Thursday, July 28, 2011

The Arts

I was walking while my 3-year-old was riding his bike, and we went right past the performance hall at my 16-year-old's high school (which would be Woodrow Wilson).  I got to thinking that a substantial portion of his school 'experience' is bound up with that building.  He's performed in several plays, danced in several Scintillation show choir events, played percussion with the school band, and performed with his garage band on that stage...and he still has two more years of the same.

Got me to thinking that I surely appreciate the arts programs that have been available to him.  And though these programs are not part of the 'core curriculum,' their benefits are not merely ancillary.  The self-discipline required to manage one's time so as to participate in these activities and maintain good performance with the rest of the school demands is an essential life skill.  And that's just the beginning.

2 comments:

Mappmusic said...

We value arts, but don't view it as "core". Did you know that the arts are listed as core in the NCLB documents?

Andrew Milton said...

Yes, I did know that. Hence the quote marks around the words core curriculum--many do not see arts as core, or part of anything at the core of the curriculum. So, instead, let me say they are central.