“Creativity will become one of the top three skills workers will need…Robots may help us get to where we want to be faster, but they can’t be as creative as humans (yet)” (Alex Grey, weforum.org, 2016)
We value the place of the Arts in a broad curriculum, not only for the diversity that it brings but also the skills that it develops. It is therefore expected that students take a Group 6 to match the IB and WIS philosophy of ensuring curriculum breadth across the six subject groups. Students will need to provide the school with a rationale linked to university entrance, or future career path, as to why they might replace a Group 6 with a subject from another group. For example, choosing an elective might be appropriate for a student who wishes to study medicine and would benefit from studying two HL sciences (chemistry and biology) rather than one science and one art.
Rationale There are numerous studies linking arts education to academic achievement, social and emotional development and civic engagement. An article by Fran Smith in 2009 informed us that, ‘involvement in the creative arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skill. Arts learning can also improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork’. A 2005 report by the Rand Corporation about arts education tells us that the pleasures and stimulation of the art experience do more than enhance an individual's life - according to the report, they "can connect people more deeply to the world and open them to new ways of seeing," creating opportunities to spot challenges and think critically around them.
It is also noted that the benefits seen are greater when the arts is embedded in the curriculum rather than seen as an add-on, extra-curricular activity. There have also been noticeable effects on self-esteem.
The lists below, from the World Economic Forum, show the top ten skills required as an employee in 2015 and 2020: