Thanks for the support from the three of you. Yes, I agree with you Ebbie, that the pendulum went way to the right with the Bush educational edicts. Teachers became so discouraged with having to teach to the test -- all creativity has been destroyed. For example, to bring a little music into the equation, after my son has taught WWI, his class is kept outside in the hall. He has arranged all the tables/chairs into "trenches" -- he puts on a recording of mortar fire, bombs, etc, opens the door yelling "down, down -- into the trenches."
    As the students are huddled in the trenches, the tape with the firing goes off, and he plays "The Green Fields of France;" the student assignment? -- write an additional verse to the song incorporating what they have learned from the books -- and from their "tench" experience. The results were amazing.
    He continued doing things like this, earing the love of his students and respect from his colleagues. Unfortunatley, most of the latter felt constrained by "the rules" from doing the same.
    At the state and federal levels, it is critical that people be brought into the Depts. of Education who have real experience in the classroom. On the local levels, educators must be put on local Boards of Education to prevent the farces that have occurred in Kansas and more recently in Texas.
    As money is cut from education, the arts are the first to go. To all Mudcatters who care about music in the curriculum -- FIGHT THE CHANGES!
   
    Bob