On 9/21/04 7:37 PM, "Anderson & Turpin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> It's not like the arts will disappear if they are no longer > taught in the schools. It is very easy to get access to the arts today -- > turn on the radio to get some music, or the TV to get some drama. These > examples may not be up to the standards of some folks, but it's what most > people like. I somehow doubt that these common art forms would disappear > even if we had zero art education in the public schools. Statements like this scare me. There is a huge difference between turning on the radio and learning to sing or dance or play an instrument. There is a huge difference between watching TV and writing a story or performing a play or even just reading a passage out loud, whether it be a play or a poem or whatever. There is a huge difference between going to a museum or gallery and looking at paintings or sculptures and actually learning to paint or sculpt. In each case, the former treats people as simple "consumers" of art as opposed to being actual participants in the latter. One of the biggest problems we have in our society is that we have too many who are too willing to simply sit back and consume and not enough who are willing to participate. The last thing we should want to do is further encourage that by relegating the arts as simply something to be consumed. If we were to discontinue arts in our schools, who do you think is going to create the music, paintings, sculptures, etc. of tomorrow? Who do you think is going to write the plays, poems or even TV scripts of tomorrow? Sure, some parents can afford to enroll their kids in programs apart from the schools, but most kids, especially in Minneapolis, would be out of luck. Personally, I thought the best balance of arts and math/science was available at Minneapolis North High when I attended there. At the time, they had both the Summatech (Science/Math/Technology) and Visual and Performing Arts magnets (I think they still do). While I was enrolled in the Summatech program, I also had the opportunity to take creative writing classes with the VPA students where I learned a lot about writing that I would not have gotten from Summatech or even from your standard English class. Mike Atherton commented that there's not enough emphasis on science and math in our schools. He's right about that. Personally, I think the science and math exposure I received from Summatech should be part of the standard curriculum in Minneapolis high schools, at least up to the point where AP classes are taught. Teaching math and science teaches problem solving and logic. It helps people understand how to approach questions and evaluate ideas and basically understand much of what is happening in the world around them. Lord knows our society could use more of those skills. It sure would make my job as an environmental scientist a lot easier if more people had even a basic understanding of physics and chemistry. However, what science and math don't do very well is teach communication. I know tons of engineers and scientists who cannot write or express themselves worth a lick. And it doesn't matter what you know or how smart you are if you cannot share your knowledge with others. That's where the arts come in. The arts are about communication, interaction and expression. When I attended the U of M, I majored in chemistry and minored in philosophy. While it was my chemistry degree that qualified me for the job I hold today, it's been my arts and philosophy background that has most helped me be successful in my job because it was my creative writing classes in high school and my philosophy classes in college that taught me how to express myself clearly. When folks talk about how arts influence our ability to learn to read or do math, I understand exactly what they mean. But it's important to note that that concept works both ways. For example, my math and science education gave me the logical skills to see holes in arguments or positions, whether they were my own or someone else's. That helped a lot in my philosophy classes, where everything is about making sure the points of your argument fit together logically to support your position. My arts and philosophy education gave me the communication skills to either strengthen/clarify those arguments or clearly explain the weaknesses, whichever was called for. That helped a lot in my science classes in explaining theories and writing lab reports and even more so in my technical writing class. I apologize for bragging, but I was so far ahead of most of my peers in my tech writing class that the TA used my work as writing examples in future classes that he taught. Art is not simply something to give students "some kind of break from heavy academics all the time" it's a crucial part of a child's development. Just as much as the 3R's. Mark Snyder Windom Park REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
