Klarinet Archive - Posting 000736.txt from 2004/10

From: Adam Michlin <amichlin@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Appealing to the superficial
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2004 10:21:43 -0400

At 02:15 PM 10/25/2004 +0100, Tony Pay wrote:
> > Right. And it doesn't matter if they learn to read. It's their life. It
> > doesn't matter if they learn to write. It's their life. It doesn't matter
> > if they learn math. It's their life.
>
>You need to understand what is true about what you have said here. That you
>think it contains *no* truth is why I say: you are appallingly sure of
>yourself.

If you want to play dueling quotes, I'll be more than happy to oblige:

"The school has again but one way, and that is, first and last, to teach
them to read, write and count. And if the school fails to do that, and
tries beyond that to do something for which a school is not adapted, it not
only fails in its own function, but it fails in all other attempted
functions. Because no school as such can organize industry, or settle the
matter of wage and income, can found homes or furnish parents, can
establish justice or make a civilized world." - W.E.B. DuBois, address to
Georgia State Teachers Convention, 1935.

For those of you who are going to suggest this quote implies we shouldn't
teach music (or anything beyond reading, writing, and counting) I ask that
you consider the context of the quote (the pre-civil rights movement in the
United States). I will also sadly admit I would not be able advocate music
education at a school where students could not read, write, or count.

The fundamentals *must* come first. And yes, some kids don't like this. Too
bad. Teaching isn't a popularity contest, teaching is about educating
students even if they don't always wish to be educated. If you don't
realize this, I suspect you haven't spent much time in front of a classroom
full of school aged children.

And you say I'm appallingly sure of myself.

>By that, I don't mean that children shouldn't ever be in classrooms. I mean
>that children's wants should be taken seriously.

Seriously, yes. Universally prioritized over the educational goals, no.

Let's simplify this. Since I assume you have read all the various
educational research the following question should be easy for you to
answer (and I think you know where I stand):

Do you believe in a child centered classroom or a teacher centered classroom?

And I can't find where I suggested that we ignore or take less than
seriously the wants of children, for the record.

-Adam

PS: You never answered my question about playing K622 with a band.

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