Art and Literature: Creativity Unleashed

Art and Literature are partners, but they do not always get equal press.  For example, when I first started teaching (yes, 17 years ago) writing about literature was front and center.  We read we wrote, we read we wrote.  Ok, it was not always that seamless.  It was more like "we read, we learned to write," "we read, we learned to write better," and please don't get me wrong: I think that matters.

In fact, at this moment my sophomores are crafting analytical essays focusing on our first whole class novel, Elie Wiesel's Night.  Everything from modeling the brainstorming to the entire class creating a thesis for the model topic, selecting quotes, crafting leads, quotation mark review, topic sentence structure and engagement is hugely important.  And to me, the conferences with the students are the best parts.  They are working hard, taking ownership of their learning, and using me as a resource.  This is what I thought I would write about this month.  After all, this is what English teachers do.

But, fifth period yesterday changed all that.  My seniors were grumbly about the combination analysis and art requirement for Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.  When I introduced the assignment (requiring students to craft a thesis and art piece answering a prompt with textual evidence woven into the piece), I heard everything from "Can we write a paper?" to "Can I get an art credit?" Frustrated, I showed them models of the project from the previous years.  In truth, I was used to grumbling but not to the level of this year's seniors.  For a moment, I thought "it's easier to have them write an analytical journal. It'll be faster for all of us, and we won't lose class time to presentations."  But then I remembered why I combine Art and Literature.  My students will not find careers as literary analysis writers nor will most of them become artists.  But they will find careers that ask them to think critically and use all their skills to solve a problem or convey a message.

With that in mind, I scheduled more time for exemplar discussion and analysis.  I met with students

individually about their ideas and their vision for their project.  Over and over again, I heard "I can't paint" to which I said, "You aren't required to paint."  Yesterday, the first round of presentations revealed that some students can paint or draw, but led me to notice further that she can create.  In short, maybe "my kids" don't like to paint, but they certainly like to build.  Today, twelve students presented thanks to long-block, and nine of them presented a construction!  They built boats and ships, the world, the Congo, and darkened hearts of darkness "hiding" the quotes as Conrad hides the meaning of the horror.

To conclude every presentation, students asked questions and complimented each other's work.  To complete the class, I told them the truth.

To paraphrase, I said something like: You may never write another literary analysis essay every again, but you will challenge yourself outside your comfort zone.  You will solve problems you lack the confidence to solve.  You will do all of these things.  As your teacher, the best I can do is push you to be creative.  

If creativity is an "option," very few will select it.  Creativity becomes a skill people shy away from, claiming that "I'm not good at that," which is simply not true.  No one would look at a child learning a new skill and allow them to say: "I'm not good at that."  This was my mindset years ago when my then-department head entrusted me with a new course level: Honors English 12 where I could create my own topics and themes.  

Determined to make the most of that opportunity (and every year after that!), I step outside my comfort zone with texts, class activities, and assessments.  In doing so, I resolved that I would also help (they may have said force until their presentations reflected their insights, determination, and support of each other).  

Art and Literature are more than topics, they are reflections of humanity and being human is hard.  Being human can take us on foggy, zig-zag paths with an understanding that is not always understandable.  That experience.  That feeling.  Those are the gifts I want to give my seniors before they leave the safe and hopefully cozy confines of my classroom and our school.  

Stretch.  Try.  Fail. Succeed.  Do all of those things for the rest of this year and keep doing them for the rest of your lives.  Engage in the world, if not without fear, then with limited fear.  Just like you did with this project...and just like you will with the next one!