Teaching Through The Arts

The New York Times piece "Is Algebra Necessary" is sure to elicit strong responses on all sides. For me it raises a larger question: why do we teach what we teach? Is it because it has value for our students or is it because it's always been done that way and is propagating an outmoded educational system that was developed in the 19th century to train factory workers or is it something else? Worth thinking about. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/opinion/sunday/is-algebra-necessary.html?pagewanted=all&src=ISMR_AP_LO_MST_FB

Summary of Daniel Pink's "Story" as one of the "Six Senses" as presented in A Whole New Mind Pink describes story as “context enriched by emotion.” Traditionally, it is through story that important, meaningful information has been passed down through the generations.   Factual information, so readily available to us through electronic media, lacks the "emotional impact" of stories. Emotion is the critical element that makes information relevant and memorable. For Pink, storytelling is an art modality that demands interpretation and relies on both creative and critical thought processes. As human beings, we author our lives by assembling artifacts of our past, and creating narratives that reveal our world and our true selves. That is, we live our stories.   Our stories reflect our years – the difficult storms and the peaceful joys. Therefore, sharing our stories adds more depth to life, gives more meaning to our relationships, and provides m...