Rant for a moment

I really do like my job, but sometimes I'm completely flabbergasted that I have to deal with stupid things that people say. Not once, but twice today I had to deal with comments that related to the fact that I'm an art teacher.....as in "just an art teacher" "just for entertainment's sake" "just doodling".

Why is it that Visual Arts have to fight harder than other modes of art to get recognition of value? Why can't art stand on it own without being linked to another subject area or content? Why is art the redheaded-step-child of curriculum near and far, and is always the first to be cut and underfunded?

I don't know. Maybe because it's misunderstood? People have such negative feeling from being in art class as a child? I don't know. I have had some horrible art teachers. Ones that never actually "taught" any skills, ones who valued "beauty", ones who pushed you aside from the gifted or "natural" artists. Aren't we all natural artists in some way? Who's to place any value on any kind of art other than the person who made it?

Ok, I'm getting off topic. Here's the story. I'll try to be brief. The "music therapist/teacher" is finding it hard to be successful with his classes. He's asked me before if there was something going on with the students, how were they in my class, etc.. etc... etc... And today the topic came up again, except with a negative comment.

When I think of a person who is a music therapist I think of people who actively engage their clients in the making of music, mostly hands on and experimental, maybe even analyzing their works, don't you? Lyrics, sounds, being engaged, problemsolving, or in the act of music and what might be meaningful to them. And I think of a general music teacher who does some hands on and some skill building with techniques. And experimentation, and even some music history. Our music therapist doesn't really do any of that. From what I have seen and heard they do a lot of testing... As in taking written tests. They watch movies, and occasionally will do a unit of drumming (which they love). He doesn't teach them to be creative, he teaches them how to remember meaningless trivia... Yes, kids should be exposed to everything on all levels, but there are many ways you can do that. One is to actually listen to music, and pick out what you hear.

Anyway, the music teacher slighted me. OF ALL TEACHERS! Music and art teachers shouldn't ever be at odds with each other. I can't remember EXACTLY what he said, but it was to the effect that what I was doing wasn't nearly as significant as what he was doing.... Umm, and how's that working for him? Not at all. He can't relate to any of the kids. They get in trouble with him all the time (mostly because they're bored, don't care-- which I face too, by the way), and they're hardly doing anything that is active. If anything they are mostly inactive in his class.

So I tried to have a conversation with him to express that maybe he's having difficulty in his classes because the students need something more engaging, oh I don't know....like actually trying to play an instrument, or make up songs, or see what it's even like to correctly hold an instrument. Teaching the value of perseverance and practice. Not memorizing a music timeline, and learning how to divide notes when you aren't going to play them anyway.

It's frustrating, because at first I was trying to share with him the idea of the arts in general as creative outlets. Isn't that the point? Isn't that why any of us liked taking them as electives in the first place. It was a form of expression, an outpouring of emotion, an achievement to be part of a choir or band, or ensemble. I don't remember taking too many tests in my choir class.

He did apologize for the comment, but then made additional comments that he had two choices in the way he taught. He could teach them his way, or let them do whatever they want. So he totally missed the point of what I was saying... But whatever. I think he cares about kids a lot, but I think he needs to do something else, like be a researcher or something. He feels like he's teaching appropriately to reach these kids of kids, but he's not, and he's not willing to figure out any alternatives.

So I wash my hands of this. I'll just talk to him about the weather, and that will be that. I know what he said wasn't personal. It was a stupid comment on his part, but it still bothers me.