The Importance Of the Arts

Some people might view taking Arts subjects at A Level as reducing their future employability, unless they’re focused on moving into a specific profession like dance, theatre, or art. Even with this focus, though, trying for an Arts education can be unstable in terms of whether you’ll be generally employable after you complete your studies. Why, then, does taking Arts subjects at A Level matter, and what sort of institutions should be targeted for taking them?

The status of Arts subjects at A level and GCSE has been under fire in recent years, with the now-shelved English Baccalaureate, or EBC, having planned to focus on core academic subjects, excluding more practical subjects like Drama or Art. While the EBC is no longer being used at GCSE, A Levelreforms are focusing on more final exams, less coursework, and increased emphasis on building employability through core A Levels across different disciplines.

The value of taking Arts subjects at A Level is also complicated by the perception that including them will damage your chances of competing for the best university places. In this context, combining more traditional subjects with Dance, Drama, Art, or Performing Arts could be seen as taking a ‘soft’ option, rather than trying to create the most prestigious collection of results to impress examiners.

However, an approach to A Levels that just selects the subjects that you think will get you a better University place or a better job can be short sighted if you end up struggling and ignoring your natural talents in the Arts. An Arts education can be beneficial in many ways, from allowing you express yourself and show initiative through projects, to engaging with cultural awareness and a critical approach to society. At the same time, not following through and getting a qualification in a subject you love can mean that you work for two years on difficult subjects without any guarantees of getting a better job from them.

The value of taking Arts subjects consequently comes down to whether you view A Levels as a means to an end, or as a chance to combine more pragmatic subjects for a potential career with the opportunity to broaden your mind and appreciate learning. There shouldn’t be an either/or approach to Arts, Humanities, or Sciences, and taking an A Level in a subject that you have talent in and are enthusiastic for can give you a more well rounded experience.

At the same time, though, it’s worth considering which kinds of schools can allow you to make the most of Arts subjects; you can improve the quality of an A Level in the Arts by participating in extra-curricular activities, from taking part in art shows to participating in plays and musical productions - doing so might inspire you towards continuing with Arts subjects at university, or to get a better insight into opportunities within a particular industry.

Author Bio

CJ is a blogger who mostly writes about the challenges of breaking into journalism and the media. She strongly believes in the value of Arts at A Level, and recommends that anyone looking to combine subjects and take extra-curricular activities look at Lansdowne Independent College in London.

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Math vs. Fine Arts
































     Which do you think is more important?


Especially today with budget cuts across the country, one of the first things to go in public schools is the fine arts department. People think that math and science classes are more practical in the long run because they can be applied to the job markets of the future. For this reason, Math and Science classes are rarely, if ever cut from the public high school curriculum when there are budget shortfalls. The problem is that Fine Arts are just as, if not more important in creating well rounded and educated Americans. School boards overlook the long range effects of cutting arts classes and focus just on the immediate budget. It is Fine Arts however that sets students apart, because everyone can count and fill a test tube. Fine Arts make a student unique.

           

Math and Science are very important, don't get me wrong. These two subjects help to propel our country forward with new inventions and theories. Where would we be today without the internet or the iPhone? People with degrees in Math and Science created these 2 pivotal inventions; we will always need scientists and mathematicians. These are safe careers because there will always be a need for number crunchers and inventors, but the problem is that there are so many of them. They are just cogs on a wheel; they can be replaced when necessary because there are others who can do the same thing. They are also just a part of something larger, as opposed to the something larger itself.

Regardless, mathematicians and scientists are necessary, and the more of them we have, the better.  Simply due to sheer numbers, the probability of new ideas is immense. These ideas help to keep America ahead of the other countries in the world, because lets face it, we are all in a competition.

           



Math and science are also universal subjects. A math problem is the same in English as it is in Mandarin or Russian. The concepts are exactly the same, only the words are different. The same is true of science. Mixing two chemicals will always yield the same result, just different languages have different names for the reaction. This makes math and science very versatile in the world.

           

However, what people seem to overlook is that Fine Arts truly define a person. They teach a student how to be creative, which is something that math and science cannot do. Mathematicians might be creative people, but creativity does not come just from studying numbers. Whereas there will always be more scientists, creative and original thinkers are more difficult to come by. A truly original idea can have just as much of an impact on the world as an invention. Imagine Adam Smith, Voltaire, FDR, Ralph Waldo Emerson, etc… We elect a president not because he knows how to crunch numbers, but because he has original ideas and can lead. Fine arts reinforce these qualities.

           

Fine arts also instill confidence in students, especially the performing arts. Singing and dancing in front of an audience is one of the most difficult things for a self-conscience teen to do in high school. Performing boosts self-esteem exponentially, making students more comfortable with themselves and their surroundings. Confidence is not something that a math class can teach, it is like a muscle that must be exercised in order to grow stronger. Fine arts allow for this exercise.

           

Although math and science are safe bets and universally applicable, fine arts are more important in creating unique individuals. Schools that cut fine arts classes only harm their students in the long run. There will always be a need for more creative thinkers, the kind that fine arts develop; not to mention that creative people are just more fun as well. After taking years of acting in school, I can say that I am much more comfortable with myself and not afraid to "perform" in any way in public. I do not think that I can say the same thing of the math geniuses in my grade.

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budget cuts and schools, Fine Arts, high school, High school life, Math and Science classes, school budgets

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