When it comes to arts education, students find positive benefits beyond the classroom. For many students, stretching their creative boundaries may help them succeed in other subjects such as math and English Language Arts.

In a book titled Drama High: The Incredible Story True Story of a Brilliant Teacher, a Struggling Town and the Magic of Theater, writer Michael Sokolove explores a high school theater program in Pennsylvania, according to a recent Washington Post article. Sokolove has just written a post on saving arts education and his book is set to be released on October 7.

"Students in private schools and comfortable suburban districts still get the whole robust menu – staples like foreign languages and social studies along with an opportunity to learn to play the French horn or win a part in 'The Crucible' or 'Beauty and the Beast',"he said. "Less fortunate children have been on the receiving end of what I’d call an emergency-room approach to education —one that addresses only the parts of a child thought to be in most dire need of attention. Their curriculum may consist solely of reading, writing and mathematics – the subjects tested on high-stakes exams."

Sokolove said schools "know it's wrong, and we do it anyway." Students who receive an arts education, he said, have better attendance, grades, and high graduation rates. 

"Neurological research suggests that immersion in the arts can cause an actual change in the structure of neurons and make the brain more receptive to other kids of learning," he added. 

"So let’s test the arts, without ruining them, instead of abandoning them once pre-kindergarten teachers assure that every student can identify their colors," he said. "And let’s study, support and expand these fledgling initiatives to put arts teachers back into public schools."

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Article by Kassondra Granata, EducationWorld Contributor