Dramatic changes in the place of creative arts in the curriculum

By The Guardian

A plea from members of the National Association for the Teaching of Drama, and a reminder that artists can often be persuaded to visit schools for nothin

Andria Zafirakou and her Artists in Schools project are inspiring and so very welcome (Teacher to use $1m prize to bring back the arts, 27 June). But we mustn’t lose sight of re-establishing the arts as an integral part of the curriculum. We, the undersigned, have been trying to draw attention to a creative arts discipline that is in danger of being lost.

In the second half of the 20th century a new educational practice developed. It used the art forms of drama and theatre to explore any area of the school curriculum and of life that a teacher and her class wished to address.

One of its leading exponents, Prof Gavin Bolton, wrote of its purpose: “to help young people to know the world, to refine and challenge the ways in which they see the world, to examine how they relate to the world and to test their own society’s values”.

At this year’s AGM it was agreed that NATD would go into a “hibernation” period, ensuring the financial and pedagogical future of its work until a more enlightened government is in power. In its country of origin, this child-centred, creative discipline is an endangered species. It must be protected.
John Airs Honorary life member, NATD, Prof David Davis Honorary life member, Liam Harris Chair, NATD, Maggie Hulson, Guy Williams Editors, NATD Journal, Theo Byer, Edward Bond BigBrum Theatre, Wasim Kurdi (Palestine), Luke Abbot, Cao Xi, Li Yinging (China), Yi-Man Au (Hong Kong), Brian Woolland, Chris Ball, Liz Ball, Tim Taylor, Mike Davies, Roger Wooster, Matthew Milburn, Carmel O’Sullivan, Elaine Ashbee, Margaret Higgins, Steve Nolan, Ian Yeoman, Danie Croft, Bernie Evans, Jane Airs, Jamie and Ali Airs, Kathleen Young, Douglas Young, Sam Yates, Liz Yates, Andrew Yates, Ann Bates, Jo Hanlon, Poppy King, Stephen King, Elspeth Williams, Andreas Williams, Helen Williams, Angharad Williams, Nick Timmins, Elaine Brown, Cate Murphy, Peter Cresswell, Roy Molyneux, Neil Hutchings, Helen Marks, Mark Dunne, Maureen Rahilly, Clare Hynes, Barry Lewin, Theresa Lewin, Eileen Kelly, Abhijith Subramanian, Dr Sujitha Subramanian, Sam Pryce, Martin McCauley, Martin Wood, Tim Hayden, Elizabeth Hayden, Angela Hayden, Michael Hayden, Len Naughalty, David Hookes, Hannah Hookes, Patricia Campbell, Mary M Reid, Heather Nunnen, Rebecca Smyth, Sue Ryrie, Nita Cresswell, Jenny Robb.

• Although I’m not in favour of the global teaching prize, because it demeans the dedication of the majority of teachers, I am impressed by Andria Zafirakou’s decision to set up a campaigning charity with the money to get more artists and arts organisations into British schools. But you don’t always need the support of a charity to get artists into schools. As a teacher I personally contacted classical musicians and cultural organisations, and found many of them willing – often for nothing or a modest fee – to play Liszt and Chopin to my sixth formers, or to celebrate the Charles Dickens bicentenary with year 9 – one even agreed to give a musical masterclass to our budding musicians.

And if you live in a place like London, teachers can organise visits to some of the best arts venues on earth, most of which offer affordable school rates, not to mention the outreach that many of them already offer.

Fuente del artículo: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/jul/01/dramatic-changes-in-the-place-of-creative-arts-in-the-curriculum