Learn to a New Rhythm, Dance to the Next Level

The following is an opinion piece written by a recent Harrison High School graduate.

By: Johnna Valentzas

In school, Gillian Lynne was constantly fidgety and uneasy, handing in assignments late and causing a disruption in class. It was believed Gillian had a learning disability so her mother took her to a specialist where she explained her daughter's strange behaviors.

As both adults stepped out of the room to speak in private he turned on the radio and encouraged her mother to watch Gillian who was up on her feet and dancing around the room. The doctor turned to her mother and said, "Your daughter isn't sick she's a dancer, take her to a dance school;" and so she did.

When Gillian walked into the room full of dancers she was astounded at the fact that everyone at the dance school was just like her; in order to think, they had to move. Gillian is now a famous, multi-millionaire, choreographer who has choreographed shows such as Cats and Phantom of the Opera. However, Gillian's future could have turned down a different path if she was taken to a different doctor who most likely would have prescribed medication and told to calm down.

Creativity is the backbone to individuality, talent, passion and education. Everyone is born with a talent, something that they are unbelievable at and love to do. Not all talents among us are the same and the problem with this is our education systems do not provide an environment for creativity to thrive. For instance, if Gillian never went to this specific doctor it would have been believed that she had a problem because she learned differently. No one took the time to understand her because her talent wasn't considered academically "acceptable."

Creativity correlates with intelligence. In order for creativity to blossom, a creative and supportive environment is needed, one that education systems do not provide. Across the United States, each education system is exactly the same when it comes to what is valued. By the time one has finished school, creative abilities and talent amongst the student has been lost because it is not a main focus.

There is a hierarchy in the education system in which subjects are ranked in order of importance. At the top are mathematics and sciences, followed by the middle, which consists of humanities, and at the way bottom are the arts, such as music and dance. What makes one talent more acceptable then the other? Why are kids who are gifted in basic academics more likely to succeed than children talented in music and dance? It shouldn't be academics vs. arts. Arts are an academic and a balance between the two needs to be created. If a student more gifted in basic academics were to be placed in a dance studio or handed a musical instrument, he/she would struggle like dancers and musicians do every day in the average classroom setting. But, students who struggle in the arts never have to worry about this affecting their success.

Not only do education systems focus on certain subjects, they put fear into most children when it comes to making mistakes. In a video about creativity in education systems Sir Ken Robinson, a visionary cultural leader, stresses the fact that a major reason why children grow out of being an artist is education systems enforce the idea that mistakes are unacceptable. Children are not afraid to be wrong, which is why they are able to come up with such original ideas. Being wrong leads to originality. However, as one grows older that originality is lost because education systems put the idea that being wrong or making a mistake is a sin.

 Why do we attempt to conform everyone to the same learning style when the idea of individuality is so stressed in our society?  We encourage "realistic," obtainable dreams children have like becoming a teacher, doctor, or lawyer and put down the "unrealistic" dreams, the dreams that require a large amount of effort and luck to succeed such as an artist, singer, actress, and athlete. Who are we to judge what is more acceptable in society? Why should we discourage children to follow their dreams? If the arts were more equal to basic academics maybe these dreams wouldn't be so unrealistic.

Pablo Picasso once said, "Every child is born an artist, the problem is to remain one once they grow up."  Lets disprove Pablo Picasso's theory by improving education systems so that all children can succeed.