Critical Analysis of Reinvesting in Arts Education: Winning America’s Future Through Creative Schools

The arts have been a part of culture for thousands of years. They have been used to tell stories, provide entertainment for dignitaries and royalty, and acted as an outlet for emotions. If art has been a part of culture for this long then why are arts and education slowly disappearing from public schools across the country? In Reinvesting in Arts Education: Winning America’s Future Through Creative Schools the president commissions a call for arts and education to remain strong partners. It argues that, “Students who do graduate from high school are increasingly the products of narrowed curricula, lacking the creative and critical thinking skills needed for success in post-secondary education and the workforce,“(United States V).

This article aims to educate citizens of America about the necessity of keeping arts synonymous with education. It’s a dire time in this country economically and because of this we are defunding the arts in public schools, as a way to make money for other necessities without realizing that the arts is a necessity. The commission maintains that the only way to insure that arts and education can remain a strong combination is if collaborations among different approaches are built, develop the field of arts integration, and expand in-school opportunities for teaching artists.  The authors make their points and thesis very apparent and noted. The assertions are supported by statistical evidence and personal testimony. The author cites authority very well giving credit where it is due. There is no personal experience or observations in this article because there is enough statistical evidence that the author does not need to assert himself in that way.  “Earlier studies about the benefits of arts integration reported that arts integration approaches were successful in producing better attendance and fewer discipline problems, increased graduation rates, and improved test scores; motivating students who were difficult to reach otherwise; and providing challenges to more academically successful students,” (United States19). There is a very defined concept that is flushed out through the article in a very detailed way.

The authors of this article are actually the president’s cabinet so the opinion and thesis of this article is representative of the president. President Obama has two young children; he understands the importance of art in the classroom and how it can help children think on a more abstract and creative level. Obama’s platform also has to embody the platform of the Democratic Party. He is the face of the Democratic Party and if he doesn’t support their ideals then he will have a lot of trouble in the Senate or House of Representatives receiving support from his fellow Democrats on various bills. According to the article, “Leaders worry that the United States is losing its competitive edge in creativity and innovation, and that the call for ever more rigorous academic standards is insufficient with- out a concomitant focus on developing creativity and imagination,” (United States 29).

            The author is targeting the citizens of the United States in order to get their support; if citizens support this impending policy change and movement then they will pressure their senators and representatives to vote in favor of a bill that could fund more public school art programs. The author is writing in the current time period this is an issue that has always been a problem but now more than ever it is apparent. The time period makes the topic even more intense and necessary for action. The time period has also affected the data used in this article, “The national dropout rate has fluctuated between 25-30% since 2001, and for some demographic groups and geographic areas, the statistics are far worse,”(United States 27-28). This article was published from the President’s office; the audience is the voting public as well as senator’s and representatives.

The author’s style and tone is very calm and logical. There isn’t any language that suggests that the author is becoming agitated or angry as they continue to write and support their thesis. The article says, “Decades of research show strong and consistent links between high-quality arts education and a wide range of impressive educational outcomes,” (United States vi). The author gives lots of support and factual evidence, which allows for them to not use loaded language or lots of emotion to get their point across. Also the way in which the authors discuss this topic is in a way that the general public can understand. There is no legal jargon in this article or any vocabulary that would be too much for a generally educated individual.

Stating the thesis with the main points and then supporting those points with evidence and statistical reference organize the essay. The essay is organized this way in order to make the point known and support it efficiently. Basically the author wants to get the point across as quickly and efficiently as possible. The arrangement is categorized by problem-solution. The author gives a thesis and then states different things that will solve the thesis and make it a reality.

The article revisits the thesis and proceeds to conclude how the main points will fix this. The article claims that arts in education can help to increase academic achievement, school engagement, and critical thinking by building collaborations among different approaches, develop the field of arts integration, and expand in-school opportunities for teaching artists. In order to keep arts and education strong partners looking to the community is the only answer to make it a reality. The article asserts, “The urgency for major education reform expressed by Secretary of Education Duncan has been echoed by President Barack Obama and leaders in all sectors,”(United States 27). Having strong community partners and engaging the people surrounding schools to help makes it a group effort and brings the nation closer together. Its important for our nation to take a stand on this issue because according to this article and the opinion of the president it is in the best interest for our children.

 Work Cited

United States. President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, “Reinvesting in Arts Education: Winning America’s Future Through Creative Schools. “President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Knight Foundation, President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, and the Stephen and Myrna Greenberg Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Communal Fund Washington, DC, May 2011. Web.