Jordan Mills

Writing 1010
Rogers
November 2015
Artistic Minds Lead to Better Finds
The human population is searching for truth and understanding. This search makes
education the goal in societies around the world and throughout history. However, in more recent
years, the focus in education has lost its original purpose and has created a priority in gaining
scientific and mathematical knowledge. This focus on math and science leads to uniformity in
learning and testing and an inaccurate representation of the intelligence of students taking those
tests. Because there is so much to learn and little time to learn the needed subjects, students have
shown a tendency to memorize the required information. This tendency is creating more
difficulty for students to excel in schooling because of the excess of information they are
expected to memorize to do well with their standardized testing. Once the testing is done,
students are liable to forget the things they learned throughout the course because the material
was not taught to the students in a retainable way. With more artistic processes for gaining
knowledge students will be more likely to retain information. Education leaders should limit
standardized testing and include a greater emphasis in the exploration of creative and artistic
education, such as music, writing, and art, as well as math and science, to help students become
better accustomed to the requirements of their future work and life possibilities.
As children attend schooling in the United States, many are corralled into a learning form
called Common Core, which focuses mainly on reading, math, and science with an expected rate

of achievement to be reached and recorded throughout the year with standardized tests. The
Common Core standards clearly demonstrate what students are expected to learn at each grade
level, so that every parent and teacher can understand and support their learning (Read the
Standards). However, with this curriculums focus on math, science, and reading, there is very
little time for teachers or parents to support a students learning with the artistic or creative
learning students need because of the heavy influence of the scientific development goals.
Encouraged creativity and a positive view on artistic minds in schools are rare for students to
receive, even though these simple creative activities are some of the building blocks of child
development. (Lynch). Taking time to explore artistic and creative ideas in an educational
environment helps students to strengthen learning, comprehension and retention. Because of this
Common Core educational goal, however, many artistic programs, such as choir, drama,
orchestra, and art have been limited and sometimes cut out of the curriculum completely. The
human brain consists of special cells called neurons, which are composed of several parts,
including brain fibers known as dendrites. As you learn, these brain fibers grow. The fibers
connect your brain cells to one another at contact points called synapses. The larger your brain
fibers grow, and the more brain cells they connect, the more information can be stored in your
brain. (Tutors). By introducing artistic and creative activities into the education processes
students will have more things to connect the subjects and ideas in their minds. These
connections will help students remember the information more accurately and for a longer period
of time. Having audible, visual and active artistic stimulants as part of a students educational
journey enforces natural learning processes and each student can obtain a more personalized way
to learn.

Learning based on a standardized and impersonalized education program such as the

Common Core makes exploring and learning in the arts difficult because much of a students day
is spent working to memorize problems and solutions to pass a test. Students are less likely to
retain knowledge when they are simply memorizing for a test. As students, many question if we
are learning so many subjects in school just to forget them soon after we take a test on them then
what is the function of this educational method? Why rely so heavily on a system of testing when
we know that most of these tests are measuring students abilities to hastily cram and memorize
facts and figures for the short term instead of authentically engage with and retain information
for the long term? (Kaufman). Education was created to be remembered, it should stay that way.
However, with testing, ill-fitted learning, and student procrastination there is a rising issue of
cramming and memorizing the information to take the test, followed by forgetting the subject
matter, making long term knowledge retention a slim chance. If education practices had a more
creative way to learn and remember information students could be able to learn and retain
information more fully. By giving students a chance to express their learning through art projects
or in other creative ways, instead of standardized tests, students can be more accurately assessed
in their learning and comprehension of the subject matter provided. Some students are very poor
at taking standardized tests. Their poor results on the tests imply they are struggling with the
subject matter, even though they have been excelling in understanding the topic. This inaccurate
assessment of the students learning gives both educators and the student an incorrect
representation of the students intelligence and comprehension.
Introducing music, art, and other artistic subjects to schools and education can help
students focus on their work in other classes and improve intelligence. Many students have
artistic tendencies which are rarely encouraged in school which leads some to drawing or

fidgeting or other disruptions during class time. Adding an artistic outlet for these students can
improve their focus on tasks when needed and encourage the students natural intelligence. Many
believe and Studies have shown that the right kind of music can help [students] relax [their]
mind which enables [them] to concentrate better. Perfect [for] studying, doing homework or
studying for a test or exam. It cuts down on distractions and helps [students] focus on [their]
work. (Music Can Help You Study) Music is widely believed to improve the ability to focus and
study for students. In some classes, teachers have started playing classical and wordless music as
quiet background noise to help students stay focused. Including music and artistic subjects as
well as subjects like math and science will improve a students intelligence, but studies have
shown a child wont benefit from the positive side effects of music training if its done instead
of other activities, only if its done in addition to them. When its substituted for something else
equally academic, said Schellenberg, you no longer see the association. (Jaffe). Taking time
for both artistic and scientific academics shows increase in educational growth, not simply
education in math and science or art and music. This art-inclusive education provides
opportunities for these students to explore and prepare for things they may want to pursue in
their future careers. Many students question the value of the more science and math based
education by asking when theyll use the information in the future, which, sadly, the educators
have little response. By teaching with a more balanced subject influence students will have both
the scientific and artistic knowledge to make a more educated and prepared decision about their
future work, which can help reduce students changing majors of study in college, and limit worry
if a student does not want to pursue a career in a scientific or mathematical field.
Educators understand the desire to pursue knowledge and have tried many different ways
to teach the students of the world. In recent years, however, the available knowledge is somewhat

out of reach because the whole learning experience is limited. The artistic and creative minds of
the students do not get the proper stimulus for lasting and retainable knowledge. This educational
gap should be remedied by limited standardized testing and more artistic and creative learning
opportunities. These opportunities for a more balanced education of scientific, mathematical, and
artistic subjects will improve learning and retention for students. Education was created to be
remembered, it should stay that way.

Works Cited
Jaffe, Eric. "Observer." Association for Psychological Science. 15 November 2015
<http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/video/a-musical-mind.html>.
Kaufman, Peter. "Cram. Memorize. Regurgitate. Forget." 26 April 2012. Everyday Sociology. 17
November 2015 <http://www.everydaysociologyblog.com/2012/04/cram-memorize-regurgitateforget.html>.
Lynch, Grace Hwang. "Education." 16 5 2012. PBS Parents. 16 11 2015
<http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/the-importance-of-art-in-child-development/>.
"Music Can Help You Study." 2011. UNC Charlotte and University City. 15 November 2015
<http://uncc49er.com/622/music-can-help-you-study/>.
Popham, W. James. "ASCD." 3 1999. Educational Leadership. 16 11 2015
<http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar99/vol56/num06/WhyStandardized-Tests-Don't-Measure-Educational-Quality.aspx>.
"Read the Standards." Common Core State Standard Initiative.
<http://www.corestandards.org/read-the-standards/>.