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I haven't shaved in three days. One of my friends asked at poetry group last night if I was growing a beard. I'm not. I just like to take a break from shaving now and then. Give the face a rest. And a long holiday weekend is the perfect time. But I'm surprised how much gray there is in my beard now. It's really noticeable. When did this happen? Don't get me wrong, I'm not freaked out. In fact, I think it looks kind of distinguished. (Dean says it looks *hot*). *
From The Boston Globe, via Arts & Letters Daily:
"To determine what happens inside arts classes, we spent an academic year studying five visual-arts classrooms in two local Boston-area schools, videotaping and photographing classes, analyzing what we saw, and interviewing teachers and their students.
What we found in our analysis should worry parents and teachers facing cutbacks in school arts programs. While students in art classes learn techniques specific to art, such as how to draw, how to mix paint, or how to center a pot, they're also taught a remarkable array of mental habits not emphasized elsewhere in school.
Such skills include visual-spatial abilities, reflection, self-criticism, and the willingness to experiment and learn from mistakes. All are important to numerous careers, but are widely ignored by today's standardized tests."
5 comments:
Cutting arts programs in our schools absolutely breaks my heart. My stomach aches when I hear about it.
This "they're also taught a remarkable array of mental habits not emphasized elsewhere in school" and so much more. As Americans, we just don't understand or appreciate all that art offers individuals and the full community.
Thanks for posting this, Peter.
I'm off to study for the WASL. ;-)
I didn't shave on saturday and sunday, but on sunday evening I shaved because my beard is also much whiter than I remembered! I kind of freaked. I had to shave it off. On you, yes, hot! On me, it just is not.
I noticed a few weeks ago, after not shaving for a weekend, that my stubble has white-ish/gray mixed in. Sigh.
To hell with mental habits not emphasized elsewhere in school.
I wouldn't've survived junior high and high school without art class and choir.
I'm not kidding.
Those were the only two periods during the day in which I felt safe enough to almost be myself.
Those were the only two times during long, agonizing days of avoiding or trying and failing to avoid all the people who went out of their way to tell me I was ugly that I almost believed in myself.
It breaks my heart to think that kids would be denied that kind of refuge.
My art teachers (and English teachers) and choir directors encouraged me.
They saved me.
They kept my head above the waves.
Why do I find this to be a stunning (and most likely unintentional) indictment of our current leadership
"Such skills include visual-spatial abilities, reflection, self-criticism, and the willingness to experiment and learn from mistakes."
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