Strings class decision sad
My daughters were band students from the fifth grade until they graduated high school. They were members of the marching band and concert band. During their school day they took lessons for their individual instruments.
It is from this frame of reference that I find it sad that Plymouth School Superintendent Dr. John Hill has decided to disallow the teaching of string instruments during the school day. His reasoning is the focus during the day needs to be on improving test scores. Someone needs to supply him with the statistics on how involvement in music actually heightens a child�s learning and subsequent grades.
I applaud Mary Jo Finley for standing her ground in wanting this class included in the day�s curriculum. Having an opinion about something is easy. Having the strength of your conviction to state your opinion in print, especially when it�s the opposite of your boss�s position, takes chutzpah.
While I understand that proficiency tests are critical, I believe we�ve lost site of the bigger picture when these become our reason to be. Where�s the balance between teaching the fundamentals and also offering kids who choose it a chance for a broadened school experience?
Why not treat string class as a �gifted� program? To participate in the program, you must maintain a specific grade level in your primary classes. Fall below that and you�re out.
Keeping kids interested in the day to day of their studies is a challenge every teacher will attest to. If the program is offered during the normal school day, but only for those students who meet a spelled out criteria haven�t you accomplished your first objective?
It is my hope that this decision will be revisited. Classes that offer a child a chance to experience new things while not causing a hardship on the parents should be the focus.
I believe the test scores will prove that.
|
|
| Community Calendar |
|
No events listed.
|
|
Interactive Calendar
|
