STEAM: "Where science ends, art begins."

Think back to high school.  How many times did you take a difficult test and leave thinking, "I am never going to have to know this information in real life, and this class has absolutely nothing to do with my future career.  How is this important?"  I certainly said this countless time when leaving physics, or calculus, or biology.  My career path has absolutely nothing to do with any of these subjects and yet, I had to take them.

Image Courtesy of the US Department of Education

In reality, creating a well-rounded education is extremely valuable to any student who wishes to succeed in higher education, or in their career.  For quite a few years, school districts have been pushing STEM education: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math education.  The goal of this program is to create innovative and critically-thinking students who are able to make connections between all aspects of their lives and who will become lifelong learners.  Additionally, STEM students will be prepared to pursue careers that involve science, technology, engineering, and math, which are fast-growing fields of work that are necessary for the success of our country.

On March 23, 2015 at the White House Science Fair, President Barack Obama stated, "[Science] is more than a school subject, or the periodic table, or the properties of waves.  It is an approach to the world, a critical way to understand and explore and engage with the world, and then have the capacity to change that world."  President Obama went on to articulate that educating students in STEM fields creates students with the potential to help maintain the United State's status as a global leader.  These students will have the capacity to solve the world's most pressing problems.

Image Courtesy of Washington State University

According to the United States Department of Education, "In a world that's becoming increasingly complex, where success is drive not only by what you know, but by what you can do with what you know, it's more important than ever for our youth to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to solve tough problems, gather and evaluate evidence, and make sense of information."  The Department of Education asserts that these valued qualities are best taught through STEM education, and that classes in all STEM fields should be readily available to students.

Photo Courtesy of Envision Science Academy

While science, technology, engineering, and math classes are vital to the success of any student, arts classes should certainly be thrown in the mix.  STEM classes are mostly based on logic and skills used by the left half of the brain.  The United States needs innovative, intelligent citizens to solve our world's problems, and creativity is crucial for innovation.  Historically, our country has been ranked first in innovation globally.  However, we now rank between 3rd and 8th in the world.  To provide a solution for fostering more creativity and for encouraging innovation for students, the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) began a movement to change STEM education to STEAM education--science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.

A statement from RISD affirms, "art and design education teaches flexible thinking, risk-taking and creative problem solving needed to solve today's most complex and pressing challenges--from healthcare to urban revitalization to global warming."  Innovators and creative thinkers are absolutely essential to the future of our nation, and all children should have access to music and art classes to supplement their education in science and math.

According to the STEAM official website, many other nations in Asia and Europe view arts education as "essential" for the success of their economy.  They implement programs that put arts education very high on their priority list.

For example, the organization Creatiquity states that Australia's Curriculum, Assessment, and Reporting Authority (ACARA) designates the arts as five distinct disciplines: visual art, music, dance, theater, and media arts.  In China, music and fine arts classes are required for two hours a week in elementary school.  Germany's government, specifically the Ministries of Education and Family Affairs spends $12.6-$14 million dollars on the arts each year.  As the US continues to decline and fall behind other countries in innovation, we need to seriously consider what needs to be changed.

Quite possibly, the United States will begin to consider changes in its education system that will begin to include the arts as a main discipline, fostering more creativity and innovation, which could pay dividends in the future.