Fair enough jmac, and I can see that. But perhaps one of the sterling qualities of Art is that it is one of the vehicles that can take us to places that the mundane tends not to.
The way I see it is that intention has a whole lot to do with it. And as you suggest there are those who do not work with Art that way. . . nor do they want to, and maybe because they personally don't see it, they find it something to eliminate as a waste of school resources.
In keeping with the topic for a moment about schooling and Art, the way I have looked at Life is that it's like a classroom for all of us, like one of those one room schoolhouse from Little House on the Prairie or something. We're all in the same room, but we're learning and experiencing completely different things based on our ability levels or what is important to them at their point in development, and what the teacher believes to be important. A first grader would be learning those young things while a fifth grader would be learning things they can grasp. For each person it's a custom curriculum.
Art like language is a vehicle. Where people go with it and what they use it for is based on them whether driving into the mountains or lugging groceries or even getting from one bar to the next.
There are some programs in Los Angeles that take kids from the inner city to the beach -- something they've never experienced. What is the effects? Any and all. Is it life changing? Could be. Maybe not.
So I don't disagree with either points on the topic of going deeper with Art (or anything that gets the ball rolling). If one has never had a way to go deeper and Art gives that to them, by all means it instantly has value in that area. And for those on that ride, those impelled in that way, it's sort of hard to not see it being used for that. And for teachers who have gotten there personally, not offering that possibility to get there through Art means that while in the role of Teacher, they're failing their calling to educate.
Unfortunately, if the school board is focused elsewhere, it's not going to include it in favor of something that is perhaps a more universal sell. Because you're right.
Last edited by D Akey; 06-25-2016 at 08:13 PM.
"Not a bit is wasted and the best is yet to come. . ." -- remembered from a dream