Head of School Blog Post

At last week’s annual Blecher Family Arts Chai-Lights we celebrated our students as artists in the visual, performing, creative arts, and STEM. Every student at CESJDS was represented and, I for one, was blown away by the talent, creativity, ingenuity of our students, and the masterful work our Arts and STEM educators do in facilitating these experiences for our students.

In today’s increasingly data-driven educational environment, the arts can too often be seen as enrichment rather than essential. But decades of research and the lived experiences of educators, students, and schools tell a different story: the arts are vital to a robust and serious education. As Eliot Eisner argued in The Arts and the Creation of Mind (2002), the arts shape the ways we think, feel, and make sense of the world. They are fundamental to a complete education.

The arts teach children to make nuanced judgments and to understand that complex problems often have multiple solutions. They promote empathy by celebrating multiple perspectives and help students appreciate that meaning can be conveyed in forms beyond words and numbers. These are essential life skills.

The transformative power of the arts has found further validation in recent research, including Your Brain on Art by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross (2023). Their findings suggest that humans are biologically wired for the arts: engaging in creative activity reduces stress, enhances emotional resilience, and even strengthens the brain’s structure and function. Museum visits, music-making, singing, and even certain sensory experiences like scent and vibration support our mental and physical health. The authors see these as necessities for thriving throughout life.

Academically, the arts make a measurable impact. As Daniel Bowen and Brian Kisida demonstrate in The Fine Art of School Engagement, arts education improves writing, behavior, and overall school engagement. Students involved in the arts are more empathetic and disciplined, and they feel a deeper connection to school. A 2022 U.S. News & World Report article echoes these findings, noting that the arts help students develop focus, reduce stress, and hone social-emotional skills.

When integrated into other subjects, the arts become even more powerful. Research by Mariale Hardiman and colleagues found that students taught through arts-integrated methods retained content between 72% and 98% better than their peers. The arts do not distract from academic achievement—they amplify it.

Perhaps most importantly, early and sustained exposure to the arts cultivates a lasting sense of belonging and possibility. When young students see older peers perform, create, and express themselves artistically like they do at events such as the Blecher Family Arts Chai-Lights, they begin to envision themselves as future artists, musicians, and performers. This sense of identity and connection fosters confidence and lifelong engagement.

Ultimately, the place of the arts in schools is one reflection of what I believe matters. As Eisner reminds us, the curriculum teaches more than content, it symbolizes our values. When we elevate the arts, we affirm our belief in creativity, empathy, and the full potential of every child. In doing so, we enrich both education and the future lives of our students.