Art classes are important — just ask a 10-year-old
When schools are experiencing budget cuts one of the first things that they consider dropping is art. Art isn’t learning, people say. You should save art for home. However, I think that art is an important element of school.
The first reason why we should keep art class in schools is because students, like me, use it to express themselves. When people create an art piece they can show their feelings in ways that they can’t express using words. Sometimes students can use art to help them overcome an obstacle they are facing. They might make a piece of art when they are angry. That anger will then be transferred from the student to the paper where it will it will transform into beauty. If you are ever having trouble overcoming an obstacle then art is the perfect medicine.
Second, you can’t grade art with numbers. When students create an art piece they feel free because nothing is either wrong or right. Nothing is the best and nothing is the worst. This makes students feel equal. And besides, equality is the key for almost everything.
Have you noticed how much art fills our community? Lots of artists today started out when they were just students in a school art class. Many school art classes not only teach students about making art, but also about other artists. When students learn about other artists they might get inspired. Art is the beauty that fills most of our community. Can you imagine our community with only small amounts of art? Think of your favorite art museum. If they don’t continue to get more art then they would stagnate. Everyone would have already seen everything and there would be nothing new. There is so much art in our community and we need to keep adding more. School art class is the perfect thing to keep the flow of new art pieces for our community to share.
I know most people already know this but E(art)h without art is just Eh. The concept of taking art away from Earth is terrifying. Eh has no meaning. Eh is just the way it is. But Earth has a meaning. Earth is a gigantic art piece. Look outside. All the nature you see is art. If we stop adding more art we will start losing art. Art class helps students make more art to fill our planet.
Another great thing about school art programs is they provide materials for students to use. Not everyone’s parents are going to want to take them to Michael’s every week (or any other craft store). I know that there are also extracurricular art classes too, and if you are taking one that is fantastic. But not every kid has the time or the opportunity. In most cases, parents don’t have time either. I don’t have anything against extracurricular art classes, in fact I actually think that they are great. But with school art class everyone has a chance to make art.
Lastly, school art programs help us improve our school and real world related skills. Art expands student’s creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. Art helps us with patience. Art also helps students make connections. How does my art piece connect to the world?
I hope that you will take this into consideration, whether you are a teacher, a principal or not. And, understand my point of view of why all schools should have art class. When schools are experiencing budget cuts, don’t take away art class.
Rosenthal is 10 years old and attends River Oaks Elementary.