The new term begins next Saturday (May 17th). As a teacher for over twenty-five years now, I believe that this is the best way to improve one's teaching. This method enables you to see fresh meaning in the subject (s) you teach and in your own pupils. Whether you teach history, English, maths, biology, music, physical education, computer science, art -- whatever it is, you'll do it better as you learn how that subject puts together opposites that every pupil and every teacher wants to put together in our lives. "The world, art, and self explain each other," Eli Siegel taught, "each is the aesthetic oneness of opposites." Find out what this means for the classroom at: http://www.aestheticrealism.org/Education_link.htm
Find out about the class in New York City where this method is taught at:
http://www.aestheticrealism.org/Aesthetic_Realism_Classes/brochure.htm#Education
And here is the information about how to register for classes in education, music, the visual arts, anthropology, poetry, and more:
http://www.aestheticrealism.org/Aesthetic_Realism_Classes/class-information.htm
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The Aesthetic Realism Teaching Method workshop
Eli Siegel, Aesthetic Realism, and Ellen Reiss---more information
(To read about the teaching method scroll down to the bottom)
Introductory:
Aesthetic Realism was founded by Eli Siegel in 1941. It is based on the principle "The world, art, and self explain each other: each is the aesthetic oneness of opposites." Eli Siegel, who was a poet, talked about the meaning and beauty of poetry in such a way that his students felt he was explaining things they didn't understand about themselves, as he was discussing poems of the world. They asked him if he would speak to them directly about their own lives. He did, and that is how Aesthetic Realism lessons came to be. In a lesson, a person was seen in relation to the world, as related to characters in fiction, to world history and culture, as having a dimension and depth much greater than they themselves had seen. Aesthetic Realism consultations, which are given in person and long-distance, are based on Aesthetic Realism lessons. For instance, in my first consultation, my life was seen in relation to the Kafka short novel "The Trial," and to the character of Puck from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, also to the history of England. I began to learn how to see the world, including people, in a way that I could be proud of--and I began to learn how to criticise my desire to have contempt for the world, to make less of other things and people in order to feel like a prince. That, I learned, was the thing that had been interfering with my life.
I'm including these links below so that you can find out more about Aesthetic Realism for yourself. Some of them are links for teachers and parents about education:
Eli Siegel's Is Beauty the Making One of Opposites? For visual artists and anyone interested in beauty.
One of my favourite links is to syndicated columnist Alice Bernstein. Her writing against racism has Aesthetic Realism as its basis.
Artist and teacher Marcia Rackow on 'Wonder and Matter-of-fact Meet': the Imagination of Beatrix Potter.
Injustice can certainly be based on race, but it can also be based simply on seeing another person's way of meeting the world as different from one's own, and therefore less valuable. And about this, a person can be monumentally wrong. A classic instance of this in literary history is taken up by Ellen Reiss in relation to the great poet John Keats. And she shows the immediate relevance of this mis-seeing to our own lives and time.
Read Ms. Reiss's critical observations about the poetry of Robert Burns (one of my favourite poets). She shows how relevant what Burns was writing about 200 years ago is to what is going on today. His poetry has the terrifically just way of seeing people that is needed by government leaders and every one of us.
See the amazing essay of art criticism, Simplicity and Complexity: Roy Lichtenstein's “Stepping Out” (scroll down). Also read articles about the opposites of Comfort and Justice, Coldness and Warmth, in a man's life, at union offical and Aesthetic Realism associate Steve Weiner's webblog--plus the essay "The Pleasure and Perils of Conceit."
The Aesthetic Realism Online Library has poems, lectures, reviews, essays, and selections from other major works by Eli Siegel. There are also articles in the press and media about the founder of Aesthetic Realism.
"The Dark that Was Is Here" is one of the poems I love most. some other poems by Mr. Siegel that have to do particularly with education and children are "Dear Birds, Tell This to Mothers," "Twenty-one Distichs about Children," and the remarkable, award-winning poem "Hot Afternoons Have Been in Montana." Aesthetic Realism: A New Perspective for Anthropology & Sociology is the website of celebrated cultural anthropologist and novelist Arnold Perey, PhD.
At Aesthetic Realism Resources there are articles on many subjects that concern people today such as love, self-expression, current events, economics, the arts, racism and much, much more.
The Right of Aesthetic Realism to Be Known is the international periodical read by everyone who wants to understand what is going on in America and the world today. Edited by Ellen Reiss, The Right Of serialises lectures by Eli Siegel and shows how they comment on current events such as the unprecedented growth of personal debt as well as our own questions and hopes as individuals.
See photographs with moving commentary and technical insight at Len Bernstein: Photographic Education Based on the Aesthetic Realism of Eli Siegel
Important writings on economics, history, the questions of women, art, literature and more can be seen at Lynette Abel: Aesthetic Realism and Life.
The website of Aesthetic Realism Consultant Miriam Mondlin is here: Aesthetic Realism Encourages Self-Expression
For teachers especially, I suggest you get to know the work of noted educators Rosemary Plumstead and Donita Ellison. They are two of the finest teachers I've ever known.
More articles for and by teachers--The Aesthetic Realism Teaching Method
To see what Aesthetic Realism is--and what it is not--see the website devoted to accuracy, honesty, justice--the plain truth!: Countering the Lies.