Re: [Mpls] Arts in the Mpls schools

[Dan McGuire]

This thread seems to be a pedagogy theory exercise right now.   And 
while I actually have quite a bit of training and experience regarding 
both theory and practice, I think the list members and public in general 
will be better served if the discussion would be about actual experience 
and specific data from the MPS district office.   I don't have that data 
and don't have time to go about getting it.   I can offer you this 
little piece of anecdotal evidence;  there is a high correlation between 
the students in my classes who have participated in band regularly or 
have participated in an arts activity outside of school regularly and 
high achievement in all academic areas.   That's an observation that 
I've shared with most of the parents in recent conferences as their 
children have been setting goals for the year.
Dan McGuire
Ericsson

Steve M Nelson wrote:
Art is all around is in most daily activities.  To pretend that we can
separate it from math and reading and have a complete education or that
including it somehow detracts from math and literacy sounds like 
someone
with an agenda to cut programs for some reason other than not 
raising the
taxes to fully fund a good education.

Dorie Rae Gallagher wrote:
That is exactly what is happening. People are being given the choice 
at the
neighborhood school forums to choose between math/ science or art / 
music.
What use to be hand and glove is now one and none. The more our world 
leans
towards high tech, the more partcipants step back into the arts. It is a
balance that is needed for mankinds existence. I know some feel one 
can live
by science /math alone but that world would be a void without creative
beauty.

Mark Anderson replies:
So the question I would like answered is "WHY is teaching of the arts
necessary for a complete education?"  And please don't explain the 
necessity
of the arts in society; I'd like to know why they need to be TAUGHT 
in our
public schools.
Steve M Nelson wrote:
I'm sorry, Mark, but if its necessity in society is obvious to you and 
you still wonder why it should be taught then I can only imagine that 
you will next be suggesting that we drop driver's education and just 
let everyone learn by doing.  By the way, did your father teach you to 
swim by throwing you in the deep end of the pool and letting you 
figure it our for yourself? Or did you take lessons?


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