mel jacobson on sun 18 jul 99
it has always made me smile when i listen to the logic
of principals/boards of education when they tried to explain why
art, music and industrial arts had to be dropped from
the school.
`we just do not have the funds for those activity type classes.`
always `funds`.
`well, tell me then, if we have 2,000 kids in the school, and we
drop art, well, we still have 2,000 kids in the school.`
`do the kids go home when they do not take art, or do they
take some other course?`
the answer of course, is that kids are taking high tech courses,
more english, math, science and language...basics.
it costs not a dime more to hire an art teacher than a foreign language
teacher...and when you consider the cost of books and materials, clay is
cheaper.
social priority.
actually all i ever wanted them to say was, `we do not like art, music
and activities...we do not understand them`. and that is the point.
most people do not understand what we do.
we play in mud.
it is messy.
it is dirty.
my suit will get a spot on it if i go in there.
you don't look like a teacher.
you don't act like a teacher.
the floor has stuff on it.
kids are always having joy in your class, how can
they learn if they are `joyful`.
kids have to knuckle down, can't have fun.
kids have clay on their clothes when they leave
your room....even the `homecoming queen has clay on her clothes.`
even the `weird` kids like your class, something must be wrong.
the bottom line is for sure...trust is the starting point of all
learning. trust is the most important thing in any school.
once children find they cannot trust you....all learning stops.
same in college, same in life.
when learning is joyful and exciting, it just stays with you
forever.
no child that is a `visual learner`, will ever get credit for
being one in a big school. what if a child is a `genius` at visual
learning? it still will not matter.
(i am talking about over half of the people on clayart)
most potters are visual learners. eyes, hands,
body...all working in perfect coordination....problem solvers of the first
order.
one of my favorite memories of teaching was the special ed director
that came in my room looking for three boys from his program...
`where are todd, bill and gary?, he asked.
(remember, these were case loads to him, not kids.)
i said`, they are in the kiln room reading`....(many kids would like to go back
in the kiln room and read ceramics monthly and discuss the pictures.)
`hey, they are not readers, they do not read anything.`....well, that is
where they were, and that is what they were doing.....and they showed
him their note books with glaze
calculations in them, they had made about 20 variations of glazes...and
one of those kids had invented a glass bottomed pot...and it was
amazing. todd was very gifted visually...he was a
terrific potter, but he was still a `case load`.
most school people have not a clue which kids are `gifted and talented`..
they just assume they are straight A students....not a clue.
schools are serving the top students very well, schools are serving
the bottom students very well..but the vast 80% of students that
fall in the middle are not being well served at all.
and artistic, talented, creative, visual learners that work with
coordination and problem solving are at risk.
an educated opinion.
mel/mn
when i left teaching i had a program of clay with average 185 kids a
day...they did not hire another art teacher the next year. hmmmm
`where did all the flowers go.`
http://www.pclink.com/melpots
from minnetonka, minnesota, u.s.a.
Don Hoskisson on mon 19 jul 99
mel said:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>it has always made me smile when i listen to the logic
>of principals/boards of education when they tried to explain why
>art, music and industrial arts had to be dropped from
>the school.
>`we just do not have the funds for those activity type classes.`
>always `funds`.
>`well, tell me then, if we have 2,000 kids in the school, and we
>drop art, well, we still have 2,000 kids in the school.`
>`do the kids go home when they do not take art, or do they
>take some other course?`
>
>the answer of course, is that kids are taking high tech courses,
>more english, math, science and language...basics.
>
>it costs not a dime more to hire an art teacher than a foreign language
>teacher...and when you consider the cost of books and materials, clay is
>cheaper.
>social priority.
>
>actually all i ever wanted them to say was, `we do not like art, music
>and activities...we do not understand them`. and that is the point.
>most people do not understand what we do.
I would like to add one more idea to mel's list. Many administrators
have little or no art experience. To admit that art, music, theatre, or
dance may be advantageous to learning (as so many studies show) is
to admit their education is lacking and they could be much better off
as a well rounded educated people. They can point to a high level of
achievement for themselves, and therefore the arts are not necessary.
Never mind the studies, don't make me admit my education was
lacking or second rate, and that I am not a well educated person.
Wouldn't it be an interesting school if the administrator felt the same
way about english or math?
Don, in Oregon
The Silvernell's on wed 21 jul 99
I enjoyed your message - what a loss for the school system. I would be
interested in picking your brain about how your class was organized (as far
as curriculum, daily procedures, grading, etc.) I am assuming that you
taught secondary art - as I have for the past 4 years. I feel like this is
still a "new" thing for me. I previously was a painter and got into
education rather late. It hasn't been exactly like I thought it would be -
but in many ways, it's been terrific. I learn as much or more than my
students.
I teach in a very small school in Mt. - less than 200 students total. But
my art dept. includes more than half of them, so something is going right!
When I began, they had the curriculum set up sequentially (art 1,2,3 etc.)
with all media taught on all levels - good in some aspects, but poor for
developing specific skills. So year before last, I divided art 2,3,4 into
2-D and 3-D, and they can repeat each class. We have 3 electric wheels, 1
kick wheel and 2 electric kilns. This coming year, I will have 2 sections
of 3-D art, with about 15 in each class. This is how I plan on organizing
each class: after introductory lectures on clay, 3 or 4 students throw for
4 1/2 weeks (we are on a 9 wk. grading schedule) with the rest of the class
working on handbuilding). I feel like I can have the 4th student in the
back room - they can wedge, fetch, and trim on the kick wheel - this allows
for some student absences. They come into the larger classroom for any
technical discussions- glazing, handles, etc. Rotate 4 new students into
the throwing room, so by the end of 2 9-week periods, all students have had
a chance to learn some techniques. The second semester is spent on
sculpting (rather than focusing on the more functional, as in the first
semester) and students can go throw as their schedule permits. Well, I've
just taken up a lot of your time just to read this, but I would appreciate
any advice - on this structure, on exciting projects, etc. Thanks for
listening!
Kerri Silvernell
Forsyth Public Schools
silvernelldk@mcn.net
-----Original Message-----
From: mel jacobson
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Sunday, July 18, 1999 11:46 AM
Subject: schools(long)
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
it has always made me smile when i listen to the logic
of principals/boards of education when they tried to explain why
art, music and industrial arts had to be dropped from
the school.
`we just do not have the funds for those activity type classes.`
always `funds`.
`well, tell me then, if we have 2,000 kids in the school, and we
drop art, well, we still have 2,000 kids in the school.`
`do the kids go home when they do not take art, or do they
take some other course?`
the answer of course, is that kids are taking high tech courses,
more english, math, science and language...basics.
it costs not a dime more to hire an art teacher than a foreign language
teacher...and when you consider the cost of books and materials, clay is
cheaper.
social priority.
actually all i ever wanted them to say was, `we do not like art, music
and activities...we do not understand them`. and that is the point.
most people do not understand what we do.
we play in mud.
it is messy.
it is dirty.
my suit will get a spot on it if i go in there.
you don't look like a teacher.
you don't act like a teacher.
the floor has stuff on it.
kids are always having joy in your class, how can
they learn if they are `joyful`.
kids have to knuckle down, can't have fun.
kids have clay on their clothes when they leave
your room....even the `homecoming queen has clay on her clothes.`
even the `weird` kids like your class, something must be wrong.
the bottom line is for sure...trust is the starting point of all
learning. trust is the most important thing in any school.
once children find they cannot trust you....all learning stops.
same in college, same in life.
when learning is joyful and exciting, it just stays with you
forever.
no child that is a `visual learner`, will ever get credit for
being one in a big school. what if a child is a `genius` at visual
learning? it still will not matter.
(i am talking about over half of the people on clayart)
most potters are visual learners. eyes, hands,
body...all working in perfect coordination....problem solvers of the first
order.
one of my favorite memories of teaching was the special ed director
that came in my room looking for three boys from his program...
`where are todd, bill and gary?, he asked.
(remember, these were case loads to him, not kids.)
i said`, they are in the kiln room reading`....(many kids would like to go
back
in the kiln room and read ceramics monthly and discuss the pictures.)
`hey, they are not readers, they do not read anything.`....well, that is
where they were, and that is what they were doing.....and they showed
him their note books with glaze
calculations in them, they had made about 20 variations of glazes...and
one of those kids had invented a glass bottomed pot...and it was
amazing. todd was very gifted visually...he was a
terrific potter, but he was still a `case load`.
most school people have not a clue which kids are `gifted and talented`..
they just assume they are straight A students....not a clue.
schools are serving the top students very well, schools are serving
the bottom students very well..but the vast 80% of students that
fall in the middle are not being well served at all.
and artistic, talented, creative, visual learners that work with
coordination and problem solving are at risk.
an educated opinion.
mel/mn
when i left teaching i had a program of clay with average 185 kids a
day...they did not hire another art teacher the next year. hmmmm
`where did all the flowers go.`
http://www.pclink.com/melpots
from minnetonka, minnesota, u.s.a.
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