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Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. ~Pablo Picasso

Thoughts for the Teaching Artist is devoted to an ongoing exploration of the role of the arts in education. I believe that the arts are an integral, essential part of every person's education. Arts education develops 21st Century Learning Skills, supports all core subjects, creates empathy & builds bridges, and helps develop voice & vision.

The views expressed in Thoughts for the Teaching Artist are mine alone and do not represent the views of my employer or any other persons or organization.



Sunday, January 2, 2011

Resolutions for the Teaching Artist

The holidays are about wrapped up. A new year is upon us. Have you made your New Year's resolutions yet? Not the usual ones, the ones everybody makes to decrease their vices and increase their virtues. I'm talking about the resolutions that will directly affect your life as a Teaching Artist in 2011. Here are a few of mine. Feel free to adopt any that work for you, and I welcome your own resolutions as a Teaching Artist as well. Please share yours in the comments section and we will all learn something. Oh, and I hope you lose weight this year as well.

1) I resolve to continue my own work as an artist this year. I won't promise to finish my epic trilogy this year, but I am going to keep plugging away at my writing. Whatever your art form, your students will benefit from you engaging in your ongoing work.

2) I resolve to be an advocate for arts education whereever and whenever the opportunity presents itself. I will strive to view these conversations both private and public as divine appointments for the benefit of my students. I will strive to be patient with those who don't yet understand why arts education matters for every person.

3) I resolve to meet difficulty with grace and good humor. I will strive to see the good, to be thankful for progress and to reject cynicism. I will maintain my belief that my work is important even when it seems invisible to the world.

4) I resolve to be grateful. I will strive for good will toward every student and colleague, recognizing that often the most apparently indifferent person turns out to be the one who will most benefit from what I have to offer.

5) I resolve to encourage other Teaching Artists. I will strive to remember how others have helped me in difficult times, and I will welcome the opportunity to pass that on to others.

Happy New Year!

4 comments:

  1. What wonderful aspirations Darcy! Please keep reminding those around you of your goals, so that we may support you and learn from you. You are so right. The more gracious and noble we are as people and artists, the better our children will be.

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  2. Jennifer,
    Thanks for reading & commenting. I need lots of support! I appreciate you.

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  3. Darcy, you continue to be one of my most respected mentors, as an educator and a human. Thank you for being so generous of spirit and setting such a wonderful example. May your New Year be the best one yet.

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  4. I am particularly glad to see that you are resolved to keep writing and working on your own artistic endeavors. This is one of the great challenges for the "teaching artist" - to keep one's own work moving while encouraging the growth of young artists. Ultimately, I believe being committed to our own artistic projects makes for better teaching because it puts us back in touch with the vulnerability that comes with risk taking. Balancing these two parts of ourselves is an ongoing challenge. Supporting teaching artists as you do by providing a forum and on going conversation about all of this is a great service. Thanks, Darc.

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