General Education Classes: Circuit Training for Your Brain

How many times have you gone into a new class, simply because you "had" to take it? You registered for the course because it was one of those dreaded "general education" classes. You bitched and moaned throughout the entire registration process, "I don't WANT to take that class! I HATE (insert gen ed subject here)! This is going to be the WORST semester EVER!"

But what if you started to approach these classes differently?

Right now, it's summer and my incoming first-year students aren't really thinking about their fall schedules (or reading this blog) but I'm getting the message out there early. Think about your general education classes as circuit training for your brain.

There is nothing worse (IMHO) than dumb actors, or dancers, or any of the other majors I work with. And I'm not talking about stupid people...I'm talking about people who play into the stereotypes of their professions and fail to engage their brains. If you're going to have a career in the arts, be SMART about it. Learn to think critically and incorporate the ideas of other subject areas! Here's how:

• Look for the Class That Interests You AND Fulfills the Requirement-- There are usually specific categories that students must complete in order to accomplish their general education requirements...and there are usually lists of courses that fulfill those requirements. Find a course that looks interesting or that somehow applies to what you are doing. For instance, if you're a Theatre major and you have a Social Science requirement, Psychology or Sociology would be excellent options (Psychology being the study of the individual mind, and Sociology being the study of the group). Both of those things can be readily applied to Theatre.
• When You're Backed Into a Corner, Apply, Apply, Apply-- There are some classes you will simply never get out of taking (Math, Science). If you find yourself in a class like this, think about how you can use the knowledge you're gaining in the pursuit of your future profession. Most schools will offer a "basic" math class (I can't think of a school out there that is going to force Dancers or Actors to take Algebra). Dancers and Actors DO actually need some practical skills (like, I don't know, being able to manage money, and balance a checkbook) so why not use your math class to help you with that? Do you need to write a paper for an English class? Why not write it on something involving your art? At least you'll be INTERESTED throughout the writing process and you might even learn something.
• Look At the Classes As Skills to be Acquired, Not Challenges to be Endured-- Remember that every class you take gives you access to new information, new knowledge, and new ideas. If you pick up those skills (like you pick up weights), your brain will get stronger. Start your college career with a goal: i.e. I want to be a Scene Designer. Then think about how you can go about picking up the skills you will need for your profession: I will need critical thinking (so that I can give constructive feedback on what I am watching)--I should take English or Art History classes; I will need a basic understanding of space and dimension--a geometry class would be pretty helpful; I should know why I can and can not use certain chemicals in an indoor space (for mixing sealers, fixatives, etc.)--maybe I should take a basic Chemistry class. I bet I have already fulfilled quite a few of your general education requirements, and those are definitely skills a good scenic designer and shop supervisor should know.
• I can't end this post without a word (or twenty) about Critical Thinking. The idea of critical thinking has gotten something of a bad rap here at VCU because critical thinking is so vitally important for our Focused Inquiry class. I am going to tell you right now that NO ONE can be any kind of artist without the ability to view art (in ANY form) and respond to it critically. The more a student practices critical thinking, the more adept they will become at it. The student will move from saying, "I really like this book/play/painting," to saying, "I really like this book/play/painting BECAUSE..." Being able to articulate your ideas about art allows you to take part in the artistic dialogue.

So think of your major classes as the cardio reps in your circuit training. Your major classes keep your heart beating and they keep you moving forward. Your general education classes keep you intellectually toned and they give you a stronger skill set to move out into the workforce when you graduate.