Back in 1971 I started attending elementary school just north of Washington DC in Maryland. I didn't know it then but I was a little seedling of an artist trying to poke my head out and catch some rays. There were a bunch of us - little budding artists trying to sprout. We were so excited about life and discovery yet unaware that the environment we were growing in was hostile towards our skills and learning styles. Turns out we were floundering in a system that looked at us more like weeds than flowers.
What I'm going to talk about is in no way intended to be an indictment of teachers or administrators but rather of the public school system in general. A system that no one individual or even organization is in total control over. Also, I don't want this to come across as a negative attack ad but rather as a wake up call for all of us.
Like many I never felt like I belonged in public school. I always felt like I wasn't good enough - like I was, well, stupid. I struggled with math - really struggled. My reading comprehension was horrible and for the life of me I couldn't stop day dreaming - and boy did I come up with some good ideas! My speling was atrowshous and writing - forget about it - I couldn't hold a thought long enough to form a paragraph and by the way there's a guy walking a dog across the street...I think dogs are smarter then humans...the man walks behind the dog...the dog poops...the man picks up the poop...the man carries the poop for the dog...is the dog smiling?...Oops - sorry - I'm back.
Today I probably would have been diagnosed with A.D.D and put on drugs but back then it hadn't been invented yet (he said sarcastically). My parents even had me tested to see what the heck was wrong with me. I was even lucky enough to have an older sister who was everything I was NOT academically (straight A's)- so that was really helpful.
I think we've grown to believe that a person is smart if they did well in school and not very smart if they didn't but isn't this short sighted? Lets think about this. Do we think that someone who can represent you in a court of law is more intelligent than a creative director at an ad agency? Is a concert pianist more intelligent than an accountant? Our university system was born out of a necessity to develop graduates with mostly left brain skills to manage the tasks of the industrial age and it worked. Now we are entering a new age where creativity is becoming more valuable. Daniel Pink says, “In school, problems almost always are clearly defined, confined to a single discipline, and have one right answer. But in the workplace, they’re practically the opposite. Problems are usually poorly defined, multi-disciplinary, and have several possible answers, none of them perfect. Are timed, standardized tests the way to ready youngsters for real-world problem-solving?"
Do smart people ever make stupid mistakes and if so why? Laurence Gonzales, author of Deep Survival talks about the question of why some people survive crises while others die. He says survivors have the ability to think deliberately under pressure helping them to avoid making stupid mistakes. Those that die are often intelligent people who simply follow already established mental scripts rather than addressing the reality of the situation. Having good grades in math and English probably won't factor in to the most important decisions a person will have to make in life.
The truth is we sift our kids in the public school system. We sift for the kids with math, reading, and writing skills and basically toss the rest aside. Sure we have art, band, and drama classes but do we hold kids accountable for doing poorly in those subjects? Do we have standards tests in those subjects? Do kids make the honor role for coming up with great ideas? No...and so creative kids like me go away feeling like their contributions are worthless.
So after high school I limped away damaged and insecure knowing three things: 1) I loved art 2) Nobody seemed to care and 3) I was stupid. Is this how it has to be? Do we need to destroy the self esteem of our creative kids and hope that some of them will somehow find their way into a job or field where their right brain skills will be appreciated? Is it possible to change the system so that we can perhaps teach creative children differently?
I find it ironic that we expect our kids to get good grades doing essentially left brain tasks but the items we place the highest value on are largely right brain creations: smart phones, internet based products and services, cars, motion pictures, novels, comics, tablet computers, designer clothing and accessories etc. I would argue that the innovators behind the scenes at companies like Apple, Google, Ebay, Pixar, etc were in some cases also survivors of public school. I think it would be a safe assumption that public school had little to do with these kinds of creations. These outliers had to develop a robust set of skills well beyond math and English and they did it largely on their own. Imagine what problems we could solve as a country if creativity was celebrated at school? Is there a correlation to the success of Google and their active reward program to reward creative ideas from their employees?
I was fortunate enough to have had wonderful parents who loved me and encouraged me even though they didn't fully understand me. My mom was a special ed teacher as was my wife and my sister teaches elementary school currently so I'm familiar with the the restrictions placed on teachers. I'm glad that I was able to show my mom and dad that I wasn't a lazy kid. I've accomplished a lot in illustration: acceptance into the society of illustrators annuals, an addy award, a client list of fortune 500 companies, and over 20 children's books published with national publishers - some winning state awards. I'm so glad my mother got to see me illustrate some of the same stories she taught from in school before we lost her last year.
Today I'm able to work on the projects I want. If I get an idea I go for it. I feel like I survived the public school system but how many don't? How many feel like they just aren't as good as the 4.0 earners? We have an amazing resource in our children and rather than cultivating their individual skills we sort them keeping the left brain dominant children and tossing the rest. We pick through them like we select produce at the fruit stand and for what? What benefit do we get for celebrating left brain skills while ignoring kids with right brain skills? - I don't understand it.
My college roommate (an engineering major) came to me a few years ago and said, "I have a son who hates school, get's horrible grades like you did, but loves to draw - what should I do with him?" I was pretty much at a loss because unless he was willing to put his kid in a private school he was stuck with a square peg kid in a round hole school. I told him to appreciate his abilities, nurture his art, and let him know how valuable he is while encouraging him to do his best.
Obviously this is a subject that I'm passionate about and in some ways is out of bounds for the direction of my blog but it's who I am and I wanted to share it. It's too important for me to sit by and watch while my heart aches for some of the kids I meet at my school visits. I love to tell kids how hard it was for me to learn to read. I love to watch their expressions as I tell them that even though I pretended to read and only looked at the pictures I was able to get it over time. It just took me longer and a few great teachers and a mom who cared and wouldn't let me fail.
A friend warned me not to post this on my blog because I do a fair amount of school visits and this might offend school teachers and administrators. When my 18 year old son Aaron was in elementary school his 4th grade teacher gave the class a self portrait assignment. Aaron was so excited and got busy drawing himself with a sword, an earring, and a Mohawk haircut - his teacher gave him an D and got upset at him. I wimped out and said nothing because I wanted to stay in good graces with the school district. I've always regretted my decision to do nothing. The truth is I don't want to visit a school where administrators aren't aware, sensitive, or at least willing to ponder and learn about this problem. It's not about us – it's about the kids. We need to send the message to our elected officials that we're tired of killing creativity in our Public Schools.
For more on this subject I recommend "A Whole New Mind" by Daniel Pink (I have it down on the left side of my blog) and TED talks by Sir Ken Robinson on youtube
Great Great Post Will. You really nailed how a poor creative kid can get scarred and set on a path that leads to a very unhappy life. My husband Brian (who finally at the age of 52 is writing up a storm of great stuff - mid-grade non-fiction and GREAT songs for our new kindie band) was a lot like you in school. He loved to write, but the teachers and his mother criticized his bad hand writing so much that he quit writing altogether. It took a persistent wife and SCBWI to give him back the confidence! And what a great thing it has been for our life! I think I've told you before in some other post the legendary comment from my guidance counselor when I BEGGED for art classes in my Indiana high school. He looked at me and said, "but you're an honor student, why do you want to waste your time on art?" I still have a very very heavy chip on my shoulder about that crappy school. Not really any good memories from that era of my life. Sad part is, it's gotten even worse. Now they have cut ALL art classes there. All creative kids can do is run screaming from home towns like that and hope to find support from artists and parents like you who share their stories and support! Thanks for sharing Will. You're making a difference and offering a lot to those who need it. Kudos for shining your light. LOVE Sir Ken Robinson. Discovered him only recently and he really nails it.
ReplyDeleteAfter re-reading my comment, I should point out that I did have some teachers growing up who tried to teach creatively and really did make a difference, despite a system that didn't exactly help them out either. Many thanks to them. I'm sure it wasn't easy for them as well.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Sheralyn! Thank you so much for your input - it got me all teared up when I read it. We all have various baggage from our pasts which bring emotions quickly to the surface when we re-visit them. I too had teachers who were bright spots along the way - some allowed me to turn in projects instead of papers. I knew that the title of my post left little room for exceptions but I wanted to get people thinking. If it weren't for warm hearted teachers and administrators it would have been a completely cold experience.
ReplyDeleteThis is great, Will! My experience with the school system was very similar, luckily my parents, (like yours) encouraged my art. I had some great high school art teachers, that really helped. I came out of the public school system thinking I was dumb as well. All I knew was that I loved art and I loved to create. I remember one of the highlights in 3rd grade was building a diorama, it was a magical experience. All my good memories of school had to do with art, it's too bad those memories are few and far between.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your great post .... It is exactly how I experienced school and how I see school still happening ! It is very sad and I believe we are in a state where things HAVE to change and 'the system' has to understand that creativity is not just 'something' for artists , but the main element for us to survive and be happy with whatever we are doing.
ReplyDeleteI always envied the kids who won trophies at school for sport. I did receive a lot of awards for Art at school but never anything more than a book or a certificate. Its true, it was never deemed worthy of a trophie back then. However, my kids go to a small public school (public as in govt. run here in Australia) where art is both encouraged and celebrated - they have so many amazing opportunities such as 'gifted and talented' workshops which I never had at school. Both my kids are talented creatively and artisticly and I am so happy for this and that they are recognised and encouraged at school. After reading your post I feel so lucky to be living here and now appreciate this little school even more... :)
ReplyDeleteFabulous and brave post Will. I so agree with everything that you said. Schools are made for the kids who fit in the box, those who don't are the outsiders and either go their own way or stay stranded on the way side. I don't think it's the teachers faults it's just too hard with so many kids to make it work for everyone so everyone has to fit into the program or be left behind. I home schooled my girls for this very reason and a few others. I have worked on and off with the school system for years. I even worked four years at the alternative school with the kids who couldn't handle the regular school and the ones who'd been kicked out. It was difficult, because there was so much damage already done. Now, I am back home schooling my sixteen year old because he is just happier and healthier not trying to fit the mold. He's happy with who he is, most of the time, and that makes me happy.
ReplyDeleteWell said! Thank you for sharing. It is important for people to understand these things.
ReplyDeleteYou should really read "The Element" by Sir Ken Robinson. It goes into this topic in great detail. (The audiobook is great too.)
ReplyDeleteWill, Thanks so much for sharing! I feel your passion and applaud your comments! The public school system truly needs to change.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all your wonderful comments and insights - I can tell this hits home to many of us. Another point I'd like to make is that I think this problem tends to perpetuate even more because I would speculate that most law makers and administrators had to do well in school to get the jobs they currently have. Many had to get masters or PHD degrees. So what we end up with is people in charge that don't identify with the problem first hand.
ReplyDeleteKind of like the star bellied sneetches making up the rules for "those without stars on thars."
As they say, "it takes a village..."
ReplyDeleteMy experience is somewhat similar, for the exception I did quite well in school. After graduating high school, I bounced from job to job. I would excel for roughly 2 years, receive promotions & awards & then burn out. My best work would be anything that was a project with no specific rules on how to complete, or anything marketing. I would ask myself, "Am I lazy? Why don't I have the drive to come in everyday like everyone else?" But I know I am not lazy. I am one of the busiest people I know.
I understand now, I should have pursued my creative passion way back in high school & college. I should have taken art courses, of course what would you do with an art degree?
I am thankful I now live in a town that glorifies art in all forms. The community is amazingly supportive & encouraging of the arts, especially in the schools. It will truly take the whole village to come to the same understanding/agreement in order to change things in the public schools.
Thank you, Will for all your open encouragement to anyone that wants pursue creativity and Thank you for making your course/tutorials available online!
I didn't find your experience at all to be true going through public school. It seems that you've found quite a few supportive followers. For what it's worth I think you overlook the fact that everyone needs to learn how to read and write and what about mathematics? You pick on those skills like they aren't necessary. We would still be living in the stone ages without doctors, scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and basically all professional people. I appreciate the fact that you hated school but a lot of people hate school. It doesn't mean school isn't good just because you didn't do well there.
ReplyDeleteHi Will,
ReplyDeleteGreat article!
I was also one who limped away from High Scool. Of course I was older than you as I graduated High School when you were in Elementary. It was much the same when I went, as there was no path for those with a creative bent. It was more like an assembly line education. I also struggled with Math and didn't like it.
I finally went into Drafting (pre-computer) as that was the only way to get paid to draw. That was meant to be temporary, but flash forward 30 years. I am back to drawing last few years and I am trying to become a CB Illustrator with great help from your course and Mark Mitchells'.
I think anonymous missed the point as I don't think you were saying all schools were bad, just were not designed to help those that didn't fit the Math/Science mold.
~John
Hi Will,
ReplyDeleteI was one of those "A" students who wanted to be an artist, but was talked out of it... I did extremely well in college, but kept changing my major. I can remember walking past the art department, stopping to look in, and wondering why I hadn't just listened to my heart. I quit college half way through, and now, 25 years later, am in my last few semesters of a degree in ART! (Gaining a lot of credit for what I learned on my own!)
Another great book on learning styles is "The Way They Learn" by Cynthia Tobias. She really has a wonderful way of explaining the many ways children learn, and helped me find options for getting ideas across to our girls, whom we homeschooled. (Another great educational option for square peg kids!)
Thanks for all you're doing to help artists learn!
Kim
Public education -- gutsy topic! Actually, it isn't hard to see why art is one of the first programs to be cut since most teachers just have their students color little printouts of leprechauns and the most creative students can be is to color him red instead of green... but then that would be "wrong".
ReplyDeleteEM - right on! I knew I wasn't lazy either! I was always building or making something as a kid - art projects or forts in the woods down the street.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - you're right reading and math are very important.
Good luck John - I wish you all the success in your pursuit of happiness in children's books - the autonomy in this field allows illustration to be art whereas a lot of commercial illustration assignments are very confining.
Kim - I have that book - I've used it on various occasions - wonderful. Thanks for your perspective - I find it interesting that even people like yourself who did well in public school could have benefited from a system that took individual preferences in to account - offered different tracks - etc.
Thanks Becky - it was gutsy - but you only get one chance at life right? I don't like regret and I know I would regret not taking this opportunity. glad you're blogging again!
This is sooo great Will and even tho Im not from US it's the same thing here...I was so blessed to have a set of parents who supported me as well and saw I was different and gave me a sense of direction when I needed it...things to be worse, my art teacher thought nothing of me as well...thank goodness we have a choice of choosing for ourselves what Secondary school we'll go to and it's still free schooling...I've chosen school of Art and pliable design and grades didn't matter cos you had to draw 5 different things to get in. I loved my Art school, you were allowed to be different, math was out of the window and teachers were awesome, they saw the potential and tried to draw the max out of each of us no matter how we've dressed, had our hair-dos etc. I think it's the same global 'uneasy to talk about' topic and it's really cool to hear what other think on the whole matter...I think if everybody else can have a right to their opinion so should you and (me)! Very, very good Will! I really got where you're coming from :)
ReplyDeletemy dyslexic daughter just finished high school having the same experiences.thank you for speaking out and proving that success is not measured by test scores.
ReplyDeletei also recommend a book for those still dealing with school ....right brained children in a left brain world.
in a way you were lucky you had your art...i wish my daughter had a passion that i could support and encourage. i am sure there is one in there somewhere but she is struggling.i always looked at school as something she had to survive rather than it being any kind of measurement of her worth...i was always more concerned with her happiness and social activities than with her marks...the system cant always meet each individual learning style but they sure could do a better job of including all styles... reading your blog made me rather sad.
I'm friends with your sister Beth, I saw this on her page and I can SO relate. I'm dyslexic, ADD and have Irlen Syndrome. I also have an older brother that got great grades and is very smart. I was in the gifted and talented program in school because my IQ is higher than normal, yet in 3rd grade I could hardly read. I was good at faking it so I often got good grades and I was slipping through the cracks.
ReplyDeleteThankfully my parents know what was happening and in 4th grade the started homeschooling me and my brother. I know this isn't an option for everyone but I'm so glad it was for my family.
Also thank you for being clear it's not the teachers, my husband is a public school teacher and so I, like you, see how little they are able to do to change the system.
Love this post. Creativity should be allowed to thrive. This is why I homeschool my children, specifically "unschool" them, where I allow my children to pursue their artistic talents. I have three children who are gifted artists, and one very talented musician, who when he did spend some time in public school was told in a report card in 1st grade that he was "poor in music". Ha. I'd like to find that 1st grade teacher some day and share some of my son's songs with her....
ReplyDeleteI was checking this out with my wife looking over my shoulder, she quickly answered the question with, "yes!" We are both lucky enough to not to have had any problems with the acedemic side of school and I would like to consider myself adapt at the creative side also. But my wife saw the squelching of creativity in the way 'art' is handled with art projects being highly regulated and when a flower is to be drawn all to often the 'flower' is drawn on the chalkboard and that is the 'flower' that is to be drawn. I think things will come around but it may take too long if we don't all get active where we can when can and how we can.
ReplyDeleteAnother example of why I sing the words CHARTER SCHOOLS loud and clear! My children attend a public charter school where not only do all children take visual arts, performing art and music, but it is a place where creativity and diverse thinking is ACTUALLY honored. Teachers and staff are paid less than at the traditional public schools, but people work there because they believe in the school and its philosophy. I am so passionate about school choice and I believe in local charter schools! Our school is certainly not for everyone, but I am so thankful that I am able to choose what is right for my family.
ReplyDeleteWill as a (weird)kid with ADD, I can so relate to this. Though I was that "A" student, it was at being compulsive, obsessive about so much and it didn't do anything (we were expected to excel in my family--- "WHY'D YOU GET THAT B?")I felt like a fraud. I could go on and on about what I think is wrong with school, because the focus is on information (and in dollops)and not process. How much better would it be if Gym were actually about teaching our children to be HEALTHY, for instance. You nailed it. EDUCATION is not valued. I've known for a long time, a grrl like me another time or place, I might have been stoned. Most certainly not educated, which would have killed me, as books and school and some interested adults saved me. Some of it is the media. WE ARE THE MEDIA and it's a brave new publishing world. How much better and healthier would it be if we switched those gears?
ReplyDeleteI am a freelance musician who also teaches music and I have had several students that will be making huge strides in learning piano but the parents will pull them from lessons so they can focus on their school work because "of course, academics come first." And I always wonder why that's an "of course!" I DID do well in public school and yet getting nice grades on SATs doesn't affect my current day-to-day life at all! Great post, Will!
ReplyDeleteBefore ADD there was Dislexia and I also was that slow kid. I did not fit not even close. Totally misunderstood. I think that to fit maybe the unusual. It took me some time to understand that I was not lacking or even all that different or even slow. It is wonderful that you teach bringing that wisdom and humour. After I read this I went to TED and got lost there and it was wonderful. Thanks so much for being you.
ReplyDeleteI love hearing all of your stories in regards to your public school experience - we all come from different backgrounds, expectations, abilities, etc. It means a lot to me to know I wasn't alone. If I could only reach the hearts and minds of the kids that are just like me and let them know that they are so much more than the grades they receive. I wish I could tell them and make them understand that they're valuable.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I almost cried when I read this because this describes exactly me, my husband and my daughter. My daughter has been diagnosed with ADHD, and both my husband and I probably would have been also. All of us loved drawing in school and struggled in other subjects. My husband didn't graduate with his class, had two senior years and had to get a GED. He always felt like he wasn't good at anything because the things he was good at was drawing and guitar. But he was able to push through and finally get a Bachelors degree in Graphic Design. With me I had to work so hard to get through school and get decent grades. I was only able to get into BYU because a wonderful teacher wrote a letter to the administration telling them that he wanted me to be in the illustration program. I am so grateful to them. But there's another huge issue. Kids who are great artists can't get into the schools they want to because they didn't do good enough academically in school to get a high enough GPA and ACT score to get into a good school. That is so sad to me. Anyway, I really love this article and I am going to share it on Facebook and Twitter. Thank you so much for posting it. These things really need to be shared.
ReplyDeleteShawna - I had no idea - welcome to the club! :) I was in the same boat with school - I was let in to BYU on academic probation in the summer. I was told that my grades were too poor and my ACT scores too low to just get in the "normal" way. Ironically when I was teaching at BYU the GPA requirement was such and competition for available spots so stiff that I wouldn't have been able to get in. I think there are a lot of wounded souls roaming this country/world who suffer the after effects of the public school. What a mind job.
ReplyDeleteTalk about a completely awe-inspiring post. You are totally right in the fact that society really pushes the left-brainers. Truth be told, a lot of left-brained jobs have been outsourced to other countries or replaced by computers. But computers can't be creative. Dan Pink's book was a required reading upon my entrance back when I started at Ringling College, and I couldn't have agreed more with it.
ReplyDeleteThankfully there are some more art/music creative oriented schools for middle or high school students in the U.S. but that doesn't compare to the amount that are the total opposite. It's time the education in our country changes, and as successful creative types we should totally have influence on that factor.
Love your posts, Will! Thanks for all you continuously do to inspire!
ReplyDeleteI have a public school story as well. I was extraordinarily shy as a child but loved to draw. I drew a picture of a bird for a fifth grade science class. The teacher said I had traced it and gave me a failing grade. My parents (though my mother did confront the teacher to confirm I had drawn the bird), unfortunately, did not support or encourage my art.
I never drew again until I was 55 years old.
Thanks for that!...I think the more people share their experience the more likely things are to change. It won't be over night but I'm already surprised how many teachers in public schools know how bad the problems are. Thanks again.
DeleteThank you, thank you, thank you!
ReplyDeleteWhile I have little hope for the public school system (it was designed to kill creativity and ensure a mobile and obedient workforce after all) it is always good to hear that people are becoming more and more aware.
Sadly I think the system is much worse now that it was in the 70s. You mentioned ritalin. Pure evil that stuff is. We are not treating creative kids (mostly boys) as "diseased".
*sigh*
No - Thank you - we need to band together to oppose anyone who supports the system!
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