How does an education in the arts benefit students?

Education in the arts benefits students by:

Cultivating the whole child by building multiple literacies (e.g., developing intuition, reasoning, imagination and dexterity) into unique forms of expression and communication.

Initiating them into a variety of ways of perceiving and thinking that will help them see and grasp life in new ways.

Teaching the analyzation of nonverbal communication and the making of informed judgments.

Enhancing understanding of themselves and others.

Acquiring the tools and knowledge to take charge of their own learning�assessing where they have been, where they are and where they want to go.

Promoting the processes of thinking, creating and evaluating.

Developing attributes of self-discipline and personal responsibility.

Reinforcing the joy of learning and self-esteem, and fostering the thinking skills and creativity valued in the workplace.

Demonstrating the direct connection between study, hard work and high levels of achievement.

Giving them knowledge of potential career pathways or involvement in the arts.

Encouraging experimentation with and utilization of current technology.

Fosteringa lifelong appreciation for and support of the arts.

From the Arizona Department of Education's Theatre Standards Rational