• Question: Should schools spend more time on Science if that means less time on creative subjects (e.g. Art and Music), as creative subjects can be pursued at home?

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      Asked by anon-287656 on 13 Mar 2021.
      • Photo: Zahra Rattray

        Zahra Rattray answered on 13 Mar 2021:

        I think it is important that all topics are given equal coverage. Art and science have a lot of synergies, and we benefit from the arts just as much as we do from science in our day to day lives. I have found art to be a savior during the lockdown.

      • Photo: Paul O'Nion

        Paul O'Nion answered on 13 Mar 2021:

        Thats a great question. Schools already allow you to choose different subjects as you go through the year groups & some subjects you might think aren’t connected often are. For example musical rhythm & maths.I think it is important for schools to offer a wide range of subjects early on.

      • Photo: Philip Camp

        Philip Camp answered on 13 Mar 2021:

        All subjects are important! Science isn’t for everyone.

      • Photo: Jesko Koehnke

        Jesko Koehnke answered on 13 Mar 2021: last edited 15 Mar 2021 10:59 am

        Right, I wholeheartedly disagree with the others. For two reasons:
        1. Science is an exceptionally creative occupation. You spend your life on the fringe between the known and unknown. You need to come up with truly novel ideas. Without creativity you cannot do that.
        2. Science and engineering are the bedrock of modern society. We could live the lives we do now without art or music, but NOT without science. It might be a less enjoyable life for some, but science and engineering are essential, the arts are not.

      • Photo: Martin McCoustra

        Martin McCoustra answered on 15 Mar 2021:

        Science and maths are creative subjects so you are not losing out of stretching your creativity by doing science and maths. However, it would be a great pity if you did lose out on some of those subject. Perhaps the school day or year needs to be lengthened if there isn’t enough time to fit things into the timetable.

      • Photo: Jessica Higgins

        Jessica Higgins answered on 15 Mar 2021:

        I loved art and textile at school but felt it would be very difficult to make a career out of these subjects so pursued science instead. If the purpose of school is to prepare us for the world I think we should be spending more time on ‘life skills’, such as how to fix a car, wire a lightbulb or keep your finances organised and save art and music for afterschool clubs. We don’t necessarily need more time on science but maybe more time on other practical skills that would help you in the future… just my opinion though 🙂

      • Photo: Zuzanna Konieczna

        Zuzanna Konieczna answered on 15 Mar 2021: last edited 15 Mar 2021 2:54 pm

        I think Arts and Music are very important too! I only got to choose the subjects I wanted to focus on in my two final years of high school (I went to school in Poland), so for the majority of my school experience I have learnt everything (including Art, Music and later on cultural studies). I personally really enjoyed the experience! It exposed me to different subjects, widened my interests, it made my education more “well-rounded” and in turn has made me a more sensitive empathetic and creative person.

      • Photo: Nikita King

        Nikita King answered on 16 Mar 2021:

        All subjects are important, you don’t know what you like till you try it. I love art and science and I think that both can go together very well – it helps approaching challenges with a creative mind 🙂

      • Photo: Andrew Parrott

        Andrew Parrott answered on 23 Mar 2021:

        Really good question. What gets put in the syllabus at school must be a very challenging decision, and one I am please I don’t have to make! All subjects are important and they are more closely related than is often stressed at school.

        Science is definitely a creative subject and you can pursue some forms of it at home (not all scientists work in a lab). I would disagree with Jesko, I don’t think we could have a modern society without arts and music – developments in arts and music can feed into science and technology and vice versa. Just as a trivial example many chemical methods been discovered because of the demand to make paints and dyes – these methods are useful for making many other types of chemicals as well.

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