Yo Yo Ma

To effectively teach students across their range of experiences, educators must sometimes follow, sometimes lead and sometimes work side by side.

While most everyone can agree on some level that the arts play an important role in the creation of a well-rounded, functioning member of society, there has yet to be developed an accurate metric of the subject. Without being able to quantitatively measure creativity and success in the arts, how can it be proven that students and even teachers for that matter are successful?
I believe that Art and the study of Art is a way of learning, it is not simply a department or a class.  The Arts are not a measurable entity but a tool to be taught for expression and understanding. Creating learning environments where the arts are constantly absorbed in the most organic of ways through a grassroots attitude of the learning mission of the institution. Allowing students to apply their imagination to all facets their education without fear of fitting into acceptable or standard norms is a giant step in the right direction.
Many facets of a valuable education experience are immeasurable for both students and educators. For example; the moment a child learns to read cannot be determined or forced but it is an important experience that uses studied theory, organized activities and countless interactions between teacher, content and student. Not all valuable lessons and takeaways can be measured or assigned a qualitative score. The arts struggle in this regard but it is important to recognize the immersive experience and access to mediums that allow individuals to give and convey voice that should be the true mission of a class of the arts.

"All experiences produce intellectual growth. The concern and question is: in which direction does growth take place? Some experiences create conditions for further growth, while some lead to poor habits and inhibit further occasions for learning..." (Dewey, Democracy in Education).