Enriching education through exposure to the arts.
Actors in Myth's Busted play at Northview School
Arts and music programs for children and youth with disabilities provide enhanced self-esteem, increased social interaction, improved language skills and greater awareness of the arts. Students often uncover a skill or talent through the SEF Arts in the Classroom Program.
Cognitive Benefits
- Enhanced sensory experiences: Live performances provide rich sensory input, stimulating auditory, visual, and sometimes tactile senses, which can be particularly beneficial for students with sensory processing disorders.
- Improved attention and focus: Engaging with a live performance requires sustained attention, helping to develop focus and concentration skills.
- Increased vocabulary and language development: Exposure to new words and concepts through storytelling and music can expand language skills.
- Development of critical thinking: Analyzing performances encourages students to think critically about the plot, characters, and musical elements.
Social and Emotional Benefits
- Increased empathy and understanding: Experiencing diverse characters and stories can foster empathy and understanding of different perspectives.
- Improved social skills: Attending performances in a group setting can enhance social interaction and communication skills.
- Boosted self-esteem and confidence: Experiencing shared enjoyment with others can boost self-esteem and confidence.
- Emotional expression and release: Music, dance, and theater can provide an outlet for emotional expression and catharsis.
Academic Benefits
- Improved literacy skills: Attending plays and musicals can enhance reading comprehension and vocabulary development.
- Enhanced creativity: Exposure to various art forms can inspire creativity and imagination.
- Better understanding of different cultures: Performances often explore diverse cultures and perspectives, broadening students' worldview.
Overall Well-being
- Reduced stress and anxiety: Immersive experiences can provide a welcome distraction from daily challenges and promote relaxation.
- Increased joy and happiness: Experiencing the beauty and power of live performance can bring immense joy and happiness.
- Sense of belonging: Attending performances with others can create a sense of community and belonging.
The Special Education Foundation believes that fine arts play an important role in the education of students with disabilities. Each year, the Foundation provides several opportunities to students served by the Special School District.
Examples of Foundation-sponsored programs are:
- Deaf students throughout St. Louis County attend a play at the Repertory Theater
- Ackerman School students attended performances from the St. Louis Repertory Theater’s Imaginary Theatre production of James and the Giant Peach and Metro Theater Company’s Maddi’s Fridge.
- High school students from St. Louis County attend several performances from the Black Repertory Theater
- Additional students take part in the services offered through Springboard to Learning and COCA
- Litzsinger School students develop a holiday program with dance and songs that generate standing ovations
- Numerous students enjoy the Access the Arts Programs through Stages St. Louis Several students, and their families enjoy the Variety Club performance at the Blanche Touhill Performing Arts Center
- Students and their families attend a performance from the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
For more information, please contact the Foundation at info@sef-stl.org. Help SEF support our mission to bring more art, theater, and music performances to schools across the Special School District with a donation to the program.
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COCA Center of Creative Arts -
St. Louis Symphony -
St. Louis Repertory Theatre -
The Imaginary Theatre Company -
Metro Theater Company -
Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts -
The Black Rep -
Opera on the Go!
From the Newsroom
On October 17th, the Special Education Foundation’s Arts in the Classroom program SEF Presents! helped students at the Special School District’s Southview School learn about the elements of opera during a special visit from Opera Theatre of St. Louis’ Opera on the Go! program, which brings opera in-person to classrooms across the St. Louis region.
Arts and music programs for children and youth with disabilities provide enhanced self-esteem, increased social interaction, improved language skills and greater awareness of the arts.
SSD will be packed with a variety of performances that will dazzle and delight students across St. Louis County.
