OPINION: The arts are here to stay
When I accepted the job of chancellor, I knew right away that the arts would be a focal point of my tenure. The arts are not an add-on or simply an extra-curricular activity ā a rich arts curriculum strengthens school communities and teaches students skills and passion, cultivates hobbies and can instill confidence and creativity that students will keep with them for the rest of their lives.
This is evident at PS 111 in Queens. When I visited in September to celebrate the opening of a new cafeteria, I was stopped in my tracks by the sound of students belting at the top of their lungs. I instantly turned around to see where the noise was coming from. As I walked down the hallway, the singing became louder until finally I found the classroom ā a group of 25 fourth grade students practicing scales. I interrupted and asked the teacher what they were working on. It was still only the third week of school, but they were already rehearsing for their holiday concert in December. āWe have a lot of work to do,ā the teacher said with a smile.
She was right. They had a long way to go. But that didnāt matter, because every student in that classroom was beaming with joy. This was the music teacherās first year at the school and her class represented the culmination of hard work by the principal, Ms. Jaggon, to revamp the schoolās arts instruction.