A Hopeful School Solution
What if you fired all of the security guards at a struggling elementary school and spent that money on Art programs? That is the Big Idea from this NBC news report telling the story of this Roxbury, MA school that appears to have found a path to improvement by reclaiming one of the features the school was built for.
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In a school notorious for its lack of discipline, where backpacks were prohibited for fear the students would use them to carry weapons, Bott’s bold decision to replace the security guards with art teachers was met with skepticism by those who also questioned why he would choose to lead the troubled school.
“A lot of my colleagues really questioned the decision,” he said. “A lot of people actually would say to me, ‘You realize that Orchard Gardens is a career killer? You know, you don’t want to go to Orchard Gardens.’”
But now, three years later, the school is almost unrecognizable. Brightly colored paintings, essays of achievement, and motivational posters line the halls. The dance studio has been resurrected, along with the band room, and an artists’ studio.
It is certainly a very hopeful story and I’m really intrigued by the idea of getting kids back into arts classes. It makes sense to me that kids would respond better to (and learn more from) an engagement with the right sides of their developing brains than a battery of security guards. To be sure, this is probably not a miracle cure, but having these kids attend a school rather than lockdown practice seems to have some effect.
This makes so much sense. Art appears when a civilization arrives.
Also, when you treat kids like criminals, don’t be surprised when they act like them.
This is why ed reformers, and teacher evaluations and the ridiculous DE SB51 are utter nonsense and completely miss the mark. There’s more to education than standardized tests. In fact, standardized tests only result in dumbing kids down. No thinking outside the box!
Business is sorta good at business (not really, some of the biggest idiots are “successful” business people) but we need to keep them far away from education, teacher evaluations and teacher requirements.
Art appeared on cave walls some 30,000 to 40,000 years ago. It is still with us and a part of a balanced education. A well rounded citizenship helps in all endeavors.
Should have said art flourishes when a civilization arrives.
Should have said art flourishes when a civilization arrives.
Or civilization flourishes when art arrives, I believe it’s a little of both.
I remember listening to someone making the point that kids know when the adults who are supposed to care for them, value them. And they get it not just from the relationships with school staff, but from the environment they are in. Students who are in an environment where the place is falling down get the idea that they aren’t especially valued and I think surrounding them with security instead of learning sends a similar message.