Arts Academy

in the Woods

A free public high school and now middle school that offers

Art Every Day

Open House | Enroll now!!

Enrollment at the Academy is open to any middle school and high school aged child who lives in the State of Michigan.

Prepare to tour our hallways and classrooms!

Take this video tour to catch a glimpse of school life, Arts Academy style. Watch how AAW Students are learning and thriving through art every day! At Arts Academy in the Woods High School, and Middle School, prepare to learn Math through Music, Physics through Dance, Science through Fine Art and so much more! Prepare for Possibility!

New! Watch our Guided Tour Video!

Most Recent Daily Announcements

Daily Announcements
Created with Sketch.

Why Arts Educators Are Essential

With the educational world in the United States focusing so heavily on science, tech, engineering, and math (a.k.a. STEM) subjects, you may wonder why arts educators are essential.

After all, there’s no ‘A’ in the acronym. This is a mistake though. Walk through the halls of any arts-integrated middle or high school and you’ll witness arts educators teaching the whole child through their curriculum. This is because they understand the importance of making STEM a bit STEAMier.

Their primary focus isn’t on fostering a student to get high test scores. Their goal is a successful human being who’s equipped with the skills needed to face adult life. As such, they teach STEM subjects THROUGH art.

Why Arts Educators Are Essential

It makes perfect sense that teachers in other disciplines need, to some extent, to quantify their teachings through testing. Science and math, for instance, work from a degree of absolutes. But arts educators (or any educator working in the humanities) are unique because their goals are far less defined.

Whatever the case, teaching an arts-integrated curriculum does provide the following benefits for students:

1. Increased Communication

Communication is the cornerstone of every important relationship – be it personal or professional. So it’s a necessary skill for older kids and young adults preparing to enter “real life.”

Though it may not seem like it, the study of art teaches a myriad of communication skills. For example, members of a band must be able to communicate (verbally, physically, and emotionally) with one another, the conductor, and the members of the audience to play a piece of music. And students in acting classes must learn how to verbally communicate with the audience as well as the underlying emotions of the story.

When you think about it, art is the final result of transforming thoughts and emotions into a unique expression. It IS communication. And arts educators share this with their students.

2. Skills to Prepare Students for the Real World

Here’s the good news. The internet and other technological advances have made it much easier for creative folks to be successful in their areas of interest. No longer are they relegated to life as a starving artist.

Opportunities abound now for those who are creative, innovative, and unafraid to take chances in this new world that pivots on technology. So while arts educators have no desire to diminish the importance of STEM topics, they continue to emphasize the increasing importance of creativity and innovation in real-world applications.

3. Improved Cognition

Despite how it may sound, an arts-integrated middle school or high school isn’t students simply sculpting, playing guitar, or painting all day and getting credit for it. They’re just better able to learn important academic subjects through art. And it works.

A study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience found a connection between learning music and improved “verbal memory, second language pronunciation accuracy, reading ability, and executive functions” in students. This extends across other artistic ventures as well.

This isn’t exactly mind-blowing. There are clear correlations between geometry and drawing. And when a student performs Shakespeare, he or she also learns the historical, cultural, and social context of that era. For a student to play music, they must be able to grasp the science of sound waves and acoustics.

Immersing students in multifaceted artistic endeavors naturally exposes them to history, science, math, language, etc. in a way that helps them understand and THINK about these subjects.

4. Steady and Progressive Growth

For students to continue to grow and progress, arts educators must have realistic goals for and expectations of their students. This teaches them the connection between doing the work and garnering results; further enabling them to develop life skills such as resilience and grit to master their craft.

Yet, they’re also careful to maintain a balance between the extrinsic motivation they provide with the student’s intrinsic motivation. In other words, if the student begins to feel that the artistic endeavor is becoming a chore, they lose the important element of self-satisfaction. Arts educators ensure this doesn’t happen.

5. A Boost in Self-Confidence

Most creative people find their “voice” through art. Arts educators are no strangers to this concept, as it was often the case for them.

Yet there are times when students feel both drawn to and intimidated by a new discipline. Arts educators are trained to recognize this reticence and gently encourage these students without overwhelming them.

In these incidents, students eventually come out from under their insecurities and start to transform into the person they’re meant to be. This metamorphosis boosts self-confidence in not just that one discipline, but throughout all other aspects of their lives.

It’s a beautiful domino effect.

Turn up the STEAM!

Students need to understand that there are many answers to a problem and that making mistakes is crucial. Arts educators are essential because they teach these important lessons while encouraging creativity and innovation along the way.

So if you think your child would thrive in an arts-integrated curriculum, contact us today to set up a tour of our school.

And help your child find success tomorrow by fostering their creativity today.

See Past Daily Announcements

Subscribe

* indicates required