On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the effects of rampant poverty and the scapegoating of teachers are on display in the classrooms of public schools across the U.S.

January 16, 2012

I TEACH fourth grade in a public school in Brooklyn. On Friday, I wrote the initials “MLK”, a plus sign, and the word “education” on the board. A boy raised his hand and said, “Do you realize that MLK plus education equals Melducation?” I decided to concede that particular point and move on.

“Think about your life here in school,” I said, “What do you think needs to change?”

It didn’t take my students long to come up with a good list of ideas. I wrote them down.

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This exhibition features an early first edition of “Los Caprichos,” a set of eighty etchings by Spanish artist Francisco de Goya y Lucientes published in 1799. Included in the exhibition for comparison are other works by Goya.

To augment Goya’s “Los Caprichos” prints, the exhibition will also include the work of several contemporary artists including Enrique Chagoya, Jason Garcia (Santa Clara), Diego Romero (Cochiti), Roger Shimomura, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (Flathead, Shoshone), and Masami Teraoka. Like Goya, these exceptional artists all incorporate social commentary and social critique as integral aspects of their work.

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GRONK Mural on Display Until February 2012 (Special Events Space) Albuquerque Museum

In conjunction with the Santa Fe Opera, during two weeks in July the Albuquerque Museum will present the internationally renowned artist Gronk as he paints a site specific and temporary wall painting. Gronk will be designing the set for this summer’s Santa Fe Opera’s production of Antonio Vivaldi’s “Griselda.”

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Holiday Art Lessons information here. Download PDF Art Lesson Flier holiday Artlesson

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Dean of Arts and Science Alistair MacLean attributes this to the pending retirement of one of the program’s three full-time professors (“I was concerned with admitting new students without being certain we could fulfill course requirements,” he said).

… “For MacLean any crisis is a broader one. In a tightening funding environment — Ontario schools have been told to expect no funding increases for at least six years — universities chase dollars wherever they can find them. Art programs, he says “can be seen as boutique — they take up lots of space, they have small classes. So if they’re not healthy, they’re vulnerable.”…

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Kniazuk’s arguments are locked and loaded, like live ammunition.
“You’ve got your art for art’s sake, you’ve got your quality of life, you’ve got your economic, you’ve got your tourism, you’ve got your education piece,” he said. “Then the last piece of the argument — and I’m probably forgetting a dozen other good ones — is [drawing] businesses and the creative class.”
“Quite frankly,” he continued, barely pausing to catch his breath, “it’s a model that other sectors of the economy should probably be trying to emulate.”

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Twelve Things You Were Not Taught in School About Creative Thinking
By Michael Michalko | Dec 06, 2011 (Creative Commons License Posted in its entirety)

Synopsis
Aspects of creative thinking that are not usually taught.
1. You are creative. The artist is not a special person, each one of us is a special kind of artist. Every one of us is born a creative, spontaneous thinker. The only difference between people who are creative and people who are not is a simple belief. Creative people believe they are creative. People who believe they are not creative, are not. Once you have a particular identity and set of beliefs about yourself, you become interested in seeking out the skills needed to express your identity and beliefs. This is why people who believe they are creative become creative. If you believe you are not creative, then there is no need to learn how to become creative and you don’t. The reality is that believing you are not creative excuses you from trying or attempting anything new. When someone tells you that they are not creative, you are talking to someone who has no interest and will make no effort to be a creative thinker.

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http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/what_real_education_reform_looks_like_20111208/

Posted on Dec 8, 2011 (Reprinted in entirety)

By David Sirota

As 2011 draws to a close, we can confidently declare that one of the biggest debates over education is—mercifully—resolved. We may not have addressed all of the huge challenges facing our schools, but we finally have empirical data ruling out apocryphal theories and exposing the fundamental problems.

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The Arts are imperative in education. Whether its music, drama, or painting, students should be encouraged to explore their creativity. They should not always be told what to learn or given a formula.The Arts empowers youth to express themselves and to be heard. Art gives students a voice.

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I posted this article nearly a year ago on blogger spot. it received some attention and I think it is an important article. Here it is again. Rather long but very interesting especially when you have or teach gifted children.

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