How many 'isms has art education had now in the past 20 years?
Perhaps its getting older, but my skeptism and the fact that there is a
growing teacher shortage across the nation causes me to be very suspicious.
How convenient it would be to come up with theories that could quickly
replace teaching vacancies with "facilitators" justifying more to be gained
letting students learn on their own.
Then too, as some have pointed out...are those left brained analysts trying
to figure out better ways to evaluate the arts and argue for their value and
necessity in budget tight cost cutting districts.
My kids have not personally had the experience of setting up easels on the
shores of a northwoods Wisconsin river and painted plein air, thus...I
should not teach them things that I as an artist/teacher have learned
because its not in the scope of their inferential learning? We've got the
kind of time in education to facilitate and hope some things get picked up
by the students....and that assuming kids come into the room all excited and
impassioned wanting to learn?
In all fairness, I have not read all the links on constructivism provided,
so I'm simply referring in general to 'isms. However, when comparing
constructivism with other forms of teaching, how does it fare given the same
kids that come from broken homes, drug dealing fathers, alcoholism, abuse?
Do we note that Susie, a 9th grader...is more interesting in learning with
the new methods than the old...no longer as distracted by the fact her
mother lies in a hospital bed put their by her father drunk a few days
earlier? I say this, because I think state testings which affect grants and
monies in general do not take into consideration any sociological factors of
the kid's lives. The pressures to get scores up, or prove non-essential
non-academic extras such as art class to have actual value seems to be a
hotbed that invites the creation of new theories. Like the person with an
illness and on SSDI, every salesperson with a promise of a cure preys upon
their hope of getting better to make their buck. From magnets to herbs,
diet plans to new prescriptions. Ever notice how expensive the cures are?
I believe my students are learning. I hear it all the time from the
faculty, administrators....and many in our community. I've got second
graders already dabbling in the form of Impressionism with tempera, high
school kids painting landscapes or creating paper sculptures to come up with
fantastical sci fi ideas for creating before unseen creatures. Students
recreating Van Gogh's "Starry Night" roughly 10' x 10' on a wall. Gaining
confidence. Learning about color. Excited to get on the potter's wheel and
try their hand at throwing.
I wonder some if 'isms aren't the product of trying to produce assurances
that leave when a "good" teacher leaves. It may be hard to find an
individual that is filled with life, passion, knowledge and capability...on
the other hand, when an 'ism is structured-in it may well hold the potential
of such an individual back.
In the back of my mind is a fear that my superintendent and principal could
retire in a few years, and we'll get some highly motivated left-brained
"must find out what's wrong with my staff and make improvements" ding dong.
I hope like heck to be able to do my best to simply keep the next newest
philosophical methodology out of my room!
Before I came...my kids did not know what colors made what. Seniors that
never heard of Vincent Van Gogh. I imagine that was due to some well
intentioned 'ism that was in place all those years. I don't have time, nor
do I feel my kids have time or luxury to come upon understanding by accident
or intrigue. Each day is precious, and there is so much to learn. So many
minds to win over to art and the idea that life has above all the horrors
and sorrows, aesthetics and beauty. An appreciation that can make a
difference in their lives. Individuals make the difference.
You...me....us. In trying to understand what works, seems they want to take
the "us" out of teaching. Out of the equation. Hold a mandate over our
heads.
The academics may feel such in the not too distant future. Anyone see the
new technology where a teacher sits in a black booth, and various cameras on
the teacher create a 3 dimensional hologram type image that is sent to and
placed in the front of a classroom? A Trans' or teleporter? They are using
such in Great Britain, and are now experimenting in the US. The students
see a full life sized teacher, and three dimensional teacher in the class.
In the black booth, the teacher has monitors and sees all the students. If
a student's hand goes up in the back corner of the room, when the teacher
looks to that student on the monitor...the teleported image appears likewise
to be looking at that student. "Yes, Johnny?" the image asks. Very freaky
stuff. Yet...think. The one teacher gets a decent salary. Perhaps a dozen
classrooms require only a person hired to take roll and manage discipline.
An answer possibly to teacher shortages...to relief of property owners and
taxes....??? -Larry
