Creating art increases empathy and writing skills, researchers say

Elementary and middle schools in Houston who were offered more arts and music experiences in school and after school saw “remarkable impacts on students’ academic, social, and emotional outcomes,” researchers found.

Their standardized writing scores increased 13 percent, compared to the control group, and their compassion for others rose 8 percent.

Students also had fewer disciplinary problems and were more likely to say school work is enjoyable, researchers from the University of Missouri and Texas A&M University found.  Most of the students were eligible for free or reduced cost lunches and almost three in 10 came from homes where English  was not the primary language.

“We find that increases in students’ arts learning experiences significantly improve educational outcomes. …. These results are robust,” they wrote in their research brief.  Read more about their findings in this Brookings Institute blog post, and see other reasons why scientists and researchers say arts education matters on Mint’s website.   

Then join Mint in supporting art teachers and arts programs in Detroit schools – and schools across the country.

© 2019, Vickie Elmer, for Mint Artists Guild