For today's post I'd like to "re-post" an article by my friend and colleague Donna Hoke. Donna is a playwright, cross-word puzzle designer, journalist, and an editor at Buffalo Spree magazine. Below is the link to the article, "Onstage: Keeping Theater Alive".
Onstage: Keeping theater alive - Buffalo Spree - April 2013 - Buffalo, NY
In the article Donna discusses with educators and leading theater professionals in Buffalo, New York the issue of educating and encouraging younger people to visit and learn about theater. I'm quoted in the piece talking about the importance of arts in education programs for middle and high school students and how organizations such as Young Audiences WNY continues to bring quality programming into schools so that they don't have to deal with travel issues.
Bringing theatre to schools for kids to be entertained, engaged, educated and inspired are all pieces of the 21st century learning skills that we want and need our children to master.
Theater and all of the performing and visual arts all help to focus our kids in areas of study that often are seemingly boring or difficult to understand. I've seen kids transform from problem students to creative thinkers from exposure to the arts. I've also witnessed significant changes with kids behavior, and confidence through arts learning.
Math, science, social studies they can all be translated and reinterpreted using the arts. Since so many children learn differently it would be wise for us as parents and mentors to persuade government officials to include more arts in education programs in our children's curriculum.
No comments:
Post a Comment