Spirit of Wonder Wednesday - How Much Art Is Enough?
Thirty minutes a week -- which is how much art instruction elementary school kids in Milton, Massachusetts are currently getting -- isn't enough, a group of parents are saying. They've formed a group called the Milton Visual Arts Alliance to pressure their local school district to up the amount of art classes their children are getting. Recent budget cuts in the district sent arts education packing. Art is vital for kids who are growing as people as well as test-takers and job-seekers, the parents are saying.
With funding tight in schools across the country, what's necessary and what's just nice? In Milton, one elementary school art teacher is split between four different schools, the Boston Globe reports. That works out to 30 minutes a week -- for half of the school year -- amounting to 10.5 hours of art class per year. That's a fraction of how much art instruction neighboring school districts provide their children, parents say.
How much art instruction do your kids get? If you want to create art projects at home with your children visit our website: www.pentelarts.com for ideas and products. To really inspire your kids visit the national tour of the Pentel International Children's Art Exhibition. Click here to find a city near you.