Teaching Science and the Arts Together! Creativity Without Limits!

Hello Readers,
Lets talk about a debate that has been around in academics and society for a long time.  Is science considered creative.  Now, I believe that science is creative and I'm sure most of you would agree with me.  You need to have a creative and open mind to be able to cure diseases and invent new technologies, it is not purely based on facts.

That is why teaching the sciences and the arts is important.  We have to change our mindset.  Students need to know it is okay to be interested in science and literature as well as other forms of art.  They need to know that both help give us an idea of our culture and are worth learning.  You can be good at both!  They are not opposing forces.
 

Common Belief

Science is completely separate from the arts.  It is objective and based on facts.  Scientists want to solve the world's problems and they are antisocial, whereas artists want to discuss and reflect upon the world's problems and they are overemotional.

That is the stereotype, but is is wrong.

 

Why It Is Wrong

Although science is based on facts and the arts are based on self-expression of one's opinions, these truths get exaggerated.  People in both fields can be socially friendly and they do not have to be overemotional.  Science is not bound by a requirement that it has to be boring and a repetition of the same ideas over and over again.  In fact, such thinking would be detrimental towards progress and the medical field.  

Art is not just opinion.  For instance literature can be nonfiction or based on common truths.  All forms of art has the potential to be based on logic, not just emotion.


As I have learned from my college English course, which is called Science and Literature, both try to search for truth and make sense of the world.  They are a lens to which we can see culture.  Although, they go about doing so, differently.  Scientists do want to solve problems and artists do want to expose and talk about them. This can be seen in the true and humorous T-shirt design below:
 
 

How We Should Approach It In Our Classrooms:

By combining science and the arts, we can open the minds of our students to the idea that creativity has NO limitations.  They are free to explore new ways of thinking and creating in both fields.  Making connections across content can be beneficial for their academic and personal future as they become well-rounded individuals.

Here is a great Ted talk on the importance of incorporating both science and art into your teaching. Mae Jemison, an accomplish astronaut, doctor, art collector, and dancer gives the talk.

http://www.ted.com/talks/mae_jemison_on_teaching_arts_and_sciences_together.html

Enjoy!
Thanks for reading,
Aliana ~Theater Lover~
Future Teacher