Why Scientists Benefit from an Arts Education

In 2015, there were over nine million workers who occupied STEM-based careers, up over 5% from the previous five years. Additionally, the STEM field is the fastest growing job sector and is estimated to have similar high growth for the next ten years.

A STEM education is highly critical to your children enjoying a lucrative and successful career in the future, but focusing on only STEM skills in school is not enough. Incorporating an arts education is essential in teaching children soft skills that are necessary for their future careers in science-centric fields.

The scientists of tomorrow will need to have the hard skills like knowledge of the experimental method, the ability to do statistical analysis, and advanced mathematics and science.

However, if they lack creativity and the ability to problem-solve and think outside of the box, they won’t be able to contribute to innovation and growth in their field. Here’s why it’s important to teach the arts as part of a STEM curriculum.

What is arts education and why is it important?

Arts education includes subjects like theater, music, drama, creative writing, sculpting, and painting. Integrating arts into a curriculum, as the STEAM philosophy does, plays a critical role in preparing students for success in more technical fields, including science. Arts can help to:
Enhance creativity

Arts allows children to express themselves in a way that differs from other formal types of educational instruction. Through the arts, children are trained to think creatively and explore out-of-the-box thinking. Being able to see things from more than one perspective is the cornerstone of innovative thought and problem-solving in the field of science.

Build confidence

Being able to express themselves creatively in front of others is an excellent lesson for young children, and it gives them the courage to take a leadership role or to speak without fear of judgment. Learning to step outside of their comfort zone is an important skill that will benefit budding scientists.

Foster visual learning

Not all children are visual learners. Painting, sculpting, and drawing are all ways to develop spatial and visual skills. Using arts to teach children to learn visually sets them up for success in the science field, where professionals use visual guides to explain and express complex results.

Introduce decision-making skills

When children face a creative choice, they need to consider all the possibilities and potential outcomes – two processes that are highly critical to being a scientist. Learning to explore different conclusions is an excellent way to build higher-order skills and encourage scientific discovery.

Teach perseverance

The arts teach a child that they aren’t always going to be successful out the gate. To learn to play the piano or sing, you need to have perseverance and patience to become successful. Knowing how to overcome obstacles will help children far beyond the arts, whether they’re tackling a challenging scientific problem or creating new medications in the lab.

The best way to train a successful scientist for the future is to give them both the hard skills necessary to be analytical and the soft skills required to explore new scientific solutions. The innovative STEAM curriculum at Stratford School recognizes the importance of teaching arts alongside science, technology, engineering, and math. Schedule a tour today to learn more about how a STEAM curriculum can set your future scientist up for success.