The Good, the Perfect, the Next Thing

John Rockwell makes interesting points; the good/perfect admonition is a useful caution for any discussion about education. There is another perspective on his observations, however.

In the aggregate, arts education in the United States is a large enterprise with a number of sectors, each complex in itself. These sectors function within larger contexts. K-12 and higher education are two examples; social, cultural, political, legal, and economic are adjectives describing others. Each of these contexts has its own additional complexities, and of course, there are multiple interrelationships.

When trying to assist arts education from a policy perspective, which is what we were asked to do here, many of us have learned that this complex of complexities and all its various interests cannot be ignored without jeopardizing presence, much less goodness. We focus on these complexities and the puzzles they pose because that is where the policy problems are. Working from and with them is the basis for formulating solutions that have the best chance of long-term success, solutions that meet multiple objectives and support diverse efforts. Perfection is not even on the radar scope. Each puzzle always has too many dimensions; many legitimate interests need to be respected. Especially in large scale situations, perfectionism leads to utopianism which is never the basis for good policy.  When coupled with political power, utopianism usually produces dysfunctional tyrannies. Witness No Child Left Behind. Perfectionist goals belong in the individual and small group realm where they can inspire greatness if handled with care.

Even though it may not sound like it, the basic concern of those John chides a bit is to ensure that whatever is proposed or enacted do no harm to the good things that are going forward with the work of arts teaching in whatever setting and with whatever personnel, and to help more good things get started and flourish in perpetuity. All of us want to hear many more success stories like the one from Michael Hinojosa in Dallas.

The presence of complexity and discussions about it should not obscure the enormous amount of teaching and learning in the arts that takes place in the United States every day. We accomplish a lot more than we give ourselves credit for; we are Americans after all, and thus never satisfied for long. Our impetuosities, and over reliance on promotional bulldozers are not always productive. They often add unnecessary complications. They can be tragically destructive. Often, careful analyses of situations and ramifications, quiet diplomacy, attitudes of service, and sustained effort are the bases for making things better.  

Of course good teaching is a complicated matter as well, but not in the same ways as arts education policy. Vocabulary and scope are different. In teaching, immediate results appear most clearly as individual learning and achievement rather than as new or revised systems or improvements to environments and circumstances. The labyrinthine nature of policy is frustrating, but working it successfully can make an enormous difference for student learning whatever the setting. Bob, Richard, and others have given examples. 

All the above notwithstanding, John's post is an important one, because it reveals a need to communicate more clearly and directly about arts education policy issues and why they matter. This is not easy, but obviously those of us engaged with policy need to work harder on clear distillation. Another worthwhile goal to add to the list.

The next thing for me is to say thank you to all the bloggers and respondents, to RAND, Wallace, and ArtsJournal, and to Laura Zakaras and Julia F. Lowell for the report that got all this particular discussion started. And to say thanks for the opportunity to participate. I hope that everyone else has learned as much as I have, and that there are future opportunities to work together to leverage and grow our nation's considerable teaching capacities in the arts. To the extent we are successful, demand will surely increase. But even more important, individual minds, spirits, and capabilities will be enriched in beautiful and productive ways, and our abilities to help each other as artists and citizens will be enhanced for the benefit of civilization. Like so much in art itself, the result is worth the difficulty.