Comments for Theatrical Imperative

Comment on In Defense of “Compulsory” Arts Education by Ron Russell

Ron Russell — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 18:02:43 +0000

Your (and his) points are quite true, I think – and it’s exactly what keeps artists out of schools, this notion that school is too hard for artists to have an impact in – “reforms” are always short-lived and doomed almost before they begin, because very few people want to do the real hard work that is required to change a system as massive as the school system. Obama won a Presidential campaign on the fundamental assertion that for America to work better, Americans would have to work harder. Once the voting was over, most Americans promptly turned to this same leader and asked him how he was making their jobs, and their patriotism, easier. This is where my preposterously-cursory understanding of Buddhism comes in handy for me – the idea that there is ONLY the struggle. The outcomes are not only irrelevant, they are inconsequential. Nothing “changes” but what you change in you. And that’s exactly WHY you can’t stop fighting.

Comment on In Defense of “Compulsory” Arts Education by barb

barb — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:40:09 +0000

I admire your determination to change things from within the system. It’s inevitable that, as a conscientious objector, my professional educator and a community art worker venn diagrams barely touch these days. John Taylor Gatto tells it like it is. http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/underground/prologue.htm “Professional interest is served by making what is easy to do seem hard; by subordinating the laity to the priesthood. School is too vital a jobs-project, contract giver and protector of the social order to allow itself to be “re-formed.” It has political allies to guard its marches, that’s why reforms come and go without changing much. Even reformers can’t imagine school much different.”

Comment on In Defense of “Compulsory” Arts Education by Ron Russell

Ron Russell — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 20:56:23 +0000

Very interesting points, and I appreciate your perspective. Unfortunately, from my perspective, I don’t see a way to subvert the undoubtedly outmoded institution that is the New York City Public High Schools and still reach the hundreds of thousands of young people of color for whom school is the only form of civic participation that they have access to. My 6-year-old goes to a extremely progressive public school that uses a really exciting curricular format where she is not comparatively-assessed (no grades) but assessed on her own individual progress, and which features almost no “coercion” in terms of what she chooses to learn. And I love it. And I’m glad I was privileged enough to be white, and earn enough to live on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, and fight like hell, from a position of power, to get her in when she did not make it into the school on the initial lottery. So I don’t have to fight for change that I find meaningful for my child, as you did. What I’m fighting for (in the schools, in my organization, and in this blog) is meaningful change for those hundreds of thousands of kids not born into my place of privilege. And while I might philosophically agree that coercion often does not translate into true learning, these young people are already coerced into a particular mode of learning and confined within a particular set of assumptions of what they can do and be when they leave school – rigorous, professionally-authentic arts participation affords a way to bash a hole in these assumptions and modes, and I believe we producers have a moral responsibility to get our artists in there to do that! Thanks for your thoughts.

Comment on In Defense of “Compulsory” Arts Education by barb

barb — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 19:43:34 +0000

To rewind a bit Ron – I am “one of those doubters” who trained to be a teacher during the progressive 70s and went into the classroom full of ideas and good intentions only to find that the thrust of the job was crowd control and that coercion doesn’t translate to true learning. I even attempted to “rehabilitate school phobics” until I had an epiphany and questioned the whole concept of schooling….. a bit like Ken Robinson but 30 years ago http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U In the UK school isn’t compulsory so when we had our own children we knew we would educate them “otherwise”. Our local arts centre ran many high quality community arts programmes which our whole family participated in. No imposed curriculum or school timetables meant that we could thoroughly immerse ourselves in community activities. All three of our children helped in the vibrant theatre at the centre – a truly grass roots, multi-generational social enterprise. You say “I guess I’ve always assumed that the vast majority of artists and producers are in the arts because they want change……” Yes, and for me the arts offer tools for challenging assumptions and subverting outmoded institutions.

Comment on In Defense of “Compulsory” Arts Education by Ron Russell

Ron Russell — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 13:44:24 +0000

The same sanctions that are imposed for those who fail to comply with forced Math, or forced Geography. It won’t be me or my organization imposing said sanctions, of course, but the school officials in the contexts in which we operate, but I will do my best to help them enforce such sanctions in a way that the young people who are being sanctioned understand why. Sounds like you are one of those doubters who somehow believe that creativity is less important to a child’s education than Math, or that engagement in theatre is not rigorous enough to qualify as an academic pursuit, no?

Comment on In Defense of “Compulsory” Arts Education by barb

barb — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 09:36:45 +0000

My question is “What sanctions do you intend to impose on young people who fail to comply with forced creativity?”

Comment on In Defense of “Compulsory” Arts Education by Blake Wilson

Blake Wilson — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:17:33 +0000

Yes. Which is why, on balance, I tend to think that there is a place for compulsory arts programs overall.

Comment on In Defense of “Compulsory” Arts Education by Ron Russell

Ron Russell — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:58:08 +0000

Yeah, totally agreed – “choice” is contingent on knowing what is available and engages you – without early and consistent exposure, “choice” is a useless concept.

Comment on In Defense of “Compulsory” Arts Education by Blake Wilson

Blake Wilson — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:56:43 +0000

Ultimately, this is why it’s crucial to have consistent, great arts education in the early grades…so that students are accustomed to it…and more likely to “choose” it as they get older.

Comment on In Defense of “Compulsory” Arts Education by Blake Wilson

Blake Wilson — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:53:11 +0000

Thanks for posting this Ron….and a topic that I’ve wrestled with for some time. Having been a classroom teacher, a teaching artist, and more recently an administrator, I’ve seen both the pros and the cons of “compulsory” arts education.

As I see it, reasons to SUPPORT compulsory are education are:
-Students must be exposed to something before they can make an informed decision about whether they like it or not.
-There are many students who ultimately benefit from (or enjoy) arts classes who might not have ordinarily chosen to participate on their own. I’ve personally seen this many times….and it when it happens it can be really powerful.
-Creativity, more broadly, must be part of a well-rounded education.
-The arts shouldn’t be just for those who are pursuing it as a career or as a hobby.
-Even in a compulsory setting, a strong teacher/TA can find ways to solicit student input and help students to take ownership of the experience.
-Arguably, the students who self-select tend to be those who “need” it least.

Reasons against it (or challenges associated with it):
-It requires really pro-active planning by the teacher or teaching artist….simply put, it needs to be really good or there is a big risk of having a negative classroom culture or having classroom management problems.
-If the program is not successful, there is a risk of “turn off”….i.e.- students having negative associations with participating in the arts, and therefore making them less likely to participate or attend in the future.
-Students who are uninterested can distract from (or water down) the experience for students who really do care. This is why it’s essential for the teacher or teaching artist to find ways to make the material accessible and keep students engaged.

In short, I think compulsory arts education is a “higher risk, higher reward” proposition.