Common core is coming, whether you agree with it or not. As far as being a teacher in the arts, it's the pendulum swing that arts teachers have been waiting for. After years of our programs being cut, and being told that our classes "don't matter" (I actually got that one to my face from a psychotic teacher at my previous school--nut-bag that one) people are realizing that the skills acquired from an art-integrated education are going to help get our kids out of an "A," "B," "C," or "D" mind frame.
But, what arts teachers do is more than that. We piss our students off.
You may be saying...WTH??? You're a teacher! You're supposed to want every kid to succeed.
You are right, but I have to break something to you. They can't succeed all the time. If my students succeed all the time, I would be doing them a disservice...like soccer trophies.
I am in the most stressful part of my school year. Spring Play Casting. It sucks. I was awake from 1:45-2:45 this morning thinking about it. I've been out of school for the past two days, since the cast list was posted (because of Dylan's broken arm) and I've already dealt with an upset mom and kids texting me to tattle about the snarky crap that other kids have said in my absence.
Let me use all of my overabundance of sports knowledge to give you an analogy about the arts. Look at a theatre department like
sports teams. Not all kids are going to get a part. Sorry. That's the way it happens. This isn't U-6 soccer. Not everyone is going to make Varsity. Some kids might not ever make Varsity, no matter how hard they want it, or how hard they practice. Some might make it to Jr. Varsity. Some might make the Varsity team, and only play for a minute at the end of the game. It's kind of the same thing. It's not fair, but guess what? I'm sorry, but that's life.
I haven't cast kids because of their grades, and then argued with their parents about it. I've had parents pull race cards on me, I've had parents call the principal, I've had kids refuse to ever look me in the eye or talk to me again, I've had kids say nasty things to my face and behind my back. Hey people, I'm human. That stuff sucks. Plus, I'm an arts-y human who takes things personally. Stop being assholes to directors!
But guess what? It's only going to get harder for students. The real world doesn't know your kids the way I do, and the real world doesn't care. I do care, but I'm telling you now...your kid is going to deserve the part that they get, not get it because you think they should have it because they're upset that they didn't get the part they wanted.
I've been telling students that I want them to fail. Then, they look at me like I have grown a tail. Then I elaborate. I want them to fall down, get up, dust themselves off, figure out why they fell, then do again and again until they fall, and they're stronger than ever. I'm sending resilient, self-sufficient, realistic, idealistic, and determined kids into the world. I am not sending kids out into the world with a trophy because they showed up and didn't trip over their shoelaces.
So, how bout you do what I tell the kids to do. After a cast list goes up, they have to follow the 24-hour rule: You are allowed to be angry or upset for 24-hours. Don't lament to people, don't come to me crying, don't bitch. After 24 hours, you can put on your big boy/big girl panties and talk to me calmly and rationally. I promise you that the conversation will go better, and I won't always remember you as "that parent." When I respond to your email, it's always after I've had a huge glass of wine, and stopped being upset at the things that you've flung at me...then, I re-read it.
I like your kids. Most of the time, I love your kids. Trust me.
Sincerely,
A Drama Teacher-who-doesn't-want-to-keep-waking-up-worried-in-the-middle-of-the-night.
