Reflection on Pink

Design is creativity. It is necessary for both utility and importance. Symphony is the ability to connect the dots in relationship. Pink discussing these students in Art and Design school in Philadelphia public school who enter at below basic achievement level and graduate moving on to schools considered Ivy League or best in class.  The book briefly describes how teachers incorporate basic subjects into the art and design. There is an example of the Roman aqueducts and math. The example does not provide specifics. Well it does not provide enough specifics for me.

Learning environments that would support both design and symphony must allow for student creativity. There should be assignments tied to the learning that connect the learning to the real world using arts and culture, history, psychology and everything that we use to make decisions in our daily lives. There are so many gimmicks associated with student learning and school districts that spends huge amounts of money implementing these programs. 40 years ago in the New Orleans public schools system from 9^th grade until 12^th grade, we attended the entire season of the New Orleans Repertory Theater. We traveled by school bus. I have an appreciation for theater and literature today because of this experience and it spirited my love for learning. I traveled to far- away places in the theater and vowed someday to visit them.

We need environments that encourage students to dream, think outside the box and dare to explore whatever is next.  How did we know students were learning before we implemented the currently yearly test modules? What did we use to measure achievement before standardized tests? I really don’t remember.

What I do remember is learning economics with a game that complimented our studies and sparked competition call the “Prep Quiz Bowl”. We were excited to learn and compete to win and to win you had to know your stuff!