In a message dated 01/03/2002 11:11:49 AM Eastern Standard Time,
Bicyclken@aol.com writes:
> In our high school system the kids must take at least 10 units of fine arts
> in order to graduate. This can be, Music (many sections), Art, 3-d Design,
> and Photography. We have increased in size regularly and have 5 full time
> teachers in Art alone. We offer advanced courses in Art, 2, 3, 4, a.p.
> studio, 3-d design 2, 3 and photography 2. Each district can set graduation
> standards and some are not looking to the arts as a requirement. The arts
> are not dead in California. We are alive!
>
Ken, art in your school is probably alive and well because of YOU...you're a
fantastic art teacher and any student in any state would be lucky to have
you. I got the feeling that Larry was talking about the lower grades in
California not having art as a formally taught subject.
My sister, who until a few months ago lived in San Diego for 10 years, was a
volunteer art "teacher" there. She would come into her children's
elementary school classroom and conduct art lessons. She has absolutely no
training, not even a college degree, but it was the only exposure to art that
these elementary school children. The school system had no special
requirements for volunteers. I gave her many of my lessons, and she is a
talented artist in her own right, but the discrepancy between art in the
elementary schools in NY State and in San Diego was as wide as the
differences in the weather.
I wish every state required elementary art. Our state art teachers'
association, NYSATA, has worked hard to get legislation passed to make it a
state mandate that EVERY elementary school have art education. Also, only a
teacher certified to teach art can do so in New York State. Sadly, however,
the same is not true in tne NY City schools. Our "Person of the Year", the
former Mayor Gulianni, didn't do much to improve the educational system in
NYC. Wish he had been as brilliant handling the NYC educational "tragedy" as
well as he handled the Sept 11th one.
Susan on Long Island
