Arts turn STEM into STEAM to succeed.
When it comes to preparing today’s youth for the jobs of tomorrow, there’s no better approach than focusing on science, technology, engineering and math — also known as STEM. Or is there? While the STEM movement has been popular for the past decade, students need a more well-rounded education — one that includes the arts.
A growing body of research shows that studying the arts, such as theater, literature, music and painting, enhances problem-solving skills. Through exposure to the arts, students learn to practice divergent thinking: seeing a problem and potential solutions from multiple angles. We’ve seen these results first-hand at Orlando Science Schools and its affiliates in Osceola and Seminole counties.
That’s why we’re big proponents of the STEAM model — blending arts education with a more traditional STEM focus. We have offered art, music and drama clubs from the start, and now incorporate regular 50-minute classes in the arts, such as band, drama, art and computer animation. Offering these subjects in tandem reinforces what children are learning across the board.
For instance, music and math complement each other perfectly. Understanding concepts such as fractions and ratios is important to grasping both pursuits.
One of the biggest opportunities in STEAM education is projectbased learning. Recently, one of our third-graders diagrammed a humanoid robot. He illustrated and explained the mechanisms necessary to make the machine work, then went on to provide subtitles reflecting comparable human functions. He explained that in ancient times, the heart was seen as the center of affection, not just an organ responsible for pumping blood.
In moments like these, students integrate their knowledge of multiple subjects and enrich their understanding of the world. That’s exactly why children need to try subjects out of their comfort zone, whether it is science or music.
These hands-on experiences are key if we want to prepare the inventors, entrepreneurs, software developers, mechanical engineers and, yes, musicians and painters of tomorrow. In today’s global marketplace, it’s not enough to have only technical or “hard” skills. Employers want to hire people who also possess “soft” skills — those who can innovate, collaborate and communicate.
These are all capabilities gained through a well-rounded education that includes the arts. Cultivating these qualities in our graduates is particularly important if we want to diversify Central Florida’s economy and strengthen our work force.
Oftentimes, arts education is treated as an afterthought or a luxury, and it’s one of the first items on the chopping block when budgets get tight. But no matter students’ talents or career goals, the arts can inspire new passions and inform their trajectories. Fostering an appreciation for the arts prepares our students for success in work and in life.