When Life Redirects Your Focus
By Frank Juarez
Painting by Elena Butzen, AP Studio Art
In less than two weeks the 2018-2019 school year will come to a close. It will mark my 18th year
teaching high school art. For many of us our days inside the classroom ebbs and flows day by day or hour by hour. Every year brings new challenges, intervention strategies, district initiatives, meetings and so on. Juggling our responsibilities and commitments can seem endless. It can get a bit stressful. Sometimes we may think to ourselves, will this day ever end?
I found myself organizing my flat file cabinet when I happened to come across a letter that I received from a former art student’s mother written in 2009. I cannot believe that I have been holding onto that letter a decade later. I am glad I did. It is a reminder that we do make a difference in the lives of our students and parents even it if feels like somedays we are not appreciated for what we do. This letter reaffirms that I made the best decision in my life - to work alongside my students guiding them into a path of personal success.
Here is the letter:
To Whom It May Concern:
I have never been an enthusiast or even passive supporter of art classes in schools. In fact, I might have been inclined to believe in times of tough decisions, these classes could easily be cut from academic budgets. When my son took art as a freshman, I was ok with it if it did not interfere with my son’s “more important” courses. The following three years, Ian chose to continue art. Currently, he will be enrolling at Platteville College in the School of Engineering.
I first began changing my attitude towards art when I went to parent-teacher conferences freshman year for Ian. I was surprised after talking to all of my son’s teachers, that his art teacher had the best understanding of Ian’s learning needs. As I followed my son’s progress through school, I began to appreciate the depth his academic and personal development that was being cultivated through the arts. It expanded his viewpoints, sharpened Ian’s ability to view things in a different way and bring together all aspects of his learning. While my husband and I could help my son in his understanding of science, history, literature, and math…we did not have the ability to offer him this widened concept of viewing things. This learning experience only was available to him due to his art program offered at your public school.
I believe my son will be a better engineer and individual as a result of the art course he pursued during high school. Somehow and in some way, I don’t fully comprehend, these courses taught him more than shading and color choice. It would be tragic not to provide these opportunities to other students who desired to pursue them. – a parent
Thank you for reading my posts for the month of May.
Enjoy the summer!
-FJ
Web: midwestartiststudios.com, nhsartdept.com, frankjuarez.net, frankjuarezgallery.com