Substitute teaching: Art in a Posh HS district.

[labelleizzy]

Short story: I found myself resentful at the end of the day.
the kids were fine, well behaved, mostly on task, not disrespectful,
productive, creating WONDERFUL, tasteful art...

and I was angry at the end of the day that this was an arts program that didn't have to struggle and scrimp and go to GoodWill and ask for parents to pay fees; they had so much resource they had THOUSANDS of dollars of canvases and other supplies.

At least half the kids had iphones. None were noticeably unhealthy; one the whole day seemed to have a mobility problem (an issue for a campus with so many stairs...)

And my little half-trained Waldorf soul, while the student work in evidence was indeed precise and lovely, seems cold and ornamental. Not a "useful" project on display.

Well, so I'm feeling some feelings, I don't have time to examine them more in detail, got to head out to San Rafael. Anybody with time on their hands can toss some theories out if they want to.

(maybe I'm just cranky cos the tree pollen allergies are on the rise. Dunno.)

G'night, y'all, heading out to the land of no internets (aka my Waldorf classes.)

Comments

[satyrlovesong.livejournal.com]

I think the key is to find out what this art means to the artists, regardless of their financial status. Sure it would be nice if all schools had adequate supplies, but I think it's part of human nature to want the best for your kids and to provide it if you can.

[apocalypticbob.livejournal.com]

I feel that way sometimes...not so much about this school district vs. other districts, but just in having my son in a way better district than I grew up in, and the advances in technology in the last 20 years. Things like SmartBoards in every classroom and four computer labs in the high school, plus three carts of laptops in the library make me remember struggling to get to the few computers in my high school to try to type my Senior thesis (which had to be done on computer) because we didn't have one at home. I guess I'm just wistful for what I didn't have (though glad that he does, of course!) and thinking how much easier things would have been.

[tara-bella.livejournal.com]

I think one of the things that makes Waldorf special is the emphasis on making art a part of everything the children do. For most kids, if they are lucky enough to have art at all, it is a separate class, something most take to fulfill a requirement, that has absolutely nothing to do with their other work or their lives.

For a Waldorf student, art is something you do everyday. It relates to everything you are studying and is designed to speak to your life and your spirit. Art is part of math, science, history, english, nature, friendships, holidays, recess, etc. Art is one of many ways to express yourself in the world, not just college prep.

Many of our kids hate it when they're young, because it is structured and it is hard. But by the time they hit high school they are comfortable with it and know they are capable of it. Not all of our gifts are artistically gifted, but they all think of it as part of themselves. Lucky kids...

[labelleizzy.livejournal.com]

Yes, this.
nodnodnod...

and by going thru the training, I'm challenging myself more and learning a lot about my own capacities.

Yesterday I created 4 full-page color sketches to use as title pages for sections of an observation paper. I sketched a redwood, a sailboat on the ocean, a fat candle and its shadow, and a blustery day, with a tree bent over from the wind (which had a face and was blowing the tree sideways)... It's not even that I'm more than quietly proud... it's just, "of course. You had it in you all along" and somewhere along the line recently during my "recovery"/reconstruction process, I guess I figured out how to get the hell out of my own way.

Hooray for Ganesh!

oh, and Yeah, I really really like Waldorf schools.

[tara-bella.livejournal.com]

Figuring how to get the hell out of your own way is the secret to life. I'm currently working on it as banishing the demons in my head. All the fear and insecurity was not a part of me to begin with, so it can damn well go now.

I've really enjoyed reading about your journey through all this. Congratulations on your successes!