Class Analysis

From the T&C book, I have gathered that changes in schools should be more like tinkering rather than utopian. Small changes that are made in schools have a better chance of being accepted by teachers and school administrators. Small changes will lead to large changes over a large expanse of time. Also, I believe that I have learned that the T&C authors are trying to say that education is not necessarily the savior of the world even though most Americans think it is. For example, many people have four year college degrees and still are unable to find a good paying job with benefits. I personally know a recent graduate of Wofford, with a finance degree, that is working as a secretary. I also learned from the prologue of the book that teachers should be more involved in policy talk. Traditionally, changes in schools have been made from the top down or the outside in but these authors believe that most changes should be made from the inside out. I agree with this assessment totally.
The Maxine Greene piece was trying to tell us that our students need art to be well rounded students. In the course of a school day, most students want a break from the math and sciences and would jump at the opportunity to do something creative like an art or music class. Greene was also trying to say that traditional subjects and "art" can be combined in many classes to add interest for more students. Art, which can be defined broadly, broadens horizons and helps students to exercise their imaginations. Also, Greene points out that without imagination growth among our students, there will be less future works of art to be created. Art also helps the students of today embrace distant cultures, that they otherwise, would probably not know about. Several years ago, when I was in high school, I participated in band class. Band class for me was an escape from the "normal classes" that you would take in high school. After class I would always be able to continue my day more refreshed because I had had a break from the "norm." Also, on reflection of those times, I believe that the band students in our school were some of the happiest and most well rounded students there. You could look at any student in our class and know that they were on the honor roll. That is only speaking of one school but I am sure that there were others like it. Another advantage to being in the band for me was that it allowed me to travel. I was able to march in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Play backup to Lee Greenwood singing, God Bless the USA at the Libery Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee and go to Disney World and I also was able to see a space shuttle take off at Cape Carnaval. The list of places that we went and the life experience that band class gave me is irreplaceable.