{"id":9825,"date":"2020-04-03T14:16:27","date_gmt":"2020-04-03T18:16:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reseaureussitemontreal.ca\/?page_id=9825"},"modified":"2022-10-18T08:40:22","modified_gmt":"2022-10-18T12:40:22","slug":"school-perseverance-and-the-arts","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.reseaureussitemontreal.ca\/en\/key-topics\/school-perseverance-and-the-arts\/","title":{"rendered":"School perseverance and the arts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Changes that foster success<\/a> | The arts and the determinants of school perseverance | <\/a>Art reduces disparity in success between: better- and worse-off students<\/a> | <\/a>immigrants and other students<\/a> | <\/a>vulnerable children and other children<\/a> | <\/a>Specific benefits of the arts<\/a> | <\/a>Conditions for success<\/a> | Initiatives<\/a> | The arts in action<\/a> | Further reading<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Participation in the arts and access to culture<\/strong><\/em>
\nParticipation in arts activities and access to culture are two vital facets of an all-round education. This key topic focuses primarily on participation in arts activities, such as creating a work of art, playing an instrument, or taking part in a choreography. The benefits of access to culture, such as visiting a museum, attending a play, or listening to a piece of music will be covered in a subsequent version.<\/em><\/p>\n

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\nThe link between the arts and educational success \u2013 an overview
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View the infographic<\/a>\u00a0!<\/p>\n

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<\/a>THE ARTS ARE TRANSFORMATIVE AND PROMOTE SUCCESS AMONG ALL STUDENTS<\/h3>\n

Students who receive arts education in high school are 55 percent<\/strong> more likely to go on to post-secondary studies.1<\/sup><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Every additional year of arts education in a young person\u2019s schooling increases their probability of going on to higher education by 18 percent.2<\/sup><\/p>\n

More activities = more success<\/em>
\nMost studies conclude that increasing students\u2019 opportunities to take part in structured arts activities corresponds to a proportional increase in their chances of success.<\/p>\n

THE ART OF SKILLS DEVELOPMENT<\/h6>\n

The arts foster academic success by kindling a taste for learning, by promoting engagement, by teaching discipline, by developing passions, by improving attention span, and by developing a range of skills that students require for personal, academic, and professional growth.<\/p>\n

Many of the skills acquired through the arts are useful to students long after they have finished school. These include social and professional skills that are important for navigating the 21st century world, such as critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, problem solving, communication, and leadership.3<\/sup><\/p>\n

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The arts develop creativity, a vital skill for coping with everyday situations.4<\/sup><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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THE ART OF CHANGING THE BRAIN<\/h6>\n

Neuroscience has shown that engaging in certain arts, music in particular, transforms the brain\u2019s structure and functioning, with a notable impact on intellectual abilities. Engaging in the arts thus contributes to improving cognitive skills and, consequently, to learning other subjects.5<\/sup><\/p>\n

THE ART OF RETAINING INFORMATION<\/h6>\n

Integrating the arts into core subjects (e.g., developing a skit about a historical event or having students illustrate a section of text) demonstrates how art can help boost student engagement and enhance both learning and retention of material.6<\/sup> Integrating culture into teaching core subjects (e.g., using a work of art to explain a mathematical rule or basing an English lesson on a museum exhibition) is also a proven means of enhancing learning.7<\/sup><\/p>\n

THE ART OF BOOSTING CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT<\/h6>\n

Students who have meaningful arts experiences in high school are twice<\/strong> as likely to do volunteer work and 20 percent<\/strong> more likely to vote.8<\/sup><\/p>\n

THE ART OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH<\/h6>\n

It is recognized that art helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, while boosting resilience.9<\/sup><\/p>\n

A survey of 10,000 Scots also showed that people who have visited a cultural institution or taken part in a cultural event in the past year are 60 percent<\/strong> more likely to say that they are in good health, regardless of age, income, socioeconomic status, education level, or physical condition.10<\/sup><\/p>\n

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\u201cCanadians who attended a performance of cultural\/heritage music, theatre or dance in 2005 were 34% more likely to do a favour for a neighbour than those who did not attend.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

– Vital Signs: Arts and Belonging11<\/sup><\/em><\/p>\n

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<\/a>THE ARTS POSITIVELY AFFECT FACTORS RELATED TO EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS<\/h3>\n

Numerous factors and situations influence a student\u2019s educational path. Arts education builds on the positive effect of many such factors to reduce the risk of dropout. These factors include:<\/p>\n

ACHIEVEMENT AT SCHOOL<\/h6>\n[learn more about this determinant<\/a>]\n

Numerous factors contribute to how the arts improve students\u2019 academic achievement<\/a>, including the development of competencies and skills that promote learning (e.g., literacy or cognitive function) and the development of good study habits and a positive frame of mind (e.g., discipline and motivation).12<\/sup><\/p>\n

SELF-ESTEEM<\/h6>\n[learn more about this determinant<\/a>]\n

It is recognized that participation in arts activities boosts the confidence and self-esteem of students who struggle with core subjects, in particular by allowing them to discover their strengths in other contexts and to experience success at school.13<\/sup><\/p>\n

MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT<\/h6>\n[learn more about this determinant<\/a>]\n

Arts education helps to boost student motivation.14 <\/sup>For instance, numerous studies have found a direct correlation between learning music and increased motivation.<\/p>\n

Research has also revealed that an interest in drama can produce a high level of motivation that helps improve concentration and heighten cognitive function in various areas.15<\/sup><\/p>\n

It is interesting to note, however, the role of art among students who have a high level of school engagement. A study in Philadelphia schools found that students with high levels of engagement maintained those levels if they participated in an arts program, but if they did not participate in a program, their engagement dropped sharply.16<\/sup><\/p>\n

EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER ASPIRATIONS<\/h6>\n[learn more about this determinant<\/a>]\n

Experiencing various art forms allows students to discover new interests and open up new ideas about future career paths.17\u00a0 <\/sup>In this sense, arts and culture can be a source of inspiration for students and become important motivational factors for staying in school.<\/p>\n

The competencies and skills developed in arts education also open doors to compelling career opportunities. An analysis of international databases by the OECD highlighted that 54 percent of arts graduates hold jobs with a high potential for innovation in a range of sectors. This study also noted that the ability to innovate is essential for economic growth in a knowledge-based society.18<\/sup><\/p>\n

SELF-CONTROL AND SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOURAL CONDUCT<\/h6>\n[learn more about this determinant<\/a>]\n

Engaging in art has a recognized effect on self-control and the development of positive social behaviours. Research has found that art helps children learn to regulate their emotions and develop prosocial skills, which in turn reduce the risk of developing behavioural problems that might hinder their educational success.19<\/sup><\/p>\n

FEELINGS OF DEPRESSION<\/h6>\n[learn more about this determinant<\/a>]\n

The benefits of various art forms for mental health are well documented. It is recognized that artistic expression helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, while improving resilience, among other benefits.20<\/sup><\/p>\n

SCHOOL CLIMATE<\/h6>\n[learn more about this determinant<\/a>]\n

Many experts have noted an improvement in school climate among the positive effects of participation in arts activities, highlighting that extra-curricular activities, including the arts, are a key factor in developing a sense of belonging in the school. In certain cases, it has been observed that an improvement in school climate might also be attributed to the teamwork and mutual respect that develops among students as they take part in activities such as band or dance performances.21<\/sup><\/p>\n

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More art = less misbehaviour
\n<\/strong>Research shows that every additional year of arts education is associated with a 20-percent<\/strong> reduction in the likelihood of being expelled from school.22<\/sup><\/p>\n

A study of 10,548 students from grades 3 to 8 in Houston, Texas also showed that increased participation in arts activities significantly reduced the proportion of students being disciplined.23<\/sup><\/p>\n

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ART REDUCES DISPARITY IN SUCCESS<\/h3>\n

Having access to arts activities can contribute to reducing social and academic inequalities among some groups of students by attenuating the harmful effects of certain risk factors for the most vulnerable students.<\/p>\n

<\/a>BETWEEN DISADVANTAGED AND ADVANTAGED STUDENTS<\/h6>\n

There are up to two times<\/strong> as many dropouts in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.24<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

A longitudinal study of thousands of U.S. students showed that when students from disadvantaged backgrounds are highly exposed to the arts, they achieve results similar to, and sometimes exceeding, those of the average student.25<\/sup><\/p>\n

Among disadvantaged students, those exposed to the arts are\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

5X less likely to drop out<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Percentage of 13\u201317-year-olds who do not finish high school<\/em>
\n(compared to an average of 7% among all students)<\/em><\/p>\n