One of the things that left our schools virtually without protest in California is art and music. And those schools that have programs are constantly threatening to cut them back or eliminate them entirely.
Some schools have replaced REAL languages with ‘sign language’. This I cannot understand. Certainly the priorities of many schools are off center and do little if anything to help our children become economically or culturally literate.
The fun thnig about art is that it is the universal communicator… and ANYONE can learn it! One of the things we would do is buy a case of copy paper for our children to practice their drawing….
You don’t need ‘art paper’ to start…. just a lot of ‘scratch paper’. One case of scratch paper costs less than a trip or two for the family to a fast food place and it’s a lot less fattening.
Another very cool thing about learning to draw is that it is something everyone can do as a family. Part of the fun is that there is so much to draw in the world… and then there are the cartoons that children always ask Mom and Dad to draw… with a little practice, you can be a hero to your kid.
We wanted our daughters to: learn a musical instrument, participate in a team (not soccer) and an individual sport, find an academic interest they enjoyed and develope it, and discover the world of arts and crafts. There are many thnigs to help one become exposed to our world… but this was a start.
On this page I have placed some of Karla’s work — although all of my daughters have talent — and if the horses look a bit familiar… it’s probably because these are the kind you ride at fairs… Merry-go-rounds and Carousels.
If your schools do not offer these opportunities to your children… buy some colors and a box of copy paper and have sme fun!
Roger Freberg