Abstract
Classroom and arts educators frequently collaborate in the pursuit of common educational goals. Examples of sophisticated interdisciplinary teaching can be found in nearly every classroom, as when teachers use music to provide context for social movements, dancers to demonstrate various types of movement, or paintings to illustrate proportion. Tangible benefits produced by collaborative teaching with the arts have recently come to light, demonstrated through research and pilot programs. While there are many examples of collaborative educational models, integrated arts programs differ from other contemporary instructional models in that they receive explicit endorsement from the federal government. The May 2011 President’s Council on the Arts and Humanities report recommended that the field of integrated arts be expanded, more fully funded, and more deeply incorporated into curricula, research, and professional development. This article summarizes some recent research, offers examples of implementation, presents a review of the federal government’s role in promoting integrated arts, and provides suggestions incorporating integrated arts techniques in the classroom.