Five Reasons Art Belongs in STEM Classes
In our world, art and technology go hand in hand.
Science. Technology. Engineering. Art. Math.
Wait. One of these things is not like the others. Or is it?
A lot of people think about academic subjects as fitting on a spectrum. Art and humanities are on one side, and STEM fields are on the other. In reality, life isn’t divided up that way.
Since all of these pieces are constantly mixing, mingling, and informing each other, it makes sense to learn about them together. That’s why Northpoint Charter School offers STEAM education in our Smart Lab.
Here are five reasons we put an “A” in our STEM education.
Real Life is Complicated
Life is full of problems that require an interdisciplinary approach. Using techniques and thought processes from different fields is a valuable skill that extends beyond the classroom. By practicing with structured lessons and objectives, you get a chance to tackle complex problems that use many different skills all at once.
Art Encourages Creativity
When you think of art, maybe you immediately imagine something from the visual arts, like a painter or sculptor. That’s just the tip of the art iceberg. Art skills include music, writing, design, crafting, and building. But even more than that, art is about looking at things differently and exploring new ideas in creative, innovative ways. When you embrace art, you open yourself to new learning opportunities.
You Can Practice Soft Skills
Creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking. Those are the “Four C’s” that will help you achieve more in your life, from improving friendships to succeeding in a job. By moving learning out of the realm of theory and into practical hands-on projects with a partner or small group, STEAM classes give you a chance to put these skills to work.
You Use More Parts of Your Brain
Students learn best when they can absorb information in multiple different ways. Instead of just hearing about a concept in a lecture or reading it in a textbook, incorporating art into lesson plans means kids get to learn by doing. That makes the lesson more memorable and engaging, and it makes it a lot easier to see first-hand how different concepts work together.
You Can Do What Interests You
Do you like to create art? Taking an artistic approach to learning might help you understand concepts that are hard to get from a lecture alone. Are you passionate about science? Working methodically through an art project can help you get results instead of feeling overwhelmed.
The marriage of art and science means you can play to your strengths and interests while learning 21st century skills that will help you tackle real world problems and succeed in any learning environment. And in Smart Lab, you get to choose what projects to work on and how you want to approach them.
Northpoint has been teaching STEAM classes for more than 20 years. There are more than 175 projects to choose from and nearly infinite ways to approach each assignment, so you’ll never run out of ways to learn new skills and concepts. To learn more about Smart Lab, and other ways that Northpoint can help you explore your strengths and interests, call (505) 296-7677 for a tour or review our application process online.
