Brass Bound Bulletin #11: Why Art Isn't the 'Fun Break' From STEAM — It's the Whole Point

Every year we hear about how school budgets are getting cut or money meant for public schools is being diverted to private school vouchers (I'll hold my opinion as this is not a political blog.) Or maybe a private school is trying to save money. If funding drops something needs to get cut. Usually the first thing on the chopping block are the so called "enrichment" classes, Music, PE or Art. Some teachers, parents or administrators believe these classes are unnecessary and that school should just be for the "three Rs" but doing so is a HUGE mistake for many reasons as all are an integral part of STEAM. Today we'll focus on ART. Which is integral to STEAM and should not be separated lightly.

First let's debunk a huge myth. That being science= "real learning while art= fun but frivolous. The whole "right brain"/"left brain" thing is not only stupid, it's just wrong. Most kids who don't excel at math are actually pattern thinkers, spacial learners, and visual problem solvers. Sounds like designers and engineers to me. De Vinci didn't do art AND science. This man did art AS science. His notebook was essentially his lab.

So where does Art fit into the STEAM picture? It pretty much touches all of it. Art trains people to observe the world around them, to notice the details, and understand how things fit together. It teaches students to SEE something instead of assuming things about it. Sounds like a scientist to me. At the same time, art is iterative. Most artists don't make one pass over a piece and call it good. They make several. Sometimes they start something , scrap it and try again using a different approach. They keep making tweaks until they get it "right." Show me an engineer that nails it on the first design. Art is ambiguous. It means different things to different people and given a prompt, no two students are going to create the exact same thing. If a student is told to draw a cat and given no other details they'll draw the cat in their head. They won't ask "what kind of cat?" They just go to it. They accept the ambiguity of the instruction or the questions asked of them. STEAM problems rarely have cut and dry answers.

We broke down why music is a great STEAM teacher. Now let's break down the visual arts.

• Painting= color theory= light physics= wavelengths= Optics.

• Sculpture = structural integrity = material properties = engineering constraints.

• Collage and layout = graphic design = UX design = technology.

Every "just for fun" art project is quietly running the same cognitive processes as a STEAM experiment — just with a glue gun instead of a beaker.

The consequences of cutting art from schools is VERY real.

• Research shows that arts-integrated classrooms produce stronger engagement across all subjects — not just in art. Kids who learn fractions through music retain them better. Kids who map ecosystems visually understand the relationships more deeply.

• When art is treated as a reward ("finish your math and then you can draw"), it teaches kids that creativity is something you earn — not something you deploy to solve problems.

• The risk isn't just kids who "miss out" on art. It's future engineers who can't sketch an idea, scientists who can't explain their findings visually, and tech professionals who build functional tools nobody wants to use because nobody thought about the design.

And finally, what can we do about it? Here are some tips.

• Integrate, don't separate: when a kid draws a diagram to explain something, that counts. Celebrate it.

• Ask "how would you show this?" as often as you ask "what's the answer?"

• Support arts programs the same way you'd support a robotics club — because they're building the same kid.

• At home: give kids graph paper, colored pencils, and a science question. Watch what happens.

What's the most STEAM adjacent thing your kid/student has made? A drawing, sculpture... anything! Leave a comment!

Alright friends! That's it for this week. Until next time!

Finnigan Cogwheel

Head Tinker, Cogwheel Workshop