Those artists teach students about reading, writing, directing and acting in plays as part of their language arts and social studies curriculums. And artists from Lotus Music and Dance Studios in Chelsea work intensively with six schools across the city, including P.S. 156, teaching students about the music and dance of different cultures. The enthusiasm for such programs is striking at a time when city schools are under intense pressure to prepare students for increasingly rigorous standardized tests. That investment is not enough to bring the arts into every classroom, but in this flush economy, private foundations are joining cultural institutions in spending money on arts education partnerships. Even with the infusion of money and the enthusiasm of cultural institutions, progress in arts education is slow.
Some institutions report tensions with teachers who say the programs occupy too much of their time.
And so far, only the most motivated schools are truly integrating the arts into their curriculums, a process that requires extra work and money and a willingness to change teaching styles and methods drastically. Ms. Rodriguez-Torres said that reading and math scores at P.S. 156, while still relatively low, have improved since the school won an Annenberg grant two years ago that has allowed it to work closely with cultural institutions. But even schools whose principals and teachers highly value the arts may have to work hard to convince parents and even students that they are as important an academic subject as math, reading and science. After ebulliently whirling to the flamenco music last week, Katherine Nevarez, a third grader, solemnly said that while the rhythms lingered in her mind all day, dancing was not her favorite subject. But my uncle told me that if I study math I'll get a college degree.