After reading the following blog entry, The Importance of Right-Brain Thinking, by Kate Canales I was even more convinced of the importance of a well-rounded school curriculum that fosters the development of creativity. This is best served by the related arts. Yet, in our push for standardized-testing and the slashing of educational budgets, it is the arts that are most often cut. We somehow believe that slashing/reducing these offerings will have little effect on the future of education.
It's nice to know that other distinguished people such as Daniel Pink and Ken Robinson believe just the opposite. They speak of the need for fostering creativity. Daniel Pink in his book, A Whole New Mind, talks about the importance of right-brained thinking and how those types of thinkers will rule the future. Ken Robinson gives a thought-provoking talk on how schools are killing our creativity.
Read the blog entry by Kate Canales linked to above and listen to Ken Robinson's 20 minute talk and then decide if eliminating the arts from our schools' curriculum is in the best interests of our students. No one is downplaying the importance of teaching our students the content and skills necessary to be successful in life, but it's equally as important to nurture their creative side. If we don't value right-brain thinking in our schools today, are we truly preparing them for tomorrow? Maybe, it's time to acknowledge the value of the arts in developing the whole child.
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