Comal ISD Fine Arts Newsletter
January 3 - 9, 2016
Happy New Year!
Kinder Ranch Elementary Art gets another nod!
Addison Warm KRES Kindergarten
Xander Tomasson KRES First Grade
Kelsey Lien, band director at Canyon Middle School, plays the National Anthem at the Spurs Game on January 2, 2016!
Theatre Should Be A Core Subject In Schools Art is just as important as math. Madison McAllister in Ideas on Dec 28, 2015
Theatre is a reflection of society. It shows the world its issues and makes people aware of how to fix them. Theatre not only tells stories of the past, but shows us how to shape the future.
Art is essential to society. Not everyone is meant to be a lawyer, doctor or engineer. Some people, like myself, find their calling in the world of theatre. Even if one does not believe that they should have a career in theatre, there is something to be said about a person who participates in theatre in middle school or high school. I believe that theatre education is extremely valuable to certain kids and should be accessible to everyone. Historically, public funding for the arts has been fairly low. However, public support for the arts is leading to an increase in funding—2014 marked the year with the highest funding for the arts. Although this is fantastic, it doesn't mean we can stop holding our breath over this issue. It's the obligation of an artist to make more people aware of the importance of art.
Earlier this year the Senate passed the Every Child Achieves Act which ensures that all students, regardless of their socioeconomic background, will have the chance for an education in music. By a count of 81 to 17, the Senate chose to ensure that music will become a core subject in schools. Although the official bill mentions music and art, there is no specification about whether the term "art" includes theatre.
Here are some reasons why I believe incorporating theatre into school curriculum is important:
Theatre teaches you how to work with people.
Someone once told me, "The most important person on the stage is the person next to you." Although I didn't understand it at the time, I now know exactly what was being said to me. Everyone assumes actors only care about standing center stage in the spotlight, but let me tell you that is only true some of the time. No one can act alone. Every scene in a show involves having to connect with your partner(s) on stage. Furthermore, pretty much every song is about someone else or something else other than yourself. Being part of a cast teaches teamwork just like sports do. And no one understands the wordfamily quite like a theatre kid.
Theatre humbles you.
There is something so vulnerable about performing—you stand in front of hundreds or thousands of people saying "this is me. this is my talent. this is my heart." Performers reveal their true selves every single time they step on stage, no doubt aware that they are going to receive countless critiques. There's nothing worse than an egotistical performer thinking they have nothing left to fix... If that were the case with everyone, there would be no need for directors who shape us into the best performers we can be. Performing in a show teaches a person how to take criticism and apply it. It teaches them to be humble and accept judgment gracefully. It also teaches them to know their own self-worth and to be confident in whatever they bring to the stage.
Theatre teaches acceptance.
When you are a part of theatre, you work with so many different kinds of people. You cover a variety of subjects because you are learning about the world and how to put it on a stage. Theatre teaches us how to address critical issues in our world but also how to accept others for who they are.
CISD and Fine Arts Department Information
Email: carla.schumann@comalisd.org
Website: http://www.comalisd.org/pages/Comal_ISD/About_Us/Departments/Curriculum_Academics/Fine_Arts
Location: 1404 Interstate 35 Frontage Road, New Braunfels, TX, United States
Phone: (830) 221-2044
Facebook: facebook.com/comalisd
Twitter: @twitter_cisdnews