How the Creative Classroom Differs From the Traditional

When the goal is to create students who self-initiate their learning and are excited by it, they have to have a teacher who provides that kind of atmosphere. First of all, the teacher has to believe in it and support these kind of activities. The classroom must be a warm and friendly place. As much as I'm in and out of various classrooms, I see this attitude less and less. Believe me, there's so much intense pressure to drive kids through a very prescribed curriculum that I understand it to a degree.

I think that what's happening in education is destroying teachers and kids alike. For creative thinking to take place, teachers must be able to provide the kinds of activities that stimulate it. Not much time for that, I'm afraid. They also have to train kids not to be dependent on them as the authority for all right answers. But in "left-brain"subjects, correct answers are all there are. The teacher either knows them, or the book that has them is right on her desk. The solution is already worked out. Of course, that's how it is when kids have to learn multiplication or spelling.

But if we want kids to be good problem-solvers, they need a different kind of approach entirely somewhere in their school day. In this case, the teacher is not the final authority, as the focus is not on finding the one right answer. Instead, an encouraging atmosphere conducive to exploration in depth and experimentation is needed. This is the opposite of memorization. Kids and teachers have less and less experience with this type of classroom activity. And yet, this kind of thinking is what society will need.

I was rather sad to read about studies that show the naturally creative child is not always liked by his/he teacher. If good behavior is considered to be polite and quiet, the child who is full of curiosity, questions the teacher, and has plenty of original ideas himself can be a handful. But once engaged in a meaningful activity, the student is no longer out of his seat and distracted, but actively learning independently. This is actually the habit we want to cultivate -- taking individual initiative and making meaning of their learning. But since school has become almost entirely "left brain" -- focused on the subjects that can easily be measured by through testing -- students have become extremely dependent upon the teacher for every aspect of their learning. Kids either sit waiting to be told what to do, look constantly for her approval, or must follow formulaic procedures rather than explore their own inventiveness.

I see the result of this in art classes, even down to the youngest students in kindergarten. They are so conditioned to work sheets, and being spoon fed instructions each step of the way, that they have a hard time knowing what to do when presented with an open-ended project to figure out on their own. It's hard to witness this happening, but it's really accelerated in the last decade under No Child Left Behind. I'd say, No Imagination Left!

Art Education is on the Minds of Some Famous Folks

With the National Endowment for the Arts in the news due to its small portion of the stimulus package -- and being the ever-favorite punching bag of some politicos -- the LA Times ran a fun survey. They asked 30 famous faces what they'd do if they were in charge of the agency. Of course, my personal favorites are those who zero in on art education: Phylicia Rashad, Tim Robbins, and Joel Wachs all said they'd put art back into the schools. Well, if those aren't the smartest celebs on the block -- sign them up. I hear the chair of the NEA is open! Hire one of them please, as my teaching job is in jeopardy!

Yes, the grant funding my teaching program at an at-risk school has dried up suddenly. Friday the 13th is "Wear Pink" day in the Los Angeles School District -- as that's the day thousands of colleagues will receive their pink slips. I've already made a little button to wear, "I Got Mine, How About You?" At least those teachers can earn to the end of the year. My job ends now in three weeks. This financial mess has definitely gotten personal!

Anyway, catch the article here, and click on your favorite famous face to read their comments.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2009/02/nea-if-i-ran-th.html

Doodling Is GOOD For You Say Psychologists

Art educators are forever having to justify to their own school colleagues, school board members, legislators ... and just about everybody in society except kids and parents, that what they do is really important. So, I loved finding this little snippet on a fun art site called Abrakadoodle. Click on their links to find good art ideas and projects for kids. See, it isn't only me telling you guys this stuff!

From www.abrakadoodle.blogspot.com:

"New research published February 27, 2009 in the Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology shows that the act of "doodling" may help improve memory recall. Study researcher Professor Jackie Andrade, Ph.D., of the School of Psychology, University of Plymouth said, "This study suggests that in everyday life doodling may be something we do because it helps to keep us on track with a boring task, rather than being an unnecessary distraction that we should try to resist doing."

Ah-ha! To all of you doodlers out there, take heart. What you've been told about your creative habit is all wrong!

If you'd like to find some doodle art ideas for kids, Abrakadoodle features online creativity games -- look under the "Kids" tab on their website. And you know how it is, the more you do something, the better you get at it. Fortunately, you don't have to be a great artist to doodle, but doodling may turn you into a great artist.

http://www.abrakadoodle.com

March is Arts Education Month

Traditionally March has been celebrated as Youth Art Month with displays of art work hanging in all sorts of public venues across the country. CA Assembly Member Davis (D-Los Angeles) introduced a bill declaring March 2009 as Arts Education Month. Assembly Member Davis is the chair of the Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media Committee. We'll take all the support and publicity we can get -- including $$.

Even with this public show of support, Laurie Schell, California Alliance for Arts Education Executive Director, cautions that the future of arts education in California is at a critical juncture right now. Although a new state budget was finally, belatedly passed on February 19th that included art money for schools, there are changes that concern educators and activists regarding the visual and performing arts instruction in our public schools.

The good news -- which we haven't heard much of lately -- is that the Arts and Music Block Grant remained in the budget, and will so for the next four years. The bad news is that these funds have been cut 15% this year, to be followed by another 5% next year. Well, it could have been far worse in my view -- 50% cuts, or funding left out altogether.

The bigger concern is that new regulations have been included which give the districts complete flexibility as to how they'll spending state funds. Given the dire circumstances they're facing, it's not out of the realm of possibility that school districts will choose to spend that money on something other than arts education.

So, arts advocates have been busy around the state -- showing up at school board meetings to protest cuts. It's caused some districts to reverse their proposed course of actions. If you'd like to help swell the grassroots movement, head to: http://www.artsed411.org/advocate/tips.aspx It's only with a lot of support from ordinary citizens that we're going to find the solutions to turn this thing around! Ultimately, that's good for the state and all kids.