The Joy of the Arts

One of my morning rituals is to get to work early and catch up on education news. I enjoy reading articles and blog posts about the profession to stay in the know. In my recent readings, I came across this article about a Philadelphia Public Schools initiative that employs the arts to address its students' mental and emotional health.

As a longtime musician and arts educator, I firmly believe that music and the arts have the power to infuse joy into the lives of participants and consumers. I have seen firsthand how students, driven by their love for music, come to school with a renewed sense of purpose and joy. In the wake of the challenges posed by COVID-19, we need to actively cultivate joy in education, and the arts can play a significant role in this endeavor.

I find it interesting that the word "joy" is used in the context of Philadelphia Public Schools' plans to strengthen mental health through the arts. Joy isn't the same thing as happiness, a conditional emotion. For example, I can feel happy and sad within minutes based on what someone says or does to me. Joy is a constant state of being. It represents a deliberate effort not to base one's outlook solely on fluctuating emotions.

After reading the article, consider these questions:

How does involvement in the arts create joy?

How is joy sustained through arts involvement?

Are public schools set up to allow students to experience joy in arts classes fully?

What training would arts teachers need to complete to foster joy in their teaching intentionally?

Finally, I am eager to hear about your personal experiences with the arts and joy. Your insights are invaluable to our ongoing discussion. Please share your thoughts via email or the contact form, and I'll feature them in an upcoming blog post.

Brad