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Arts integration is a method of educating students by combining an expression of

knowledge and understanding of a subject content area through an outlet or production of art.
There is a balance in meeting objectives in both an art content area and a given subject content
area (Fine Arts Standards/ Common Core Standards), and students are given the opportunity to
explore both through creative expression and innovative thinking. By way of dance, music,
theatre, and/or visual arts, students explore a subject (Math, Science, Social Studies, English) and
use their creative and artistic talents to express their understanding. Through arts integration,
teachers can touch diverse learners by incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
principles and differentiation, making content more accessible and motivating for students to
become active explorers/analyzers of given subject matter.
I believe art is an expression of oneself through various mediums like painting, drawing,
photography, sculpting, playing music, acting, dancing etc. that also has an element of intention
when creating an original piece. I consider creativity to mean having novel ideas that are often
unique and lead to innovative projects or influences. Art and creativity are not synonymous
according to my personal definitions; not all things that are creative are deemed pieces of
artwork, but art can be the product of creative thinking. Expressing oneself through various art
forms and creative thinking, by way of demonstrating a deeper understanding of a subject,
contains an element of intention because it signifies greater knowledge through personal
exploration, which adds value to content material. The arts can be integrated into elementary
classrooms by providing different modalities of expression and engagement for students. For
example, in a lesson on weather, students can display their knowledge through dance
(incorporating dance terminology), song (how rain, lightning, thunder relate to rhythm/patterns),
photography (how lightning, rainstorms, clouds relate to patterns, lines, and shapes), etc. True
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arts integration lessons provide students with exposure to different art forms and related
background information that allows them to use their own creativity and artistic abilities.
Enabling students to use self-expression and their strengths/preferences to demonstrate their
knowledge to create an original piece (that adheres to arts principles and content background),
stimulates students to find their own intent through individual creativity.
I consider myself creative in that I like to organize, decorate, design, and place things in
tasteful ways, such as decorating a room (finding a color pallet and matching furniture), writing
in calligraphy, designing posters, PowerPoints, and birthday cards, and putting together attractive
and aesthetically pleasing outfits. I enjoy taking photographs of nature, namely landscapes,
sunrises/sunsets, and oceans or bodies of water, which is how I primarily express myself through
art. I also enjoy drawing and painting flowers in my free time, which also expresses my love for
nature and bright colors. I can incorporate my artistic strengths and creative abilities into my
classroom by how I organize/decorate the room, make calendars, or create posters for given
content material that grab student attention. Fostering a positive view on students own artwork
will be a priority in my classroom so that students do not compare and downplay their creations.
As a teacher it is important to let students know that art is up to ones own interpretation and we
all have our own creative outlets intended to reflect our personalities and interests.
Arts integration is a powerful and enriching approach to teaching and learning that
enables students to explore content material through art and creative thinking, which increases
academic performance and motivation in students across grade levels. The implementation of
the arts integration model in various Chicago Public Schools has shown higher student
achievement and performance on standardized/norm-referenced tests, specifically in math and
reading (Catterall & Waldorf, 1999). Arts integration has also shown an increase in student
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motivation and interest in subject/discipline content, active participation/engagement, and
collaboration with peers in the classroom (DeMoss & Morris, 2002). This piece of active
learning is particularly critical for students who need more tactile, kinesthetic, visual, and/or
auditory stimulation to demonstrate knowledge based on their strengths, which is a part of
Universal Design for Learning (multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement).
Another study done in Montgomery County, Maryland compared test scores from several
arts integration-focused schools (AIMS) to several control schools. The AIMS school with the
highest percentage of minority/low-income students increased reading and math scores by almost
twenty-five percent over three years, whereas the comparison schools scores actually decreased
(RealVisions, 2007). This study shows significant improvements in student academic
performance because of the increased motivation to learn about subject content through an art
form to exhibit deeper understanding. Arts integration also augments the development of the
habits of mind like problem solving, critical thinking, metacognitive abilities, and thinking
interdependently (Dwyer et al., 2011). Deepening ones critical thinking skills, reflecting
on/analyzing ones work, and collaborating with peers are important features of the learning
process that help develop richer inquiry into discipline material. Arts integration enhances
student creative thinking and provides alternative ways to explore subject content that motivates
students to learn inside and outside the classroom.
In my future classroom, I wish to incorporate arts integration as much as possible because
this method of teaching reaches students who do not learn as well in a lecture style classroom
with paper and pencil activities. I would like to have my students be active and engaged in
content material, challenging traditional teaching/learning techniques. I have incorporated the
principles of Universal Design for Learning and differentiated instruction in my special
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education placement as a student teacher, which are associated with arts integration in presenting
information and having students express their knowledge visually, kinesthetically, and tactilely.
Providing differentiated instruction through multiple learning modalities helps diverse learners
comprehend what they are learning so as to present their knowledge in an end product,
displaying their understanding. I want my students to challenge the way they approach content,
gain problem-solving skills, and reflect on and analyze their work as well as their processes.
Incorporating bodily-kinesthetic movements and dance into a lesson about how the earth
revolves around the sun or incorporating script writing with Readers Theater to enhance and
develop fluency (accuracy, rate, prosody) are examples of arts integration that I have specifically
used in my classroom. Exploring concepts of patterns, space, and variable energy levels formed
the basis of the dance investigation working individually and with small groups (collaborating
and developing communication/interrelationships), which helped students portray daily
cycles/rotations, revolutions, and the suns sporadic energy. Through active engagement with
peers and bodily-kinesthetic movement, students demonstrated their knowledge in small group
presentations and reflected on the activity in a class discussion about the different aspects of
dance and the relationship between the sun and the earth. Readers Theater is another great
English tool for primary elementary students to collaborate on writing, comprehension, fluency,
and phonics skills through repeated reading and performance. Embracing arts integration in my
classroom now has become a more natural part of my lesson planning, and it makes learning
more exciting for my students and myself, as a facilitator and leader.
I envision arts integration as a central method of teaching and learning in my future
classroom because active engagement and expression are so critical in keeping students
motivated to learn, which I have learned through special education coursework. Arts integration
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can make dry content material more attractive for students to explore and reflect on, which
shows the value of enriching subject matter that would have otherwise driven students to
overlook key information if it were not presented in an approachable and pleasing way. Through
the connection with the UDL principles and differentiation (allowing students to use their
strengths/preferences to demonstrate understanding of given subject matter), arts integration is a
great model for students of all learning styles and needs to access content material, and I am
excited to encompass all aspects of it in my present and future teaching endeavors.































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References

Catterall, J.S., & Waldorf, L. (1999). Chicago arts partnerships in education: Summary
evaluation. In E. B. Fiske (Ed.), Champions of change: the impact of the arts on learning.
(pp. 47-62). Washington, DC: The Arts Education Partnership and the Presidents
Committee on Arts and Humanities. Retrieved from http:// www.aep-
arts.org/files/publications/ChampsReport.pdf
DeMoss, K., & Morris, T. (2002). How arts integration supports student learning: Students shed
light on the connections. Chicago, IL: Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE).
Dwyer, M. C., Knight Foundation., & United States. (2011). Reinvesting in arts education:
Winning America's future through creative schools. Washington, D.C: President's
Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Retrieved from
http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/gpo23762/PCAH_Reinvesting_4web.pdf
Real Visions. (2007). Montgomery County Public Schools Arts Integration Model Schools
Program 2004-2007. Final Evaluation report. Berkeley Springs, WV: Real Visions.