Why It’s Important
Research concludes that engagement in arts and creativity sparks a passion for learning, fuels imagination, and builds relevant skills.
(Winsler, Adam et al., 2020; Hardiman, M., Rinne, L., & Yarmolinskaya, J., 2020; Gardiner, P., 2019; Ghanbari, S., 2015; Müller, E. et al., 2020; Bowen, D., Kisida, B., 2020); source: ArtsEdSearch
What Teachers Who Participated in Previous Grant Rounds Are Saying:
"We had a visiting artist from the San Jose Museum of Art's Sowing Creativity program come to our classroom weekly for eight visits teaching the students eight different projects related to the museum's current exhibits. The students loved learning from the artist and getting to do a different project every week... The students were all very engaged, even students who sometimes have a difficult time focusing for a long time. At the end, they all received a free family pass to the museum so that they could show their family all of the pieces that inspired the art they made in class. We had an amazing experience."
"As a teacher, it empowered me to give student experiences beyond the textbook. I surveyed my students at the end of the school year and many students said my Social Science class was their favorite class because we did so many fun, interesting projects. They didn't really like history before because it was just reading from the book and doing reports. Students were always excited to learn the next ancient civilization!"
"Our students enjoyed a live theater performance of Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Notwithstanding the pandemic, many of the families in our community struggle financially, and few ever have the opportunity to experience the arts. Accordingly, sitting in an auditorium and realizing how actors can bring a familiar story to life, was especially meaningful. Meeting a few of the actors following the performance was icing on the cake."
"I learned how much fun it can be to incorporate art into science and that appealing to multiple learning styles through art engages more learners at a deeper level."
