Arts to the Rescue Advice for Parents on Creativity and Arts Classes

By Biryukov Academy

Arts to the Rescue is a compilation of practical recommendations on choosing arts and creativity lessons. Addressed to parents, every article is written by a specialist and professional in their field. This book will guide you on how to make a more effective investment of time and money into proper arts and creativity lessons. For parents of children with learning disabilities check out ATR 1.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Biryukov Academy
• Release date: Nov 26, 2013
• ISBN: 9781310643941

Biryukov Academy

Elena Zelenina’s journey as a mother has personified the very spirit of Horace’sphilosophy. Her fascinating background within the art community and education taught her howto navigate through life’s normal trials and tribulations. However, it wasn’t until her daughter(now fourteen) was diagnosed with a life-altering disability that she was able to truly find hermuse.Elena is the founder and director of Biryukov Academy. She holds a Masters in educationfrom the Moscow State Pedagogical University and has 30 years of teaching experience. Lenacomes from a family of artists, most notably Nikolai Gladkikh (1926 - 1995) and MikhailBiryukov (1927 - 1995), both Soviet era painters and Russian academicians of wide notoriety.Elena’s currently started a movement “Paint Your Breakthrough” in hopes to change thecurrent state of the art education in the US.Zelenina suspected something was inexact as her child’s speech caused her concern aroundage three. After several visits to different speech therapists, one therapist mentioned the phrase“Auditory Processing Disorder.” While Elena feverishly researched the potential disorder,something she had never heard of, her daughter was placed in special education classes as shebegan school. Finally, after close to four years of debate and searching for an answer, ElenaZelenina’s presumptions about her daughter’s possible disorder were verified. Her daughter wasfinally diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder at age seven.Elena decided empowerment through education and art would not only be the mostbeneficial choice for her daughter. Armed with about thirty years of teaching experience, and anatural affinity for art and music, she began a pursuit of healing for her daughter.A crucial path to self-discovery for both Elena and her daughter was about to be broughtto light. Zelenina decided to host classes in her home when she discovered that many schoolshad cut art and music programs to the bone, and share what she had seen work for her own childwith others. Then in 2003, she opened the academy to broaden the reach, influence, and positivemessages of her programs further. The academy is proud to have provided life-altering lessonsfor hundreds of students.Biryukov Academy is dedicated to both the social and cultural enrichment of students,offering art, music, foriegn language and theater classes that foster personal empowerment, andteach self-esteem & community responsibility. Classes are for children and adults of all ages andcurriculums are designed for students starting at beginner level expanding to professional levelcourses.

Book preview

Arts to the Rescue

Advice for Parents on Creativity and Arts Lessons

By

Biryukov Academy

Co-authors: E. Zelenina, V. Fiore, N. Iosebidze, F. DeCesare, G. Parker, S. Ryerson

Editors: Y. Ivlev, K. Bond

License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Copyright 2013 Biryukov Academy

Published by Elena Zelenina at Smashwords

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter One Choosing an Art Class by Elena Zelenina

Chapter Two-Choosing a Guitar Class by Victor Fiore

Chapter Three-Choosing a Vocal Class by Natela Iosebidze

Chapter Four-Choosing an Acting Class by Fran DeCesare

Chapter Five-Choosing a Violin Class by Guy Parker

Chapter Six-Arts for Children with Learning Disabilities by Elena Zelenina

Chapter Seven-Creative Homework by Stacey Ryerson

About Biryukov Academy

Introduction

Welcome Dear Reader!

The idea behind this compilation of articles is to educate you on the effective ways of learning arts. Our world is changing dramatically and American students are less ready for the changes. Due to job outsourcing and economic issues it is harder than ever for young students to find a job. The real job-killer though is the automation of tasks (think of computers). As it was shown in a 60 minutes segment the average cost of operating a robot in a wholesale store is $3.20 per hour and even this cost is most likely to go down. Robots also do not need sick days, health insurance, pension plans, they have no family situations that might affect their productivity; they make no mistakes with monotonous tasks. What jobs can they do? They are used already in the medical fields assisting in surgeries; they are dispensing medications; there is a warehouse in Connecticut that uses robots to pack and ship; Brazil is not using accountants anymore for corporations, only software. In three years the software will be used for people so it is not just simple jobs that are disappearing. Robots and computers are the peak of human progress, they show how far we have come as a race. We are living in the future. Studies show that creativity and ability to think outside the box are valued by employers more in 2013 than ever before. It is becoming less acceptable to just be able to do your job; everyone needs to bring something special to the table. As humans, we have the ability to think outside the box, as opposed to a computer program that runs in an infinite loop.

So are we preparing our kids for that? Do we teach creativity in schools? I do not believe so.

Our education system does not reflect the need for a new approach. Take a look at a simplified description of how our brain processes information and functions: left side of the brain is mainly responsible for step by step approach, logic; right side of the brain is often referred to as the creative