The Ohio Arts Council has funded many programs over the last decade that focused on arts integration and interdisciplinary learning. We believe that arts integration fosters engagement— the starting point for building literacy, increasing achievement, and developing positive student-teacher relationships. We believe arts integration helps cultivate creative minds—so foundational to the state's cultural, educational, and economic success.
We encourage you to explore and support arts integration.
Foster communication across disciplines.
For example, fine arts educators in Hamilton City Schools attend grade-level meetings to see what units are planned in other areas. Fine arts and math educators in Cincinnati City Schools have a common vocabulary list to ensure consistent and repeated use of important terms.
Take advantage of arts educators' abilities.
In Lima City Schools, where the arts are part of the fabric of the district, arts educators bring creativity to district planning. Mike Huffman says they also bring the logistical expertise exhibited in the product- and performance-oriented environment of arts teaching.
Begin on a small scale.
Encourage teachers to use the arts to create a richer, more inviting context for the facts and ideas in lessons from other academic areas.
Seek OAC funding for your arts integration project.
Both OAC grant programs in the Arts Learning area—Arts Partnership and Artist in Residence—support in-depth learning experiences not only in the arts, but also through and with the arts. Visit the OAC website for more information.
Mary Campbell-Zopf was director of Arts Learning at the time of this interview and is now the OAC's deputy director.
Read more about arts integration.
This article was published in April 2005, Volume 1, No 2.
