Academically Smart versus Artistically Talented?

[marlisa]

I got my childrens first report cards today and had a sort of epiphany. My youngest is 5 so this is his first real report card. My oldest has struggled with reading since grade 1 and the effects are getting worse as he goes up in grades (now in grade 4). I have always been "book smart". I whized through school with A's and B's without ever studying and according to my mother I could read when I was 4. My youngest son is just like me. He absorbs information without any effort even the things I don't want him to learn. So I was looking at my eldests report card with all his C's and the principle had written keep up the hard work. My first thought is that it shouldn't be hard. It makes me mad that it is hard and that it will probably always be hard for him but there is no alternative.

Being from the academically gifted group I always put alot of emphasis on getting good grades a being the smartest in my class. Then one day while doing my undergrad, before my son started school, I realized that it would sure be great to have another talent besides being able to memorize anything i read. I couldn't draw a picture if my life depended on it. I really have absolutely zero artistic ability. So I at that time came to the conclusion that everyone is smart just in a different way. Our brains are all put together differently and there is no reason for anyone to say that a "book smart" person is any more valuable than someone that can paint a beautiful picture.

I wish that society would realize that and tailor education to the different kinds of "smart". My kids are who they are and I can't change that and don't want to. I just don't want to fight with my oldest over his homework I would rather have him in a program that nurtures his other talents. Why do we force our kids to learn in ways that don't always work for them. Should I continue to force him to do better or let him do just what he needs to pass and put more emphasis on his other talents? Basically I would be telling him that school is not that important but that singing and dancing and creating art are. I have been in school so long because that is my talent and it will take me far but if my son grew up to be something like a photographer who spent his days relaxing and taking pretty pictures I would envy him.

Any input you have or opinions about how we educate our children would be great.

Thanks

[Liz]

I can't write much now but I'd recommend you look into a program called Learning through the Arts. It was developed by the Royal Conservatory of Music here in Toronto and has spread all over the world. They teach non-arts curriculum through dancing, music, painting, etc. My son's school participates in this program but I haven't seen much yet since he's only in grade one. Do a Google search on Learning through the arts and it should come up.

Good luck to your son! It's tough being a visual learner taught by .... teachers.

Liz

[Redifer]

Check out this video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...07&q=sir&hl=en

It's a commentary on creativity in schools, and how certain types of intelligence are more valued than others. It may not solve your problems, but it may give you another look.

[marlisa]

Thanks that video was really funny and so true. Its nice to know that other people noticed this too and maybe one day alternate forms of education will be available. I laughed through the whole video and see myself as the professor type that lives in my head and my son isn't that and doesn't need to be. I think I will find some creative classes that he can be in.

[marlisa]

Originally Posted by Liz

I can't write much now but I'd recommend you look into a program called Learning through the Arts. It was developed by the Royal Conservatory of Music here in Toronto and has spread all over the world. They teach non-arts curriculum through dancing, music, painting, etc. My son's school participates in this program but I haven't seen much yet since he's only in grade one. Do a Google search on Learning through the arts and it should come up.

Good luck to your son! It's tough being a visual learner taught by .... teachers.

Liz

Thanks. I looked up the LTTA program but unfortunately they haven't implemented it in my area yet. I think I might look into how to get it incorporated into my sons school.

[UUMom]

I just can't get beyond the fact they are giving tiny children letter grades.

The system is a wreck.

[simple living mama]

Originally Posted by marlisa

Our brains are all put together differently and there is no reason for anyone to say that a "book smart" person is any more valuable than someone that can paint a beautiful picture.

Oh I think I love you. This is coming from the artist here and not the book smart mom. You might enjoy a book called Guerilla Learning: How to Give Your Kids a Real Education with or Without School http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/bibli...4-0471349607-0

It's written by a homeschooling advocate but it's not a "take your kid out of school" book, rather a way to work with your child's uniqueness while they are in school which is something the schools have a hard time doing when she/he doesn't fit the bookish type of person. (me) It's truly a be on the side of your child when the negativity starts from her school teachers. I really love how respectful it is towards children. Anyway, thanks for the post.

[MamaDimstam]

Well marlisa I hear you loud and clear. My dd just got her first report, and she got a B+ in reading. Which, isn't bad, except that her teacher has also told me more than once that she is reading very well and two grades above her level. Problem is, she recognizes whole words and doesn't show that she knows her phonics. When she sees a new (which is usually long) word, she guesses rather than sound it out phonetically. She's smart and impatient, but if you get her to slow down and break down the word, she *can do it, mind you. Nevertheless, her teacher has interpreted this as not knowing her phonics, so she got a B+. Whatever.

Here in Ontario, what was particularly brutal was seeing letter grades in GRADE 1. I think that's absolutely crazy, but that's what our ministry has deemed mandatory.

[Liz]

Originally Posted by MamaDimstam

Well marlisa I hear you loud and clear. My dd just got her first report, and she got a B+ in reading. Which, isn't bad, except that her teacher has also told me more than once that she is reading very well and two grades above her level. Problem is, she recognizes whole words and doesn't show that she knows her phonics. When she sees a new (which is usually long) word, she guesses rather than sound it out phonetically. She's smart and impatient, but if you get her to slow down and break down the word, she *can do it, mind you. Nevertheless, her teacher has interpreted this as not knowing her phonics, so she got a B+. Whatever.

Here in Ontario, what was particularly brutal was seeing letter grades in GRADE 1. I think that's absolutely crazy, but that's what our ministry has deemed mandatory.

Hey, fellow Ontarian Mom of a grade one public school student! I just went through my first report card and parent teacher conference, too. My son got all Bs from a B- in reading to B+ in Social Studies (if you have any insight into what exactly that is, I'd love to hear it). According to our teacher and my friend who's a social worker at TDSB a B+ is very good. A's are reserved for exceptional work so the fact that your child does not read phonetically, even though she is sight reading beyond her level, would mean she still needs to learn that grade 1 skill. She may get by without ever learning it and start getting A's in higher grades once it's not an issue.

Isn't it weird how the grading of your beloved child makes you feel? I feel this mixture of protectiveness, competitiveness, insecurity, anger, inferiority, worry, pride ... It's awful.

[ewe+lamb]

This brings up all sorts of horrid memories for me and is a real concern of mine when my kids reach school age. I struggled at school academically, I was the youngest in my year I wish my parents hadn't put me in that year even some kids in the year below me were older than me - it was really hard but I was practically always in the 'bottom' class for everything, except music and art, but as one of my peers told me art and music are for the students who can't do anything else! I was heartbroken, there are all sorts of intelligence mine lies within the arts and not the standard english maths etc, school was really hard, it was always a struggle and my real interests were never met, until I went off and learnt the languages I wanted to, study the subjects that interested me, but unfortunately for some of us school is really 'hard', how astute of you to recognise this already for your child , as much as I love my parents and they love me, I don't think they realised how difficult it was for me.