ART IS
SMART The value of creativity
in the classroom
BY PJ FEINSTEIN AND ADRANISHA STEPHENS
A t a time when school districts across the country are eliminating
art programs due to budget cuts and the prioritization of standard-
ized testing, Arlington Public Schools (APS) in Virginia stands out
as an exception.

“We are so fortunate in Arlington. I’ve been in central office for 19 years,
and we have never had a cut to the arts,” says arts education supervisor Pam
Farrell. “We are so strongly supported by our superintendent, our school
board and our community so much so that three years ago when we were
facing a big budget deficit, the number one thing the community voted to
not cut was the arts.”
The APS community understands the value of arts education, including
visual art. When elementary school students are building with clay or mid-
dle schoolers are learning how to do portraiture, they’re aren’t just having
fun. They’re also learning skills that translate into all aspects of their lives,
including literacy, planning and awareness, creativity and critical thinking,
explains Farrell.

“In visual art classes, the kids are basically solving problems as they’re mak-
ing art. And so the amount of decisions they have to make – which way to go,
which colors to select – really, really impact their critical thinking,” she says.

TEACHING “HABITS OF MIND”
Michelle Silberberg, a photography teacher at Northwood High School
in Rockville, Maryland, says that visual art can teach learners about lay-
out, perspective and balance, all techniques that are necessary for visual
presentations of academic work.

Right now, her students are creating a photography project surrounding
mental illness. “It’s a tough topic and I am here to help them and support
The arts can provide gains in literacy, planning and
16 Washington FAMILY MARCH 2020