The use of Knowledge

Published 2008-09-29 – 17:55:10 Just been reading about a new school proposition in the Swedish papers. The government would like to make music, art and theatre lessons optional for 16-19 year olds (gymnasiet) at the moment they are mandatory. And I think it’s great that they are. Since I didn’t put my self through this particular type of high school I’m not too sure what the actual lessons are like or what you are taught, but I would like to think you are taught about music history, composition, instruments, how a modern day pop song is put together and that you are given to option to try it yourself, that art lessons include art history and the development of art throughout history and its role in society and theatre lessons about delivery articulation and performance. Who would not want to have this kind of knowledge and skills? It’s these kinds of skills that make you a worldly knowledgeable citizen, AND it can break a lot of cultural and class barriers. Fair enough we are not all capable of performing music or theatre or drawing and should therefore not be forced to do so but that is not reason enough to get rid of this wonderful addition in the curriculum. Here’s why I think it’s absolutely fantastic that all kids are being taught music, art and theatre: 1) The broader your knowledge the better equipped you are in life. We’re all thought loads of crap in school we will never use in our professional life but knowing why plants are green and how many operas Mozart wrote is making me able to appreciate and understand the world around me. Seeing a drawing and knowing how it has been out together makes be better at evaluating it. Broad knowledge = broad horizons. 2) The art of theatre, performance, delivery and articulation is something we all need in our professional life, no one can say otherwise. 3) Practising to do things you are uncomfortable with and bad at is great; for self-esteem, expression and it’s a great life lesson. 4) It will give the kids a break from the theoretical subjects and make the school week a bit more fun. Stimulating different parts of your brain should be encouraged and it will help them with maths and history. Think Jan Björklund will care? Read a funny but unfortunately very accurate comment on the Washington Post about the scariest hockey mum in the world: She's going on a Field Trip to the UN to "meet foreign dignitaries". Then, in addition to telling us she can see Russia from her house, she can say that she "has met with foreign dignitaries." Finis. That makes it true. Thus, she is qualified to be VP and to forge ahead with her mission: "Security, Energy, and Reform". Is this real life or is this whole thing a SNL skit???