"Valuing the Arts on Their own Terms" - 01/29/20

By: Constance Bumgarner Gee

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I found this reading to be interesting especially when comparing it to Eisner's writings because of the hope Gee brings to the table. This hope is for the justification of the art education courses and how they impact the student body, K-college level. The theories for justification follow the development of practical skills that can be used after the visual arts classroom. Some of these skills consist of critical thinking, creative problem solving, self-motivation, and working collaboratively. I believe identifying some practical skill sets does aide in some of the art advocacy that comes with being an art educator, but I know that appreciation for art for its own sake is also important! This is why I was intrigued by the title because of the reality that this paper does not display the research for appreciating arts education on its own but instead gives tips to advocate for your program especially when working with VCAE educators or districts. The inclusion of historical background as to why educators are now faced with this arts advocacy is vital to the complete understanding of the topic. Gee included the basic information about the creation of Sputnik and how this pushed schools to enforce Math and Science.