In my experience in education most reform comes under the guise of educational outcomes, but in reality, from a political point of view, it’s more to do with economics than education.
Its old adage of getting people to do more for less.
True reform is more likely to occur within classrooms with teachers taking it upon themselves to be innovative and reforming in the methods they use.
I worked in the Creative Arts, in particular, Drama. I taught it for over twenty years, and I found it the most innovative of all subjects.
At the same time, there were plenty of teaching colleagues who didn’t consider it a ‘real’ subject, partly because students seemed to be having so much fun it couldn’t possibly be a subject in the same way Maths and Science were perceived.
But like any subject within the curriculum, there are disciplines that have to be adhered to in order to achieve success. It was one of the reasons why Drama in the school I worked in was so popular and students successful. Drama study required a different discipline set to maths or science or any other subject.
To be creative in any of the creative arts subjects you had to apply yourself, practice constantly and be prepared to be self-critical. The creative arts is an area where you are constantly trying to improve on what you already have.
The parameters within which you work are flexible. If you consider a well-known play, say any Shakespeare, you might attend several productions and see a different performance each time.
In my school, we encouraged our students to be innovative in their interpretation of any performance they undertook. It was important to adhere to the spirit of the play/performance, but how you did, it was always within their grasp.
Drama provided my students with the opportunity to explore their own creative talents. We reformed the way we taught it, and it was sometimes pleasing to see other school adopting methods we had pioneered. Often they did it far better than we did.
In the end, our encouragement of our students led to students finding satisfaction in what they did, plus great end of school results when they performed their performances/exams to the public.
Reform requires the reformer to see the benefits to the student, not to the overall economic benefit of the state.
Written for: https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2018/07/15/sunday-writing-prompt-reform/
Morpethroad 
so true … sadly our education system fails to teach kids how to deal with emotions, a budget, apply for a job or basic maintenance of a car … all life skills that would hold the majority in far better stead unless they are coding guns 😦
Yes sad isn’t it.
criminal actually .. have no idea why it isn’t more practical and aiming to educate the kids. Bright sparks can go on with their academic studies and the rest should do the basics. I’ve never used my maths or science since school, waste of time!
Well you probably have without knowing it. After all cooking is basically chemistry and knowing ingredients is maths. Bet you are pleased to hear that 😀
lol irrelevant … I have cooked the same meal for years so definitely no use to me 🙂 How do you use those subjects?
I’m a bit like you I use them rarely.
😦 ah but we are both prolific readers and writers but English .. I didn’t learn grammar!
I’ve found grammarly has helped
certainly would have helped me as many have ask me to help them learn English and I don’t even know the grammar terms they use to ask questions!
But does it end with schools – often businesses are no longer willingbto invest in their employees. This adds further to the skill shortage and the ability for people to adapt to an ever changing environment
I agree Deb.
So true, the creative arts are often the first to go or to suffer. It is so important for one’s emotional health to have an creative/expressive outlet. How is anyone to be productive/effective if they are absolutely crippled by stress and cannot express themselves emotionally? I think we learn compassion and humanity through the arts as well.
You are spot on in saying that. The benefits far outweigh the non benefits
Education has neither succeeded in creating fully-groomed, employable youngsters nor in letting them develop their inherent talent. Most of them swing between the need to earn a living, and doing what they like.
It’s like we need a change in society’s values.
Exactly.
The arts programs seem to be dwindling, favoring standard athletics. It’s always been this way, time for a change. An all around education should be taken by all, including creative and practical applications.