Dear Friend,
Hi there! I’m sure you don’t remember
me because we never met in person but I have some things I need to say to you
about a conversation we had a little over a year ago.
I was interested in applying for
your organization. Joining your cohort of teachers in expanding educational
opportunities to more diverse populations sounded so appealing to me. We set up
a phone conference so I could learn more about what you do and how the
application process. I was invested, that is, until something you said to me
turned me off from applying. I’ve been thinking a long time about precisely why
I was so unsettled and I think I finally have the words to explain my thoughts
to you. First, let me remind you of the part of our conversation in question
since it happened so long ago:
You: So, what is your degree in?
What are you passionate about?
Me: Well, I’m getting a degree in
biology but I’m also a dancer.
You: Oh, that’s great! We’re always
in need of science teachers!
Me: Well, how about dance teachers?
Do you have any performing arts classrooms?
You: Yes, we do! Some of our
teachers have started great after school dance programs!
Me: That’s not what I meant. Do you
have any dance classes during your school day?
You: No, but I think you’d be a
great fit as a science teacher. We really only teach the subjects that our
students actually need in order to be successful.
I’m aware that you didn’t mean this
in a condescending way, but I wasn’t engaged in anything you said afterwards because
I already felt that we wouldn’t fit together.
Before
I plead my case, I want to apologize for not trying to explain my concerns on
the phone. My thoughts may have been jumbled and perhaps you would not have
agreed with me or had the capability to make the kind of change I would have
campaigned for, but I have a feeling you would have listened. I know it’s a
little late, but if you are willing to hear me out, I would still like to share
my ideas with you.
When
you informed me that you only teach the subjects students need to succeed, my
understanding of what you meant included the following:
1)
The core subjects already offered in schools are
what students need to be successful
2)
Those core subjects include math, history,
science, and English
3)
What you want to teach is not one of these
subjects
4)
Therefore, what you want to teach isn’t worth
our time, money, and resources.
In short, I felt marginalized.
The main issue that I want to
address here is the apparent assumption that the arts are exclusive from the
subjects that you are already recruiting teachers for. I feel like you
dismissed what I wanted to contribute to you and the students you serve because
the subject matter I wanted to teach sounded like it wouldn’t help your
students achieve success out in the real world. By suggesting that I teach
dance as an after school program, you indicated that you see what I’m
passionate about as a hobby that is a disposable luxury rather than a building
block for the enrichment of your students.
I know there are a lot of
misconceptions out there about what dance educators do. Perhaps you think that
my agenda consists solely of gathering your students in leotards and making
them do pirouettes all day. I promise you, there is much more to dancing than moving
a room in order to feel good. I find the self-expression and confidence
building facets of dance wildly important to growth and development but that is
another discussion for another time. Regardless, there are many aspects of arts
education that I think you may have overlooked. I do not want to replace any of
your core subjects of any of your teachers. Rather, I want to partner with them
to help your students further enhance their chances for success once they
finish school.
Here are a few examples of how what
I could contribute overlaps with the subject matter that you are already
teaching. Dance is an excellent way of helping students understand anatomy. A
student who is a kinetic learner may have trouble learning different muscle
groups from a chart but will have much more success in understanding each of
those muscles and their various functions if they are explained to him while he
is moving and can actually feel those parts of his body working. Do you have a
student who is fascinated by the Cold War? Perhaps you are aware that President
Eisenhower initiated a series of cultural exchanges between the US and other
countries in an attempt to reduce the negativity between those nations. Naima
Prevots actually has a great book about these programs called Dance For Export
covering everything from the Limón company embarking on the first tour of South
America under government sponsorship to the New York City Ballet’s tour of the
Soviet Union in the early 1960s. Curious about math? Subdivisions are an
excellent aid in the teaching of fractions and creating a budget for a show
requires not only strict attention to detail and money sense, but also gives
students a useful tool that will likely be applicable for the rest of their
lives.
Let me say if I haven’t
already, I think that the work you are doing is very important. I want to
support you and your students. I just want you to know that “arts” subjects and
“core” subjects do not need to be exclusive of each other and there shouldn’t
be an us/them dichotomy getting in the way of the growth that you are
fostering.
Rather than educating as you and me, what do you say the two
of us educate as a we? I have a hunch we’d make an excellent educational duo
after all.
If you would ever like to collaborate, I’d be more than
happy to share ideas with you!
Cheers and much success in all your future pursuits,
A Fellow Educator
