The Comfort Level of Teachers in Integrating Arts into the Academic Curriculum and its Prevalence in Schools

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether arts programs are more integrated into the academic curriculum today versus 5 or more years ago. This study also examined whether newer teachers felt more comfortable in implementing arts into their academic plans as opposed to more experienced teachers. This was determined by conducting a survey of teachers who had been teaching 5 years or fewer and 6 years or more. It was found that arts are more integrated into classroom curriculum now as opposed to the past; however, newer teachers are not necessarily more comfortable in integrating the arts as compared with their more experienced colleagues. It was concluded that more research needs to be done in the area of arts integration, and more specifically, giving teachers the means and materials to do so.