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lack of practical glaze knowledge in bfa programs

updated tue 23 jun 98

 

Joyce Lee on mon 22 jun 98

I sure can't comment on BFA curriculae, but know first-hand that
many universities and colleges do NOT offer a course for BA or MA
credit, for example, in "conversation" in a foreign language, although
most community colleges do allow credit for such courses in their AA
programs. When asked, professors comment that to make meaningful
practical application of spoken language skills, one needs to go to the
targeted country and just start listenin' and talkin'. I agree. I
think it's possible that those who design BFA programs feel that they're
teaching theory, history and "how to learn" rather than vocational
education. It's hard to cram everything students desire and perhaps
need to learn into four years. AFTER completion of the four or six years
of hopefully concentrated exposure is when the real learning begins in
almost any course of study. Supposedly, after completing a degree and an
extra credentialing year, a new teacher still requires about five years
of classroom experience to become a "good" teacher. Sad, but true.

Joyce
In the Mojave