Opening young eyes at the Gardner

THE ISABELLA Stewart Gardner Museum is one of Boston's myriad sites ("The art of learning," March 12) that have the potential to solidify critical thinking skills and broaden the experience base of our youngsters.

For many students who live in Boston, a first-time field trip to one of our quality institutions results in long-term memories, new vocabulary, and an appreciation of place. Each year our fifth-grade students look forward to visiting the Museum of Fine Arts. As a teacher, there is nothing like hearing practiced fifth-graders consider one another's interpretation of a real Jackson Pollock. Thanks to the MFA's Stookey Memorial Bus Fund, we get to go.

MARY CLARKE
The writer is a teacher at Haley Elementary School in Boston.

THE GLOBE rightfully touts the valuable arts education program offered by the Gardner Museum. Arts education should be used to boost student achievement and improve critical thinking skills. The Globe also notes that the project "did not improve MCAS scores." A-ha! Is the paper finally acknowledging that there is actually no relationship between enhanced critical thinking skills and the MCAS? How refreshingly true! When will the rest of the educational policy makers finally connect those dots? Without our children acquiring the critical thinking skills that the Globe implies are not reflected through standardized tests like MCAS, we are doomed as a democracy.

RUTH KAPLAN
Brookline
The writer is a member of the Brookline School Committee.