Kindergarten show canceled so kids can keep studying to become ‘college and career ready.’ Really.

College Majors Musical Theater Major
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<p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/04/26/kindergarten-show-canceled-so-kids-can-keep-working-to-become-college-and-career-ready-really/"&gt;http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/04/26/kindergarten-show-canceled-so-kids-can-keep-working-to-become-college-and-career-ready-really/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>This is just an unbelievable story that I thought it was worth sharing here on the MT Forum. I say this as a former early childhood and primary grade educator (also directed theater shows for primary grades) and college instructor in this field, as well as a parent of kids who did lots of theater growing up, both in and out of school. </p>

<p>For one thing, it seems like the thrust in education is constantly "getting ready" for the next grade, and not simply learning for the grade one is in at present. In any case, being "college and career" ready is not only about reading, writing, and 'rithmetic and the ability to take tests. Those are important skills too, of course. Kindergarten (as well as many grades after that!) also must teach skills such as collaboration, confidence speaking in front of others, creativity, leadership, social skills, problem solving, following directions, goal-setting, presentation skills, new perspectives, understanding the human condition, perseverance, focus, dedication, and so much more that are part of putting on a show. Even literacy skills are taught in performing a show at this age! The arts are not JUST important for their own intrinsic value (though that would be enough reason to include them in the curriculum!!), but so many other skills and perspectives are gained from experience doing the arts. </p>

<p>Of course, I am "preaching to the choir" HERE, but this article is one that is very related to why we are all on this particular forum!</p>

<p>(with thanks to MTTwinsInCA who shared this link on Facebook, which is where I first saw it)</p>

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<p>What a shame…as a former K teacher, I can vouch for the validity of allowing these children to perform. Some will never get the chance outside of elementary school ( due to choosing other activities, or not having the desire/abilities) to get up in front of family/friends and experience the JOY of performing for an adoring crowd. Sad, really.</p>

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<p>Here is an article I just read that sorta counters all this!:</p>

<p><a href=“All That Chat”>All That Chat;

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<p>If you read the article…the following quote is apropos of the Kindergarten story I posted about at the start of this thread:</p>

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<p>It so happens when it was too late to edit my original post, I had planned on adding that another reason it is important to include theater in the curriculum K-12 is because exposing kids to all these areas might mean the start of a passion that grows into one’s eventual career! How many kids who eventually obtained a college major or career in theater, were first inspired and became passionate about it due to a teacher in school who exposed them to this experience? This could be said about many fields besides theater of course. </p>

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<p>As a tutor for dyslexic kids, I know there are many thousands of kids - millions over the generations - for whom reading, writing and arithmetic are the bane of their existence and make a seven-hour school day absolute torture. They LIVE for their Arts and PE classes, thrive on “drama”, and can’t sit still in a seat to save their lives. Ask many of today’s best actors, writers and yes, even entrepreneurs what gave their lives meaning, what made them stand out in a classroom full of other kids who could decipher what was in written text and they’ll tell you it was being able to think OUTSIDE the prescribed “box” that is so much of what our curricula have become. Long live class clowns everywhere!!! (My S happens to be one of those. We hope it serves him well.)</p>

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<p>Insane. “…having them become strong readers, writers, coworkers and problem solvers.” Um, I’m thinking reading a script, working with fellow cast members, solving problems all happen during a production. You want to add writing - assign an assignment afterwards to write about the experience in the show. (Um - but we ARE talking about Kindergarteners here, right?) Misguided educators. I am sad for all the students at this school.</p>

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<p>I signed the petition! Please join me!
<a href=“Petition · Re instate the Kindergarten show · Change.org”>Petition · Re instate the Kindergarten show · Change.org;

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<p>Thanks for sharing the petition! I will say, however, that one of the main rationales given by the petition starter is that the show is “fun” and the importance for Kindergarteners to have fun. While I certainly think fun experiences are important, I think that is the weakest argument to be made here. </p>

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<p>Very true but it was written by a mom of an affected kindergartner. Her perspective is different and not as well thought out. The comment section really drives home all the excellent points. </p>

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<p>Regarding the article in the OP, it sounds like another myopic perspective by “educators” who have forgotten what their role is really all about. A great many years ago when i was in college learning to be a music educator (a profession I have since left for other reasons), we did spend some time talking about how to defend the arts in general (and music in particular in our case) since it was hitting schools even then. </p>

<p>As some have mentioned already, the arts have their own intrinsic value and they provide emotional outlets and emotional stimulation that other core subjects don’t typically provide (although reading provides access to that as well). It is emotion and interpersonal interactions that really define the human existence. I always marvel that the best art (be it painting, music, stage/tv/film, etc.) somehow tells a human story, whether dramatic, comedic, tragic, etc. There is huge value in core academic subjects like math and science, but without the emotional connection provided by the arts we develop 1-dimensional students who grow into 1-dimensional adults.What good is it to find a mathematical formula to explain the universe if you cannot appreciate the beauty of the moon, stars, and other objects in that universe? You miss a lot of the value in life.</p>

<p>But we also came back to the practical in our discussions - if nothing else, the arts reinforce and stimulate the aptitudes and skills that are also used in many of the core subjects. For example, there is a high correlation between mathematics, computer programming, and music. By teaching the arts you are reinforcing, in an indirect manner, the skills needed to be “college and career ready.” So by cutting programs like this you are not only cutting out “fun and play” (which is itself critical to the growth of children), but you are undercutting your own goal of creating those “college and career ready” people. </p>

<p>Sorry for the rant, I’m off the soapbox now. Just breathe…breathe…</p>

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<p>Uh, yeah…fun is the point! In kindergarten you need to grab them with fun and play, because…well, they are 5!</p>

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<p>I am in NO WAY defending the school district- but I am a teacher, and schools themselves are under tremendous pressure these days. Test results are published in the newspaper - in my state with the elementary teacher’s name is published, how many of his/her students were rated advanced/accelerated/proficient/unsatisfactory and then the teacher is ranked accomplished (green) satisfactory (yellow) or needs improvement (red). The principal’s names are also published with overall building ratings. In a climate like that - - sometimes schools lose sight of the big picture. I myself am an AP teacher- so my classroom can also be called test driven. My passage statistics are in the newspaper too- but since they are not state required at least I don’t get a rating or a color from them. Sometimes I have to FIGHT with my students to keep their eye on the bigger picture- learning and growth, rather than defining themselves by their test score. The whole thing is a slippery slope…</p>

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<p>This story reminds me of the great John Candy’s epic rant against an unreasonable school principal in Uncle Buck:</p>

<p>“She’s only six. I don’t want to know a six-year-old who isn’t a dreamer or a silly heart, and I sure don’t want to know one who takes their student career seriously. I know a good kid when I see one, and they’re all good kids. If you so much as scowl at my niece or any other kid in this school and I hear about it, I’m coming looking for you. Take this quarter. Go downtown and have a rat gnaw that thing off your face. Good day to you, madam.”</p>

<p>A lot of what kids learn comes during play and by participating in the arts. Let them be kids.</p>

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<p>On the theme I mentioned of academics and arts being out of balance in public schools, my daughter reminded me of this speech by one of her classmates (they both graduate HS tomorrow). He is a top student and also participates in the arts, both as a class and as extra-curricular (he was the least in Beauty and the Beast last year and did a great job). He will miss out on being valedictorian because his “A” in choir will bring down his GPA. My D tells me he is in the top 3 of the class, they will have 3 valedictorians, but he won’t be one. He gave this talk last fall and has some interesting points.</p>

<p><a href=“Why taking choir kept me from being a Valedictorian: Austin Channell at TEDxColumbus - YouTube”>Why taking choir kept me from being a Valedictorian: Austin Channell at TEDxColumbus - YouTube;

<p>If the link doesn’t work or is removed, go to YouTube and search for Austin Channell. </p>

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<p>That was fantastic. @raellis123‌ </p>

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<p>Study Hall is DEFINITELY more worthwhile. . .</p>

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<p>What a great talk. I’ve seen it in my D school, where teachers are encouraging her(pushing) to take AP classes that may ultimately look good on paper but will not necessarily make her more educated/thoughtful/ready for college or life than regular or honors courses will. She is academically ready for challenges, but is also involved in student government, extracurricular performances, and will be missing a lot of school to audition for college next year, absences which are not supported by her (PA) high school. If we’re already pressuring kindergarten kids to perform well academically, at what point do we see a burn out that will affect these kids when they reach the high school level, let alone college? Where do we say these kids need to keep the joy in learning? I hope to keep seeing excitement when my D discovers something new, finds a different way to approach a problem, sees a new way to look at the world. And yeah, if study hall were offered at her school, I would definitely recommend she take that</p>

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<p>“Regarding the article in the OP, it sounds like another myopic perspective by “educators” who have forgotten what their role is really all about.”</p>

<p>As a teacher, I can tell you this push has absolutely zero to do with educators or even “educators”. It has to do with money. Follow the money and you will understand what is going on. Do not listen to the words, propaganda, scare tactics, etc. Just follow the money.</p>

<p>There is a ton of money involved in testing. Testing is done behind closed doors, with no oversight, transparency or accountability, by a tiny handful of connected insider corporations like Pearson. Teachers have a gag order on discussing the content of the test in any way, and there is no procedure at all in place for correcting statistical errors. Indeed, the tests are statistically invalid on pretty much any metric. </p>

<p>Yet they are increasingly used as the only way to evaluate a school and its teachers. We can increasingly get fired for a ‘bad’ test score average, even if the year before we were top educators. These tests test only a narrow skillset of unimaginative reading with poorly written and ill thought out, often random, multiple choice questions, and equally random math skills. That’s it.</p>

<p>There is a ton of media and political pressure for schools to conform and as I said, if you don’t, you are at risk of losing your jobs.</p>

<p>Is it any wonder, then, that schools continue to push to the test? Until parents take back their own children’s education, this move will continue, because as I said, there is just a ton of money involved. Hedge fund managers and private investors are quite vocal about it; they do not hide it. I don’t want to link any of the articles here since that may be too political for some, but if you are interested, simply google “hedge fund” “wall Street” and “schools” and see what you come up with. </p>

<p>An educated populace is our democratic treasure. Education means educating the whole human being, including in the arts. </p>

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<p>Hi @connections, We may not be that far apart on our opinions. My “educators” was in quotes because it was referencing the administrators (principals and district) who make these decisions. I believe they let outside influences impact what they should know is the best interest of the students. I don’t remember all the details of the article right now, but I suspect the actual teachers would have wanted the kids to do the show.</p>

<p>Couldn’t agree more on your last sentences. I think it is interesting that one of the 7 subjects of the “classic liberal education” is music (which tends to be extended to the arts in general today). The 3 Rs by themselves just don’t cut it for making functional and valuable members of society. Sadly it is only the choir hearing my rhetoric and logic. :wink: </p>

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<p>raellis123, we are in total agreement. But sadly, even the building administrators no longer make the decisions. Increasingly, the state does. The power is very quickly moving out of local schools’ hands.My own principal is ‘scored’ by her school’s testing results just as I am. Superintendents increasingly are hired by boards to manipulate and improve the data. The media rewards them when the data looks better, even if the data is falsified or twisted. It’s ugly. And it’s not even the three R’s–the stuff that’s covered in Common Core are a slice of the three R’s… Oh well. Preaching to the choir indeed. And singing!</p>