Arts After School Bolsters Student Creativity and Academic Achievement

By: KidzArt | 5 Shares 157 Reads

Local Art Ed Franchise and AfterSchool Alliance Report Reveal Value of Art in Academics as Families Prepare for Back to School

August 13, 2009 // Franchising.com // (New Braunfels, TX)– As local parents gear up to prepare their children for a successful 2009-10 school year, ways to foster and reinforce their students' learning are top of mind. Fun, inspiring and educational experiences that positively impact academics can be found in quality after school activities.

According to "Arts and Afterschool: A Powerful Combination" a report from the AfterSchool Alliance, the most engaging and successful after school programs have well-designed art and music components. The report says that there now exists a great deal of research on the mental stimulation and life lessons provided by arts education, which help youth succeed in school and later in life. It further states that the arts provide a certain excitement and vibrancy that students need in general, but particularly in the after school and summer hours.

"The integration of arts into after school activities helps kids develop skills that can have a positive impact on their academics," says Shell Herman, president of KidzArt, an art education franchise that offers after school art classes to kids of all ages. "It's exciting to see how KidzArt' s creative arts program can give kids the self-assurance to improve their artistic abilities and also the courage and desire to explore their potential in other academic areas."

The arts enhance educational experience for a variety of reasons says the AfterSchool Alliance report. There is intrinsic value in having the opportunity to express oneself creatively. Plus, the fun and engaging nature of the arts can provide opportunities for "stealth learning" with drawing as an exercise in geometry, mixing paints as chemistry, dance and music as counting and drama as reading comprehension and public speaking.

KidzArt has a unique curriculum that provides drawing instruction for students, from preschoolers to teens. The program offers a constructive, creative outlet that encourages self-expression and communication. No prior arts training or experience is necessary to participate. Classes are small, up to 15 enrollees, to maximize the amount of attention paid to each student. KidzArt classes allow children to explore, express and be motivated by their artwork in a noncompetitive environment, which promotes skills that children can transfer to any subject that they're studying. KidzArt can also provide core art classes during the school day that meet the National Standards for the Visual Arts.

"We're really able to spark the kids' creative process and encourage expression which strengthens their presentation skills, confidence and concentration," says Herman

About KidzArt

Founded in 1998, KidzArt is an international art enrichment franchise company that helps kids of all ages explore their inner artistic potential. Through afterschool classes, camps and birthday parties, KidzArt offers a diverse, multi-cultural, multi-media drawing and fine arts curriculum designed to inspire kids throughout the world. KidzArt's "no mistakes" philosophy encourages children to try new things, explore their creativity and overcome their inhibitions or obstacles in order to grow and learn. Franchising since July 2002, KidzArt has franchised units throughout the US, China, the Middle East, Singapore, Indonesia, India and South Korea.

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