Reading Assignment 1

Reading Assignment 1- I enjoyed reading Eisner, his ideas where extremely insightful and thought provoking. Although his chapters are long he provides so much information and presents it in several different ways. My favorite quote of his was in his introduction “Efficiency is largely a virtue for the tasks we don’t like to do; few of us like to eat a great meal efficiency or to participate in a wonderful conversation efficiency, or indeed to make love efficiency. What we enjoy the most we linger over… Children, like the rest of us, seldom voluntarily pursue activities for which they receive little or no satisfaction. Experiencing the aesthetic in the context of intellectual and artistic work is a source of pleasure that predicts best what students are likely to do when they can do whatever they would like to do.” Getting to know your students; their likes and dislikes is so extremely important. But how you use the information you gather can define your curriculum. Why not teach what student’s enjoy? I see one problem in this idea. When students only learn what they already like how will they ever branch out into other areas of life? For example, when I child my mother would ask my brother and I what extra-curricular classes we want to sign up for (outside of school). I would only ever take art classes despite my mother’s attempts to get me to try other things (girl scouts, sports, etc). People tend to find their niche and stick with it. So in my opinion not only do we need to teach what students enjoy but also implement other areas and experiences. For example, study comic books and have students draw their own comic books and design their own characters. Then why not make their own real costumes and act out their own comic book to an audience. Not only is it a subject matter students of all ages and genders enjoy, but they are learning drawing skills, design, fibers, problem solving, theatric concepts, etc.

I think I will really enjoy Imagination first. Unlike Eisner and Freedmen; Liu and Noppe-Brandon’s book reads a lot easier. The introduction was empowering but also makes me hate the world a little bit. I can easily recall a time my imagination was killed and many more after. I don’t think it is always one instinct, one event that kills imagination. It’s over time, and all the little things people say or do that wears you down. I don’t think it is a conscious choice we make to give up but progression over time. I hope I never kill my student’s, Daughter’s or anyone’s imagination. I am interested to read more.