Arts-Rich Practices

Arts-rich educational opportunities include a combination of learning. While any one arts-rich practice is beneficial for student development, the combination of practices has shown to have significant influence on student achievement. (Eisner, Arts and the Creation of Mind)

• First and foremost is the arts as curriculum (learning in the arts). This is evident when students attend a class in an art form (dance, music, theatre, visual art), are taught by a licensed art educator and instruction is standards-based.
• Second, is arts based teaching and learning, better known as arts integration (referenced as learning through and with the arts). Integrated teaching and learning can occur in any classroom for any combination of skills and knowledge. For example, students may be taught the life cycle of a butterfly through moving their bodies in a science classroom. Likewise, students may reinforce their mathematical reasoning through the application of fractions in musical notation.
• Third, is exposure to professional artistic experiences (such as field trips to museums, live performances, or hosting an artist residency).