Arts Program

“When arts are integrated into the classroom, learning becomes more visible, and children retain information more profoundly, particularly those who struggle academically.” — Dr. Perri Klass, Professor of Journalism and Pediatrics at New York University

Artistic disciplines can aid in a more successful acquisition of math and literary concepts if integrated properly into an academic curriculum. Additionally, aesthetic understanding creates a more empathetic and creative child, promoting divergent thinking and healthy sense of self in relation to community. Integrating the modes of art in all subjects helps children retain new concepts and stay engaged in the material. For example, learning piano stretches the brain’s capacity for spatial understanding and provides a clever path for studying ratios and fractions using time signature and note length. 

The teachers at Smith Street Arts & Lettres work together with artist professionals to create a five senses curriculum that approaches concepts in a holistic way, engaging the entire body and mind and always seeking to answer “why this and why now? ”.