Klarinet Archive - Posting 000797.txt from 2001/01

From: SDSCHWAEG@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] On "Being Artistic"
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2001 10:01:56 -0500

In a message dated 1/24/01 12:56:17 AM Central Standard Time,
Bilwright@-----.net writes:

<< In truth, I shouldn't be airing my daughter's personal affairs here.
I really and truly was 'venting' because I can't set her up for failure
by poor-mouthng her teacher.
This particular incident also hit my sore spot, which I've
discussed here before --- namely, schools and teachers who mandate art
education and then censure a student's lack of skill or enthusiasm when
the student doesn't perform, as was my situation in grade school. >>

I'm sorry - I certainly don't mean to pry into your daughter's business, but
I was interested in the idea of "be artistic or I'll fail you." I can
understand a teacher expecting a student to fulfill the requirements of a
course, such as: produce a charcoal drawing of a still life showing light and
shadow, or produce two ceramic vessels one using slab technique and one using
coil technique, or create a collage utilizing a minimum of three materials
demonstrating different textures - stuff like that. But to expect the
results of these assignments to necessarily be "artistic" strikes me as
unrealistic. The point of a school art class for most kids, as I see it, is
to allow the students to experiment with materials and experience to a degree
what it is that artists do - sort of "try it on for size". But to expect
them all to master the skills involved, to be able to truly express
themselves artistically, or to even enjoy it probably isn't going to happen.
Some ARE artists and can benefit from the training; others are just being
exposed to art as part of a general education.
Are you the one who has spoken in the past about a school that required
band for all students? I never understood the point of that, either.
Certainly I agree with schools having fine arts requirements. To not have
one is to suggest that the arts are not as important as other subjects that
are required. But to require that all students participate in the SAME
artistic discipline doesn't make sense to me. Art, music, drama, dance
should all be ways of fulfilling the requirement, depending on the student's
personal interest. And once an introductory course is completed, that should
be that unless the student chooses to pursue it further. (I'm thinking of
the junior high and high school level here, not elementary.)
Anyway, I certainly understand if you don't want to discuss this further!
Sue Schwaegler

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