Full STEAM ahead!

The article “Kids Unite Art and Science and Create a World of Wonder” brings up a fantastic, often overlooked point that many of those who have contributed the most to “scientific” endeavors are skilled artists, as well. And really, why should this come as a surprise? Creativity simply means one has the freedom to think abstractly, boldly imagine, and act on ideas. That sounds like the description we’ve grown up with when learning about stereotypical scientists and artists, alike!

When did the subjects of art and science become separated and placed in vacuums, anyway? As this article points out, they were “once inextricably linked, both dedicated to finding truth and beauty”! It’s this kind of so-called “distinction” between subjects that prevents creativity from flowing interdisciplinarily. Personally, projects like “Global Cardboard Challenge” sound like ideal settings for growth and understanding, wherein - as “Kids Unite…” explains - students created bowling lanes relative to their smaller size and that of the classroom. Yet, it’s harder to “quantify,” “assess,” and “standardize” the learning that takes place experientially, so without STEAM as a framework for American education to embrace, lessons like these will remain few and far between.

I think STEAM has been mostly promoted through the avenue of  technology. Titles like “developer” or “maker” invite students to “create” in the supposedly non-artistic field of science. Really, these are just 21st Century terms for an age-old title: inventor. Successful schools that have integrated STEAM structures into their curriculum, and treat students like inventors/investigators, are held up as special beacons, which can be emulated but are harder to replicate. Ideally it seems STEAM should just become part of the everyday curriculum, yet bringing imagination to life through the arts and sciences still requires special student titles, global student “Challenges,” and awestruck wonder when considering how unique it would be to truly integrate art into education. This leaves me to wonder, what does the nation think “art education” means?