Harvard President and Composer on the Value of an Arts Education

Harvard President Drew Faust invited  trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis to discuss the value of an arts education. They state the arts prepares students with skills, for a world we do not know yet.

Here is an excerpt from the article in USA Today:

We need education that nurtures judgment as well as mastery, ethics and values as well as analysis. We need learning that will enable students to interpret complexity, to adapt, and to make sense of lives they never anticipated. We need a way of teaching that encourages them to develop understanding of those different from themselves, enabling constructive collaborations across national and cultural origins and identities.

In other words, we need learning that incorporates what the arts teach us.

Read the full article here. 

Creating a Portfolio for the Arts

We had a small group session, during lunch, yesterday so our Grade 11 students could begin thinking about their portfolios for Art courses. We want students to realise that putting a portfolio together is not a last minute task. Students must develop their portfolios as they develop their techniques.  Here are some of the things we touched on:

General Advice:

Students should

... realise that the portfolio speaks for them. They will not be around to explain their ideas or their styles; the portfolio visually represents the student.

...have at least 15 pieces in their art portfolio. These should show a variety of techniques and development of skills.

... have a range of media and to show a range of skills and understanding of various media: Digital work, photography, drawings, paintings, and films to name a few.

... consider presentation and organisation of the art work: label work correctly, mount it if required, take high photographs for slide purposes.

...always be aware of the various requirements for the different courses they are applying to. They should read the advice on offer on the university websites.

...be cognizant of the deadline for submission of applications and portfolios.

...look for courses through UCAS, for the UK, and then follow the links to the university websites.

...look browse Family Connection and Big Future to find courses in the US and then proceed to university websites.

...read this article on Tips.

...come see their university advisor for more information.

Good luck!