Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.
"My contention is that creativity now is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status."
Sir Ken Robinson
"I don't accept the premise that most of the education we're attempting is adequately resourced to address the task, and arts education is one of the many compromises. Who suffers? What does it mean to a child who can't have art? Who can't have music?"
Over the past couple of decades we've witnessed the steady decline of arts programs in our schools. And that decline has accelerated and become more acceptable during times of economic downturn. The Arts have become something that is an addition to but not an integral part of a student’s education. We believe there is a direct correlation to this decline and to the rise of school violence, drop out rates, lower educational performance, and even the aggressive increase in ADHD cases.
Theatre East just finished the first annual session of our summer residency arts education program, New Rites Collective at Innovation Diploma High School on the Louis D. Brandeis Education Campus in Manhattan. The program incorporated play writing, dance, sculpture, Japanese Butoh, movement, Shakespeare, mask work, painting, and video and sound design along with mentoring and counseling.
"When you really learn to express yourself," says Steve Seidel, "you are given your full humanity." We believe that it is not our choice, but our responsibility, and look forward to working with you, our community, to help our students discover their full humanity.
For a full description of the New Rites Collective program, click here.
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Risk-taking
Paying attention
Persevering
Empathy
Self-initiating
Task persistence
Ownership of learning
Collaboration skills
Leadership
Reduced dropout rates
Educational aspirations
Higher-order thinking skills
Engagement/attendance
Range of personal and social developments
Increased peer interaction
Writing proficiency and prolificacy
Conflict resolution
Concentrated thought
Understanding social relationships
Ability to understand complex issues and emotions
Skill with subsequently read, unrelated texts
Problem-solving dispositions/strategies
Creative thinking
Achievement motivation
Instructional practice in the school
Professional culture of the school
Community engagement and identity
Self-confidence
Below is a list of the benefits, skills & abilities students derive from Arts programs, specifically drama.
Which one of these can our students do without? Which one is not worth funding? Which one is not integral?
-- Steve Seidel, director of Harvard's Arts in Education Program, in the June edition of Ed. Magazine (the official magazine of the Harvard Graduate School of Education)
Educational Lecture & Workshop Series
Part of Theatre East's commitment to education is passing on knowledge to the next generation of theatre artists and empowering new voices in the theatre. Theatre East welcomes every opportunity to work with students. Whether through talkbacks, lectures, or workshops, we seek to provide a place where students call learn from industry professionals and hone their skills to become the professional theatre-makers of tomorrow.
Resident Composer & Sound Designer Scott O'Brien and Artistic Director Judson Jones discuss the collaborative process with students from Tyler Junior College
Associate Artistic Director Christa Kimlicko Jones
leads students from Tyler Junior College
through a monologue workshop
leads students from Tyler Junior College
through a monologue workshop
Theatre East staff Judson Jones, Christa Kimlicko Jones, and William Franke with students from Crowley, Texas
