The Arts in Schools - Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

periods of time. There are possibilities of unproductiveconflict here between the routines of the school and thedifferent working patterns of those who normally operateoutside the education system. If schools arrange for schemesof this type to take place, they need to be sensitive to theconditions needed for work to develop satisfactorily.203 Follow- Well-managed schemes can provide considerable opportunitiesupfor further work and development with the groups in question.Poets in Schools has sent many different poets — includingKit Wright, Michael Rosen, Syndey Carter, Francis Horovitz,Christopher Logue, Lol Coxhill, Roger McGough — intoschools all over the country. Their approaches varied, as dothose of teachers. Barry McSweeney and Elaine Randell,'. . . brought newspaper headlines with them and the13—15 year old boys made poems with them. ChristopherLogue, working with 12—14 year olds at Reigate structuredhis workshops round the theme Immour.' Lol Coxhillworking with 9—11 year olds at Ely Teachers' Centre,where schools from the surrounding rural district hadsent pupils, encouraged the children to look at soundand poetry.' 10Whatever value the visits have in themselves can be enhancedby pursuing with the group the ideas and themes which havebeen generated and by using the enthusiasm which has beenraised.204 Artists Professional teachers, as we have noted, may be accomplishedand teachers artists. Equally, professional artists may be gifted teachers.In talking of artists and teachers as we have done we do notintend to suggest differences which do not exist betweenthem. We see their roles here as complementary. Nevertheless,they are different because there are different responsibilitiesinvolved.Teachers' responsibilities to pupils are long-term and extendover years. Those of visiting artists are short-term — a year atmost, often much less. Teachers have to provide a balancedprogramme of learning across a wide range of ages andabilities throughout the school. Visiting artists work withfewer groups and often those with special interests in theirparticular field of work. Teachers have detailed knowledgeof individuals and groups in the school. Visiting artists knowmuch less about the pupils, even if their specialist knowledgewithin the arts exceeds that of the teacher.The roles of artists and teachers should therefore be seenin conjunction — the one relying on the other for the overall120