LOST ART

"My husband and I believe strongly that arts education is essential for building innovative thinkers who will be our nation’s leaders for tomorrow. It's our hope that we can all work together to expose, enrich and empower Americans of all ages through the arts." --First Lady Michelle Obama

Here is the fifth in a series of nine articles discussing an education wish list of New Year’s resolutions from the December 27 blog. Art, music and drama should be funded and in every school.

As I look back on my own K-8 education in the arts, three things come to mind. Carol and William were the class artists – no one else was ever chosen. Right away that told me that I didn’t “have it” in the art department. I could sing, however, having been a self styled guest soloist in our little church down the road from the age of five. But that is a story for another time. In my Dec. 20 blog I talked about our class singing Wind Through The Willow Trees when the first row got to hold candles in our grade school’s annual holiday hall procession. I never got to hold a candle which made me mad every year. It wasn’t until later that I figured out the front row kids probably didn’t sing on key. The only activity I can remember regarding drama was some kind of classroom Robin Hood puppet show. I seem to recollect making a stick puppet that was supposed to look like our hero. I don’t remember the actual show, but I felt good about how the puppet looked.

High school offered me better drama opportunities when I tried out and proudly received lead rolls in the junior and senior plays. Carol and William still were the class artists, so my self esteem continued to suffer when it came to drawing. By this time my parents arranged singing and piano lessons and choir was an elective class. Carol was also better at singing than I was but we joined up from time to time singing duets for school programs so I don’t remember minding.

Today research results cited in study after study, and available on line, would say that early and continuing education in the “arts” – art, music, drama – sets the stage for academic achievement. I don’t know what happened to William, but Carol and I graduated from different universities and have had some degree of economic success, which might support these studies. Despite the research, classes in the arts are first on the budget chopping block. One can only wonder why.

Consider this. When the art or music teacher is riffed because money is needed for another classroom teacher or a couple of I.As, (instructional assistants) art and music instruction fall by the wayside. Many teachers do not know how to teach art, don’t like the mess, and don’t want to take time away from meeting the standards. The feeling intensifies when it comes to music and drama where I would say that most teachers have little skill and feel unqualified or intimidated.

In the mid 90s, a grant aimed at technology and the arts was awarded for a three year period at M. L. King Elementary School. A wonderful computer lab was installed with the latest equipment at that time. The P.E. teacher became a full time computer teacher and technician. The children were in good hands and learned a lot. At the same time a gifted classroom teacher, Dr. Darrlyn Smith, became the art director. A tap dancer, artist, poet and musician, she had earlier started tap dancing lessons at recess for anyone who wanted them and many students got their first taste of tapping at that time. Even some of the more challenging children found their way to her room and behaved beautifully as they learned to tap the recess minutes away.

Now, with the grant, she could devote the whole day to teaching tap, music and art to the entire student body in half-hour increments. She put on three musical productions a year which she wrote and choreographed. Every student in the school was in every production. They felt like stars. They were stars in the eyes of their proud families. Performers were in full costume and parent involvement was high. Enrollment, previously declining, started to increase. There was a feeling of pride in being part of the M. L. K. family. The day came, however, when the grant money ran out. Darrlyn was forced to become a kindergarten teacher, and eventually left the public schools to open her own studio.

The end of the grant money also meant the end of a manned computer lab. That teacher went back to P.E. and eventually left the school. The lab, without regular technical support, and with no one but the classroom teachers to supervise and teach, slowly fell into a chronic state of disrepair.

The loss of these programs was heartbreaking and demoralizing, and enrollment began to decline once more. Later the school’s doors closed, with enrollment too low to justify its continuing existence. If only the grant money had not run out. If only the school district could have recognized the power of Darrlyn’s work. If only school districts all over the country could see the benefit of dance, drama and art, and what it does for our young people, not to mention school enrollment.

In this story there was one bright spot. Some of the students went on to perform professionally, and several of them now teach dance in Seattle. I am sure they fondly remember performing at MLK and will certainly always cherish memories of the now deceased Dr. Smith.

I opened this article with a quote by Michelle Obama. Both she and her husband are committed to the arts in education. One of President Obama’s primary opponents, former Governor Mike Huckabee, also sees the value. I’ll close with some of his words.

He said, “I dream of a day when every child in America will have in his or her hand a musical instrument. . . And I dream of a day when there’s no state legislature that would even consider cutting funding for music and the arts because they realize that it’s a life skill that changes the lives of students and gives them not only better academic capability, but it makes them better people. We sometimes forget that many of us in this room, including this guy standing right in front of you, would not be where he is today if not for having music introduced in my life, because it gave me the understanding of teamwork, discipline and focus.” http://www.menc.org/resources/view/why-music-education-2007

With bipartisan support like this we should be able to accomplish the task of bringing mandatory “arts” education to our public schools. It’s another area where we can’t afford not to!

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BOOK NOOK

Here are some selections a teacher or parent might enjoy sharing with children.

For art, try the series about Harold and the Purple Crayon. These simple, easy to read stories prompted glowing reviews by readers who had fond memories of Harold, who drew his way from one adventure to another with his purple crayon.

A more serious look the world of art can be seen in The Blue Butterfly by Bijou Le Tord. This book offers a glimpse into the life of Claude Monet. Beautifully illustrated in soft pastels, the blue butterfly is one of his featured works. It’s a great way to learn about a famous artist, and to kick off a satisfying art lesson using water colors.

For music lovers Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin! by Lloyd Moss uses Dr. Seuss like rhymes to capture any child’s attention regarding various musical instruments – a great introduction-to-music book.

For budding actors, nothing could be easier in the classroom then acting out one of Aesop’s Fables. There are many “Aesop’s” books to choose from – even decks of cards with fables on them. After children hear a fable, and get set to act it out, they clamor to be the fox, goose, or any other character depicted in the tale. Children do not need to memorize lines, but just offer their own version, improvising as they go.