The Power of the Arts

So a current goal we, as the North Little Rock Speech and Drama department, are working towards is a three to four minute video educating the community and our students on the power and impact the arts have on education and the world. Since Bush's ridiculous "No Child Left Behind" law was put into enforcement, the nation has been gripped into a "test score and results" mode that has forced the arts out of the classrooms across our country. It is truly a terrifying movement that most people do not realize is occurring.

Yet statistics show that students involved in arts programs (both visual & performing) are:

• More likely to STAY in their desks and not drop out and become truant. Studies show that the arts help to deter delinquent behaviour in and out of the classroom


• More likely to strengthen student's problem solving and critical thinking skills, along with boosting standardized test scores


• Helping to build a school environment that promotes goal-setting, high expectations, discipline, and academic rigor


• More likely to show a larger vocabulary, be involved in reading programs, and showed huge development in written word and comprehension.


• More likely to step outside their comfort zone and try new adventures.


• Made these students more confident and cooperative.


• Stimulates the imagination and creative aspects of their brains, while promoting critical thinking skills and cognitive development.

We have sensed a slide in the last few years...you can feel it in those involved in the higher end decision making concerning courses offered and test scores. It is scary. You can sense that the nation is screaming for higher and higher test scores. States have clamped down on how many absences students will be allowed to miss for school related activities. States are removing the arts out of classrooms to promote more and more math classes...not thinking about the fact that students CAN utilize art to creatively build their own math skills. Why would students be motivated to come to school where they are pounded day in and day out with math and science instead of having a creative outlet to learn these areas of knowledge as well? I know for a fact, you would have lost me early on. You HAVE to provide an avenue to reach those students who are not your average student...who have to be reached in a more creative level and provide them the background knowledge they require to be successful.

And what is frightening is that it is not just the arts that is being cut, but also MANY electives that help promote leadership, volunteerism, and community involvement are being removed as well. That is scary as well. Where is the lightness and fun of school if test scores and results are being crammed down their throats?

Studies show, however, a direct correlation between high involvement in arts programs, both visual and performing, and higher standardized testing scores throughout the country. Why would you remove those classes from your curriculum? Cuts are being made without discussions and at that point, it is too late, even if you come to realizations later and try to re-implement. At that point, the damage is already complete and you have lost students to the undercurrent of TEST and SCORES and RESULTS and that is just plain SAD.

The problem, I think, lies in the area of assessment. How do you assess the arts and creativity and imagination? You can't and therein lies the problem.

I would be interested to hear your own thoughts on this?

We , at NLRHS, are locating students who have graduated from our program to come back and agree to be video-taped talking about not only our program and its benefits, but also to talk about their life without arts in general. Would they be the same without freedom of expression and artistic fulfillment? Be on the lookout for it...we are super excited about the possibilities it presents. We hope that those in charge will take notice and will come to the table with ideas on how to help build our program instead of constantly making decisions that are detrimental in kids losing their passion for education, promoting more and more drop-out rates across our country.