Art education matters, so what’s the problem? | Laura Mack | TEDxSalem

Summary

This compelling talk advocates for the importance of art education in elementary schools, highlighting how creativity and divergent thinking decline as children grow older. The speaker, an artist and educator, shares their personal journey to bring art back into classrooms in Salem-Keizer, Oregon, where a lack of art teachers has left a void in creative education. Despite limited success, the speaker emphasizes creative problem-solving, persistence, and collaboration as key factors in advocating for change. The talk urges the community to recognize the value of art education and work together to ensure creativity is nurtured in schools for future generations.

Takeaways

• 😀 The lack of art teachers in elementary schools is a serious problem that affects creativity in children.
• 😀 Creativity is crucial for the economy and personal development, with art education playing a key role in fostering creative thinking.
• 😀 Studies show that nearly all kindergarteners score as 'creative geniuses,' but this drops dramatically as they age, highlighting the need for sustained creative development.
• 😀 Creativity is essential in all fields, not just the arts—business leaders value creativity, and it is necessary for innovation across all industries.
• 😀 High-quality art education develops skills such as observation, persistence, risk-taking, and the ability to envision multiple solutions to problems.
• 😀 Art education contributes to better communication, collaboration, and adaptability, which are vital in today’s diverse and divided society.
• 😀 In response to the lack of art teachers, the speaker and colleagues have developed a volunteer-led art education model, though it's limited in scope and reach.
• 😀 Despite many efforts to raise awareness and lobby for change, public education systems often fail to prioritize art education, reflecting a disconnect between public belief and action.
• 😀 Creative thinking skills can be integrated into various subjects, such as PE and science, to make art accessible even in the absence of dedicated art classes.
• 😀 Collaboration is a key ingredient in making creative ideas real, and it's essential for solving problems and building stronger, more adaptable communities.
• 😀 To ensure that future generations maintain their creativity, the community must demand more art education in schools and work together to provide creative solutions.

Q & A

What problem does the speaker highlight in the beginning of the transcript?

The speaker highlights the lack of art teachers in elementary schools, particularly in the Salem Keizer district, which impacts students' access to creativity and art education.

How does the speaker use George Land's creativity test to emphasize the importance of creativity?

The speaker refers to George Land's test, which showed that 98% of kindergarteners scored at the genius level for creativity. However, by age 24, only 2% maintained those creative thinking skills. This illustrates the decline in creativity as children grow older and why maintaining creativity is crucial.

What economic argument does the speaker make for investing in creativity and art education?

The speaker mentions that the arts contribute 4.2% of the GDP, amounting to $730 billion annually, and stresses that creativity is embedded in all industries, from medicine to technology, making it essential for economic growth.

What are some of the skills that high-quality art education fosters, according to the research by Lois Helen and Ellen Winner?

The research highlights skills such as observation, reflection, persistence, risk-taking, and the ability to envision multiple solutions to a problem, all of which are essential tools for creative thinkers.

What personal experience does the speaker share to highlight the lack of art education in Salem Keizer schools?

The speaker shares that when their son entered first grade, they discovered there were no art teachers in the district. This revelation led the speaker to investigate and find out that art teachers had been removed 35 years ago, and some schools only offer minimal art education through volunteers.

What is the 'art literacy' model mentioned in the transcript, and how did the speaker try to implement it?

The 'art literacy' model involves a coordinator writing the curriculum, training volunteers, and having them teach art to students. The speaker worked with other artists to create a similar curriculum and tried to implement it in several schools in the district, though it only provided three one-hour lessons per year per student.

How does the speaker propose using lunch time for art education?

The speaker suggests using lunch time for art education by showing videos of artists and art concepts, and then allowing students to take art supplies home or use them in the classroom to create projects, which would be discussed the following week.

What new ways of integrating art into school subjects does the speaker propose?

The speaker proposes integrating art with subjects like PE by using movement-based learning and performance art techniques, such as improvisational theater or physical art practices like Jackson Pollock's style of painting.

What is the key to making creative ideas successful, according to the speaker?

Collaboration is identified as the key to making creative ideas real. The speaker emphasizes that working with others helps push creative solutions beyond individual capabilities, which is crucial for addressing the challenges of society.

What action does the speaker encourage the audience to take regarding art education?

The speaker urges the audience to advocate for art education in schools by demanding that art be taught from kindergarten onward, and to vote with this priority in mind to ensure future generations benefit from creative thinking skills.