Thinking Through the Arts

This professional resource offers educators a comprehensive framework for integrating arts education with critical thinking skills, presenting drama, dance, music, and visual arts as essential components of cognitive development rather than purely emotional expression. Developed through teacher research and classroom practice, it provides practical approaches that transform art activities into meaningful learning experiences where children engage in complex thought while creating. The text systematically counters outdated perceptions of arts education as academically irrelevant, positioning artistic expression instead as a powerful vehicle for developing reasoning and problem-solving abilities.

What distinguishes this guide is its research-backed perspective that positions teachers as reflective practitioners who can document and analyze how artistic engagement fosters intellectual growth across multiple disciplines. Educators seeking to create rich arts environments will appreciate the concrete strategies for designing spaces and activities where thinking and expression become intertwined processes. This approach proves particularly valuable for those working to justify arts integration in standards-focused educational climates, offering both philosophical grounding and actionable methods that demonstrate art's vital role in developing young minds.