this book is that they will come out of it with a broader understanding of what an arts education is and why it is so important. I am lucky enough to live in an area where I have learned all about different kinds of art in elementary school, but many other schools in our country are not so lucky. I am super excited to be sharing my thoughts with the readers of this book, and in the end, I’m glad to have had the experience of creating it. It serves as a strong reminder to me that if I set my mind to a task and work passionately toward it, I can gain a lot of deep insight along the way.

Left: A student-made oil pastel drawing

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Introduction

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ally Fields couldn’t speak of her father. However, sitting in Susan Cook’s office on a Thursday afternoon, the little five-year-old girl felt oddly comfortable talking through her loss. Inside the office were various pieces of artwork on display; boxes of art supplies had been placed on shelves and under tables. The office was small and crowded, but had a charming homeliness to it. Mrs. Cook, a licensed art and family therapist, had given her two simple tools: paper, and colored pencils. The two of them had spent a full hour drawing, and talking through what Sally was feeling. Through artistic expression, Sally had opened up about her emotions in a way that she couldn’t have before.

Despite evidence of the many ways art helps children and teens develop emotionally and academically, over the past two decades, art classes have taken massive hits in public schools.

Conventional wisdom dictates that the “core” subjects, like math and science, are more important to a student’s development. Due to this mindset, the arts have been pushed aside, and students have missed out on valuable lessons and experiences because of it. Because the arts play such a large role in students’ lives, helping facilitate both their academic and emotional development, they should be valued in schools on the same level as core classes.

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Chapter One

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efore going into why art programs should not be cut, it is important to address the reasons why they’ve been pushed out of schools. Unfortunately, cutting art classes is not a new phenomenon, but one that has slowly become more common over time. Our culture has historically understood the benefits of arts education; according to John Nawrocki,, even in the early 1900s, art classes were included in nearly every school (qtd. in Schmitt). In contrast, Valeriya Metla of Law Street Media observed that in 2009, only three percent of schools gave funding to dance classes, and only four percent to theatre classes, while only a decade earlier, twenty percent of schools taught both subjects. A seventeen percent drop in only ten years is unprecedented and worth taking note of.

Why, in a time period where we are taking freedom and self-expression more seriously than ever before, are we moving away from teaching the arts?

The problem lies in the way the arts are perceived in relation to students’ other “core” subjects. As our society rapidly

moves forward through the digital age, jobs in STEM fields have become increasingly more popular, and increasingly more competitive. Because of this trend, parents, administrators and students alike have placed far greater emphasis on math, science and standardized testing. These changes have been implemented on a national level, as Metla observes: “...various government policies, including the No Child Left Behind Act and the Common Core State Standards have placed greater emphasis on core subjects, such as math and reading[...] In light of these policies, school districts began re-directing funds toward subjects that require standardized testing in order to increase the overall scores of their students.” In a culture that is becoming increasingly geared towards competitive academics and tech professions, the arts are seen as less lucrative and less stable options for students.

Because of this mindset, when budget cuts occur, art programs are often the first to go. Nawrocki writes that, “By the early 1990s, two-thirds of New York City’s elementary schools and half of American schools overall had no art or Left: student artwork on display at an open house

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music teachers, a phenomenon due almost entirely to budget pressures. When budget cuts hit, as they have in over 80 percent of US school districts since 2008, arts programs are often the first to go simply because their impact is not measured by standardized tests.” Every student’s standardized test score is used in order to rank the schools across the nation based on performance. Due to this, schools are under pressure to reach a certain standard if they want to get the funding that they need from the government. Teachers risk losing their positions if their classes don’t do well enough on standardized tests, and the students often face ridicule and feel ashamed for not living up to others’ expectations. All of these become strong

incentives for students and teachers to focus primarily on core subjects, and leave the arts aside.

However, while standardized tests make it easier to assess students’ grades nationwide, they fail to capture the creative spirit unlocked by the arts, the same feeling that drives even STEM researchers to think outside-the-box and make new discoveries. It can’t be denied that in today’s world, math and science are important subjects to learn, but they should not be given so much emphasis that art classes, which are just as important in advancing students’ understanding of all subjects, get pushed out.

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Chapter Two

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hile the arts cannot be graded in the same manner as other subjects, they have just as much value, and are no less important. In fact, studies have shown that students who have more access to arts education improve across many school subjects. Karin Evans, a well-known writer and editor from California, wrote an article for Berkeley’s Greater Good Magazine entitled “Arts and Smarts”, which discusses evidence of this: “Stanford University psychologist Brian Wandell and colleagues used brain-imaging techniques to study how a certain part of the brain might be influenced by musical activities. He found that students ages 7 to 12 who received more musical training in the first year of the study showed greater improvements in reading fluency over the next two years.” Despite the common sentiment that art classes are only meant to be viewed as extracurriculars, their benefits in other core subjects prove otherwise.

Linda Covello, the head of the Community School for Music and Arts in Los Altos, California, believes that people

are able to make a deeper connection to a subject through art.

In an interview with her, she discusses her own experiences with this through the creation of a large mural on the subject of Native American history. By creating the mural, Covello and the other students were able to gain a deeper knowledge of Native Americans and their history, while also exploring their creative sides. That learning style is far more engaging than simply reading from a textbook. That is one of the biggest benefits of using art to enhance other subjects; if the students are able to get in touch with their creative sides, they’ll engage more with the material, feel passionate about what they’re learning, and therefore, have a much more positive experience, which can reflect back through their grades as well.

This isn’t the case just for subjects such as history; this method of teaching can also be integrated into math and science classes. In fact, it should be encouraged. Lisa Martinez, an art teacher at CSMA, explains, “I really feel like if you have someone who’s confident in art, even if they’re not a mini Van Left: the CSMA at Los Altos, CA

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s [children] get older, there’s a lot of connections to math and science [in the arts]; I remember, in school, learning about Native Americans, not because I remember somebody telling me it, or reading the text -- and I’m sure I did all of that -- but also, we did murals, and my experience remembering which Native Americans lived where, I can see it because we made a big mural of it. I think that kind of learning, where you’re actually making something physical, helps embed the ideas into your body as much as just through reading or just through lecture.”

Linda Covello, Head of the CSMA Art4Schools Program at Los Altos, California

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Gogh, they’re going to be more confident in other subjects[...] scientists, for example, are extremely creative. All the people I know who work in the sciences are very creative people, and they need that creativity to come up with that new idea.”

People don’t tend to associate creativity in relation to arts with creativity in relation to sciences, but the two can be considered one in the same. If a student learns to be creative through the arts, they can then apply that creativity to their STEM subjects as well; being able to think outside of the box will help them improve their abilities in-school and achieve great success after school. For example, a student in a game design class could use their creative side to make an incredible game, and have fun while doing it. This hypothetical class would be very STEM-focused, with a lot of focus going towards coding, but the student that gets in touch with their artistic side could be the one to make the best game of all.

Even from a very young age, art can improve school performance, as it is an important aspect of childhood development. Kylie Rymanowicz, who works as an educator in early childhood education at Maryland State University, talks about the benefits art has on children in her article, “The art of creating: Why art is important for early childhood development.” She writes of how children can develop their fine motor skills, cognitive development, math and language skills through the arts, solely by exploring the tools they have in front of them

(Rymanowicz). Take, for example, a child drawing a picture of a house. They learn to draw shapes, count, and begin to understand spatial reasoning, almost like a very beginner’s geometry class. They start to visualize the world around them, creating a plan for how their house will look, and translating that from their brain onto paper. They practice communication by explaining their drawing to other people. These are all important skills for little kids to pick up on, particularly during school, and they learn them the quickest through the arts.

Art classes have an undeniably positive impact on students’ performance in school, and removing them from schools will only serve to diminish their academic potential.

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Chapter Three

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hile the arts help students academically, they also provide massive benefits all on their own that set them apart from other school subjects. The arts are a fantastic form of self-expression, particularly for teens and young children who are exploring their identities and learning about the world around them. As their skills increase, so does their confidence and their understanding of themselves. That intrinsic reward goes a long way; it encourages them to seek out learning for learning’s sake, and not just for the sake of a grade. They will begin to take interest in the subjects they do well in, because they feel better about their abilities and be engaged with what they’re learning.

This boost in confidence helps students’ mental health, and

in the process, improves their performance. A study performed

by Kenneth Elpus, the assistant professor for music education at Maryland University, found that, “As adolescents, students of the arts are significantly more optimistic about their chances to attend college than non-arts students.” This indicates an uplift in confidence and happiness for students that take art classes.

They also found a significant correlation between the arts and the pursuit of higher education after high school: “Echoing their higher levels of postsecondary education optimism reported as adolescents, former arts students were 55.38% more likely to have attended any postsecondary school by adulthood than were former non-arts students. Each additional Left: a student working in their school’s after-school art club

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year of arts study was associated with an 18% increase in the likelihood of having attended any postsecondary schooling.”

By building up students’ confidence in themselves, the arts help facilitate their growth and mental health, while also making it far more likely that they continue their education after graduating high school.

In addition, the arts have been shown to significantly decrease many issues that teens face in school. Elpus’ research showed that “Adolescents enrolled in music were 26% less likely than non-music students to consume alcohol ‘more than two or three times’ during adolescence. Each additional year of music study was significantly associated with an 11% reduction in the likelihood that an adolescent would ever consume alcohol.” Helping students avoid things like alcohol consumption also helps them live better lives mentally and physically, and sets up healthy habits for the future.

Lastly, the arts help students explore their identity, and can aid them in coming to accept who they are as a person. Mrs.

Cook talked about this in an interview: “...it's another way to express themselves. We can sit down and we can use words to talk about what's going on with them, but with art, it's another way to explore and express; when you do art, it's usually coming from the unconscious, and so things come out of the art that you don't even realize[...] Recently I had a client who, through the art, she was able to come out.

She used the art to explore both her own self-identity and then eventually be able to talk to me and to her parents about not feeling comfortable in her own gender.”

When the arts are removed from schools, and so much emphasis is put on by-the-numbers core subjects, some students are bound to feel “boxed in” and unmotivated.

Artistic expression is able to bring out sides to people that they didn’t realize they had, and that can be an incredibly important motivating factor, particularly to teens who are trying to find themselves. In this way, the arts serve to further teen development.

when you do art, it's usually coming from the unconscious, and so things come out of the art that you don't even realize[...] Recently I had a client who, through the art, she was able to come out. She used the art to explore both her own self-identity and then eventually be able to talk to me and to her parents about not feeling comfortable in her own gendeR. Susan Cook, Licensed Art Therapist

Left: a CSMA student working at a ceramics class

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Conclusion

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he arts build up students’ confidence and mental health, allowing them to excel academically and should be valued in schools at equal levels as core classes.

With budget cuts leading to arts classes being left out of the curriculum, and even more cuts the horizon, it is more important than ever that we realize the important aspects of educating students in the arts. An arts curriculum taps into an emotional side of students that other subjects do not, and offers itself as a form of self-expression for kids throughout their development. With over 25% of teens being affected by anxiety, we are living in a day and age where mental health concerns are of increasing concern. The emotional benefits of

art on students are more important than ever. When students are given outlets for emotional expression, it relieves stress, and their performance in school improves. Furthermore, the arts incorporate a wide variety of subjects, allowing a student to have a broader and more engaging educational experience while still teaching important core subjects. With arts classes being cut from public schools at increasing rates, it is vital that this conversation continues and the voices of those advocating for comprehensive arts education grow louder. Students deserve the opportunity for a complete education, and it is our responsibility to provide for that opportunity.

Left: Finished ceramic pots

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Works Cited Schmitt, Jacob. “Working to Keep the Arts in Public Schools.” Education Funding Partners, 11 Aug. 2017, www. edufundingpartners.com/2017/07/17/working-keep-arts-public-schools/.

Metla, Valeriya. “School Art Programs: Should They Be Saved?” Law Street, 25 July 2016, lawstreetmedia.com/issues/ education/cutting-art-programs-schools-solution-part-problem/.

Evans, Karin. “Arts and Smarts.” Greater Good, 1 Dec. 2008, greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/arts_smarts.

Covello, Linda. Personal Interview. 27 March 2018 Martinez, Lisa. Personal Interview. 4 March 2018 Rymanowicz, Kylie. “The Art of Creating: Why Art Is Important for Early Childhood Development.” MSU Extension, 22 Jan. 2015, msue.anr.msu.edu/news/the_art_of_creating_why_art_is_important_for_early_childhood_development.

Elpus, Kenneth. “Arts Education and Positive Youth Development: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Social Outcomes of Adolescents Who Study the Arts.”

Cook, Susan. Personal Interview. 11 March 2018 “Facts & Statistics.” Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA, adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/factsstatistics.

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About the Author

Teaching The arts

Hudson Jones is a Junior at Los Altos High School in Los Altos, California. He is currently also attending Freestyle Academy, taking courses in English, Film Production and Graphic Design. He is exploring many different areas of study as potential majors in college, such as creative writing, screenwriting, psychology, political science and education. He has a passion for social justice and participated in the March For Our Lives. Other causes that interest him are gender and racial equality, LGBT rights, and more. Hudson enjoys playing with his two pugs, Calvin and Posey. He lives with his parents and his younger sister, who is a Freshman. He enjoys trips with his family, watching Disney movies, hanging out with friends, eating, and reading. One of his favorite books of all time is To Kill a Mockingbird, and he is also a big fan of the Harry Potter series.

Hudson Jones