Comments on: Practical Uses for Art Education http://fineartandschools.edublogs.org/2008/01/31/practical-uses-for-art-education/ A look at the loss of fine art programs in many schools. Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:25:02 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: My Comments | Brad's Pedablog http://fineartandschools.edublogs.org/2008/01/31/practical-uses-for-art-education/comment-page-1/#comment-8 My Comments | Brad's Pedablog Sun, 13 Apr 2008 03:26:23 +0000 http://fineartandschools.edublogs.org/2008/01/31/practical-uses-for-art-education/#comment-8 [...]  Practical Uses for Art Education — January 31st, 2008 at 2:43 am [...] [...]  Practical Uses for Art Education — January 31st, 2008 at 2:43 am [...]

]]> By: You Write, I Respond | learning, living, and lesson plans http://fineartandschools.edublogs.org/2008/01/31/practical-uses-for-art-education/comment-page-1/#comment-7 You Write, I Respond | learning, living, and lesson plans Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:37:14 +0000 http://fineartandschools.edublogs.org/2008/01/31/practical-uses-for-art-education/#comment-7 [...] http://fineartandschools.edublogs.org/2008/01/31/practical-uses-for-art-education/#comment-6 [...] [...] http://fineartandschools.edublogs.org/2008/01/31/practical-uses-for-art-education/#comment-6 [...]

]]> By: Allie http://fineartandschools.edublogs.org/2008/01/31/practical-uses-for-art-education/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Allie Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:52:26 +0000 http://fineartandschools.edublogs.org/2008/01/31/practical-uses-for-art-education/#comment-6 I really liked this article a lot. I think it's CRAZY that schools are cutting art and music out of the budget to make room for one more literature or history class. I never understood who decided which classes are more important. While I understand that art, choir and band are often elective classes, I think they are just as important -- if not more important -- than many of the academic classes. I liked the quote you included which argues that with art education, “…one finds self-motivated students, greater parental involvement, intensified student and teacher engagement, strengthened collegiate aspirations, and respect for cultural differences.” These things really rang true for me in middle school and high school. I never got involved in art until 7th grade, and the second I took Art 101, I fell in love. It became something I poured my heart and soul into. It was something I took pride in. It was something I could communicate to my art teacher through. It was something my parents wanted to hear about. It really worked to create connections outside of the classroom with many different things. High school students need to realize that they all have different strengths and weaknesses. I think if students do not excel at math or English, they feel like a failure. If they are an amazing artist, it doesn't really matter because "art isn't important." This is the wrong message to be sending these students. Art seems to be such an enriching activity that teaches creativity, opens doors between parents, students and teachers and even encourages self-confidence. I really liked this article a lot. I think it’s CRAZY that schools are cutting art and music out of the budget to make room for one more literature or history class. I never understood who decided which classes are more important. While I understand that art, choir and band are often elective classes, I think they are just as important — if not more important — than many of the academic classes.

I liked the quote you included which argues that with art education, “…one finds self-motivated students, greater parental involvement, intensified student and teacher engagement, strengthened collegiate aspirations, and respect for cultural differences.” These things really rang true for me in middle school and high school. I never got involved in art until 7th grade, and the second I took Art 101, I fell in love. It became something I poured my heart and soul into. It was something I took pride in. It was something I could communicate to my art teacher through. It was something my parents wanted to hear about. It really worked to create connections outside of the classroom with many different things.

High school students need to realize that they all have different strengths and weaknesses. I think if students do not excel at math or English, they feel like a failure. If they are an amazing artist, it doesn’t really matter because “art isn’t important.” This is the wrong message to be sending these students. Art seems to be such an enriching activity that teaches creativity, opens doors between parents, students and teachers and even encourages self-confidence.

]]> By: Jeremy Battaglia http://fineartandschools.edublogs.org/2008/01/31/practical-uses-for-art-education/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Jeremy Battaglia Sat, 02 Feb 2008 04:12:02 +0000 http://fineartandschools.edublogs.org/2008/01/31/practical-uses-for-art-education/#comment-4 I like the above comment. I think it’s right on the money. What kid does feel alive when doing math homework or feel that they have a better understanding of their dark and contemplated soul all because of algebra? A famous defense of the arts that I have heard discusses this. Students loose so much when such class like art are cut from the schools. If the focus is just on the Three R’s, what will these kids write about? It saddens me when programs like No Child Left Behind seem to reinforce this, it’s backward. I have always felt one of the great parts of education is getting excited about something new, discovering a thing that touches your soul. I think most subjects can be enriched by incorporating other aspects. Imagining studying History for example. Many students find memorizing dates boring, and frankly, I do to. Sometimes such things are important. An understanding of the past and how a people came to be where they are is very crucial, especially when a child can incorporate such information and use it in new and personal ways that lead to a greater insight. I think that by interjecting various aspects into classes such as history can have a snowball effect. Just think of a 20th Century U.S. history class, sure knowing when WWI ended is important, classifying the next decade as the roaring 20’s is important, but turning your students on to the Jazz and music that came from that era is also important. I feel that looking at pieces of literature by Hemmingway and Fitzgerald can help to gain a better understanding of the time they were writing about. Just as experiencing pieces of art from the same time can also provide insight as well to a child. We should not be dropping classes such as art if students aren’t performing well in other subjects, ones that many small minded people consider to be more important or key. In fact, studying art can actually add to a child’s understanding of other subjects such as history. I feel our education system suffers when we take the narrow view. Why not expand our ideas and incorporate many aspects of thought, teach multiple subjects in hopes of a greater understanding. I like the above comment. I think it’s right on the money. What kid does feel alive when doing math homework or feel that they have a better understanding of their dark and contemplated soul all because of algebra? A famous defense of the arts that I have heard discusses this. Students loose so much when such class like art are cut from the schools. If the focus is just on the Three R’s, what will these kids write about? It saddens me when programs like No Child Left Behind seem to reinforce this, it’s backward. I have always felt one of the great parts of education is getting excited about something new, discovering a thing that touches your soul.
I think most subjects can be enriched by incorporating other aspects. Imagining studying History for example. Many students find memorizing dates boring, and frankly, I do to. Sometimes such things are important. An understanding of the past and how a people came to be where they are is very crucial, especially when a child can incorporate such information and use it in new and personal ways that lead to a greater insight. I think that by interjecting various aspects into classes such as history can have a snowball effect. Just think of a 20th Century U.S. history class, sure knowing when WWI ended is important, classifying the next decade as the roaring 20’s is important, but turning your students on to the Jazz and music that came from that era is also important. I feel that looking at pieces of literature by Hemmingway and Fitzgerald can help to gain a better understanding of the time they were writing about. Just as experiencing pieces of art from the same time can also provide insight as well to a child. We should not be dropping classes such as art if students aren’t performing well in other subjects, ones that many small minded people consider to be more important or key. In fact, studying art can actually add to a child’s understanding of other subjects such as history. I feel our education system suffers when we take the narrow view. Why not expand our ideas and incorporate many aspects of thought, teach multiple subjects in hopes of a greater understanding.

]]> By: mypedablogy http://fineartandschools.edublogs.org/2008/01/31/practical-uses-for-art-education/comment-page-1/#comment-3 mypedablogy Thu, 31 Jan 2008 07:43:28 +0000 http://fineartandschools.edublogs.org/2008/01/31/practical-uses-for-art-education/#comment-3 I think it was Van Gogh who said that the only time he feels alive is when he's painting. That's an interesting thought. I think the most sincere point that this post makes is that art is a crucial part of how we perceive the world. Art is expression. For art students, expression is an important outlet that not many other courses can provide. Have you ever felt like you were expressing yourself doing a math worksheet? Or have you ever said to yourself, the only time I feel alive is when I'm reading my history textbook? Art is powerful in that regard. Most classroom environments have students looking at culture from a birds eye view, studying it from some external context. What your post purports, and that I never really considered before, is the extent to which an education in the arts asks the student to look for those same kinds of reactions to culture from within. So much of life is reconciling the notions of what were given from outside sources with what were feeling in our soul. An education in the arts helps students recognize and listen for their own voice. I'm wondering, in your opinion, what sort of art is the most efficient in terms of helping students to meet with that kind of inward thinking? I think it was Van Gogh who said that the only time he feels alive is when he’s painting. That’s an interesting thought. I think the most sincere point that this post makes is that art is a crucial part of how we perceive the world. Art is expression. For art students, expression is an important outlet that not many other courses can provide. Have you ever felt like you were expressing yourself doing a math worksheet? Or have you ever said to yourself, the only time I feel alive is when I’m reading my history textbook? Art is powerful in that regard.

Most classroom environments have students looking at culture from a birds eye view, studying it from some external context. What your post purports, and that I never really considered before, is the extent to which an education in the arts asks the student to look for those same kinds of reactions to culture from within. So much of life is reconciling the notions of what were given from outside sources with what were feeling in our soul. An education in the arts helps students recognize and listen for their own voice. I’m wondering, in your opinion, what sort of art is the most efficient in terms of helping students to meet with that kind of inward thinking?

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