main: June 2011 Archives
Advocate: It is essential that students experience Shakespeare.
School Leader: I never really liked Shakespeare.
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Anne Midgette is always a good read. First, she's a cracker jack writer. Second, she isn't shy about her opinions. Third, you should hear her talk about food!!
When she was writing for The New York Times, she had more than a few very pissed off performers complaining about her tough customer reviews.It was an extremely entertaining time for arts journalism in New York City.
Anne posted a particularly interesting piece earlier this week in The Washington Post: Back to School: On Orchestras and Outreach.
But, if you're a kid in an urban district, particularly in a low performing school, well, you have more than a fair chance of getting a very raw deal indeed.
Now, I've written on this topic before, and I am quite sure it won't be the last time.
Okay, I understand well the impetus to create education programs for reasons of audience development. Let's say you're at x orchestra, or x theater company, or x opera company. All concerned are looking at the audience data and hear about the declines in arts education, and well, voila, you have an instant demand for arts education programs.
What is it that they say? Let's try this: "Where will the audiences of the future come from?"
And, let's just say this: I've heard that phrase from people who should know better, including some people on my board of directors.
So, you're probably wondering why I take issue with creating education programs to help support the future of x orchestra, etc. Some might find such a position perverse.
School Leader: I never really liked Shakespeare.
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Anne Midgette is always a good read. First, she's a cracker jack writer. Second, she isn't shy about her opinions. Third, you should hear her talk about food!!
When she was writing for The New York Times, she had more than a few very pissed off performers complaining about her tough customer reviews.It was an extremely entertaining time for arts journalism in New York City.
Anne posted a particularly interesting piece earlier this week in The Washington Post: Back to School: On Orchestras and Outreach.
The conventional wisdom these days is that music education in the schools has declined, and therefore we've lost audiences, and therefore we have to put lots of energy into school music programs so that we can build up our audiences again. A lot of the emphasis is on teaching instruments. Some 74% of the orchestra audience, according to a Knight Foundation study based on six selected orchestras, has experience playing a musical instrument; therefore, let's get instruments in the hands of schoolkids who will grow up to be the audience of the future.As far as conventional wisdom goes, it's not exactly right. There are plenty of kids, in high performing schools, in wealthy districts, in private schools, in enlightened districts, who are receiving music (and arts) instruction. Precisely how much of it is sequential, how much is quality, and how many are given opportunities for advanced programs in high school is hard to say. It varies dramatically.
But, if you're a kid in an urban district, particularly in a low performing school, well, you have more than a fair chance of getting a very raw deal indeed.
Now, I've written on this topic before, and I am quite sure it won't be the last time.
Okay, I understand well the impetus to create education programs for reasons of audience development. Let's say you're at x orchestra, or x theater company, or x opera company. All concerned are looking at the audience data and hear about the declines in arts education, and well, voila, you have an instant demand for arts education programs.
What is it that they say? Let's try this: "Where will the audiences of the future come from?"
And, let's just say this: I've heard that phrase from people who should know better, including some people on my board of directors.
So, you're probably wondering why I take issue with creating education programs to help support the future of x orchestra, etc. Some might find such a position perverse.
I've spent a lot of time over the past few years looking at K-12 issues from the outside. What I mean by that is that arts education is really on the outside looking in. And inside, believe me, the matter of whether or not a future graduate will attend opera performances is near the last thing you will hear on very big list of concerns.
It's not that educators and policy makers are opposed to such thinking, but ultimately the conversation is about something much more fundamental: what is college and career ready, for instance.
And, I am sorry to say, that while many arts educators see the connection between arts education and proficiency in ELA and math, as well as what it means to be college and career ready, in the main, the K-12 public education policy makers don't get it, at all.
If they don't get the connection between arts education and core, fundamental issues related to why school in the first place, then does anyone really think that the butts in the seats intent is anything but discrediting?
And of course, there's not only the butts in the seats propellant, but the matter of the heart. When you realize that the kids who get the arts the least in the home, also get it the least in the schools, well, it's something deeply troubling. And you want to do something about it.
So, what is the answer? Do you invest in such programming because you hope that it will help build your audience one day, some how, some way, even if when you really, really think about the issue, you realize that a connecting of those two dots is unlikely to happen? To be clear, the two dots are providing a music/arts education program that leads to ticket sales sometime in the reasonable future. It's the arts + education = butts in the seats equation.
For me, kids need the arts. They need the arts in order to be healthy. The arts are built into our DNA and power the imagination, self expression, and all sorts of other capacities from cognition to emotion. The kids have it in them and it's our job to provide pathways to explore what is theirs by right, and if their parents cannot afford it, then the public schools must supply it, for the kids will never be whole without it. Student achievement is more than just test scores in ELA and math.
Will providing the arts lead to butts in the seats? At best, its a head-scratcher, but I really don't think we have any real data to prove the equation, whatever might be done to correlate audience data with the provision of arts education.
Moreover, viewing children as a commodity through the lens of education is really not really very cool.
To the contrary, the question that really needs to be addressed, on the most fundamental level, is how can we help ensure that all children have a quality arts education, whether or not it leads to butts in the seats, because it is what is right for our children and ultimately our society.
Is the arts field willing to educate through the arts, whether or not it has any measurable impact on audience development?
It is the answer to that question that will reveal quite a lot about the role the arts field can really play in education.
And of course, there's not only the butts in the seats propellant, but the matter of the heart. When you realize that the kids who get the arts the least in the home, also get it the least in the schools, well, it's something deeply troubling. And you want to do something about it.
So, what is the answer? Do you invest in such programming because you hope that it will help build your audience one day, some how, some way, even if when you really, really think about the issue, you realize that a connecting of those two dots is unlikely to happen? To be clear, the two dots are providing a music/arts education program that leads to ticket sales sometime in the reasonable future. It's the arts + education = butts in the seats equation.
For me, kids need the arts. They need the arts in order to be healthy. The arts are built into our DNA and power the imagination, self expression, and all sorts of other capacities from cognition to emotion. The kids have it in them and it's our job to provide pathways to explore what is theirs by right, and if their parents cannot afford it, then the public schools must supply it, for the kids will never be whole without it. Student achievement is more than just test scores in ELA and math.
Will providing the arts lead to butts in the seats? At best, its a head-scratcher, but I really don't think we have any real data to prove the equation, whatever might be done to correlate audience data with the provision of arts education.
Moreover, viewing children as a commodity through the lens of education is really not really very cool.
To the contrary, the question that really needs to be addressed, on the most fundamental level, is how can we help ensure that all children have a quality arts education, whether or not it leads to butts in the seats, because it is what is right for our children and ultimately our society.
Is the arts field willing to educate through the arts, whether or not it has any measurable impact on audience development?
It is the answer to that question that will reveal quite a lot about the role the arts field can really play in education.
There are a lot of folks who are taking aim at the liberal arts. Lately, there's been quite a lot of attention paid to a recent speech by Bill Gates at the National Governors Association, where he questioned funding liberal arts programs because the area did not produce enough jobs.
For me, this is just a stone's throw form the sort of thinking that relegates the arts to the periphery for many K-12 students.
It's always a relief to see a more broad-based viewpoint emerge, in this case stemming from a bipartisan call from members of the US Senate and House of Representative, which asked the following question:
To help answer the question, The American Academy of Arts and Sciences formed a Commission on The Humanities and Social Sciences.
And, while it's just a press release at this point, it was refreshing to see the contents of the release, and its all the more reason to be eager for their work to emerge:
For me, this is just a stone's throw form the sort of thinking that relegates the arts to the periphery for many K-12 students.
It's always a relief to see a more broad-based viewpoint emerge, in this case stemming from a bipartisan call from members of the US Senate and House of Representative, which asked the following question:
"What are the top ten actions that Congress, state governments, universities, foundations, educators, individual benefactors, and others should take now to maintain national excellence in Humanities and social scientific scholarship and education, and to achieve long-term national goals for our intellectual and economic well-being; for a stronger, more vibrant civil society; and for the success of cultural diplomacy in the 21st century?"
To help answer the question, The American Academy of Arts and Sciences formed a Commission on The Humanities and Social Sciences.
And, while it's just a press release at this point, it was refreshing to see the contents of the release, and its all the more reason to be eager for their work to emerge:
Press Releases
Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences
Established by American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Responds to Congressional Mandate
The President of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Leslie Berlowitz, today announced the creation of a national commission to bolster teaching and research in the humanities and social sciences, fields that are critical to culture, education, and to America's economic competitiveness. The Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences will be chaired by Richard H. Brodhead, President of Duke University, and John W. Rowe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Exelon Corporation, and includes prominent Americans from the humanities, the social sciences, the physical and life sciences, business, law, philanthropy, the arts, and the media.
The Commission was formed in response to a bipartisan request from United States Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee) and Mark Warner (D-Virginia) and Representatives Tom Petri (R-Wisconsin) and David Price (D-North Carolina).
Congress asked the Academy to respond to the following charge:
"The humanities and social sciences provide the intellectual framework for the nation's economic, political, and governing institutions," said Commission Co-chair Richard H. Brodhead. "They enrich our lives and our understanding. Americans already appreciate the importance of math and science to our future; this Commission will remind Americans of the long-term importance of the liberal arts as well."
Commission Co-chair John W. Rowe added: "Knowledge of history, an understanding of civic institutions, the ability to use evidence and to think creatively, an aptitude for cross-cultural communication--these are all vital attributes of a 21st century citizen."
"The American Academy, with its long record of stewardship and support for the humanities and social sciences, is well-suited to lead this effort," said Academy President Berlowitz. "Scholarship and education in these disciplines enable our citizens and our government to adapt to evolving circumstances at home and abroad. They are critical to our ability to compete in a global economy."
The findings of the Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences will serve as a companion to a forthcoming report of the National Academies on the future of the research university and ways to strengthen the American scientific enterprise.
"Our nation's long tradition of research and scholarship in humanities and social science has been the basis for an informed citizenry that comes from many countries, races, religions and cultures, but shares a common set of ideals, such as liberty, equal opportunity, and the rule of law," said Senator Lamar Alexander, who previously served as U.S. Secretary of Education and President of the University of Tennessee. "I am pleased that the American Academy is creating this Commission to provide recommendations on the best ways to maintain our nation's excellence in humanities and social science education, from grade-school history classes to graduate-level economic research."
"As our world becomes more interconnected, building a solid foundation in the humanities is of vital national importance," Rep. David Price said. "It is the humanities which ground, inform, and shape our civic, cultural, and intellectual lives. Maintaining a robust capacity for teaching and research in these fields will help provide a context and a framework for the most current and urgent policy debates. I look forward to receiving the commission's recommendations."
"To preserve and build on America's traditions and principles, we must have a firm understanding of our unique history, culture and heritage," said Rep. Tom Petri. "Our humanities and social science institutions help to foster that understanding, and the results of this report will guide us as we work to strengthen those institutions."
"I look forward to learning more about how we can further strengthen the arts, humanities, and social sciences throughout the country," said Senator Mark Warner. "Understanding where we are, where we have been, and where we need to go is so important, and I am pleased that the Academy is tackling this challenge."
"I look forward to learning more about how we can further strengthen the arts, humanities, and social sciences throughout the country," said Senator Mark Warner. "Understanding where we are, where we have been, and where we need to go is so important, and I am pleased that the Academy is tackling this challenge."
The American Academy Commission will draw on past research efforts, data from its www.humanitiesIndicators.org, and the experience and expertise of a multidisciplinary group of national leaders to recommend specific, actionable steps to maintain the nation's excellence in the humanities and the social sciences. The Commission will focus on education, research, and the institutions critical to advancing the humanities and social sciences in the nation.
The work of the Commission is being funded initially by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
The Commission expects to complete its work over the next 18 to 24 months. Further information about the initiative can be found at www.amacad.org.
Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. Current Academy research focuses on science and technology policy; global security; social policy; the humanities and culture; and education. With headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Academy's work is advanced by its 4,300 elected members, who are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business and public affairs from around the world.
Established by American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Responds to Congressional Mandate
The President of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Leslie Berlowitz, today announced the creation of a national commission to bolster teaching and research in the humanities and social sciences, fields that are critical to culture, education, and to America's economic competitiveness. The Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences will be chaired by Richard H. Brodhead, President of Duke University, and John W. Rowe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Exelon Corporation, and includes prominent Americans from the humanities, the social sciences, the physical and life sciences, business, law, philanthropy, the arts, and the media.
The Commission was formed in response to a bipartisan request from United States Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee) and Mark Warner (D-Virginia) and Representatives Tom Petri (R-Wisconsin) and David Price (D-North Carolina).
Congress asked the Academy to respond to the following charge:
|
What are the top ten actions that Congress, state governments, universities, foundations,
educators, individual benefactors, and others should take now to maintain national
excellence in humanities and social scientific scholarship and education, and to
achieve long-term national goals for our intellectual and economic well-being; for
a stronger, more vibrant civil society; and for the success of cultural diplomacy
in the 21st century?
|
"The humanities and social sciences provide the intellectual framework for the nation's economic, political, and governing institutions," said Commission Co-chair Richard H. Brodhead. "They enrich our lives and our understanding. Americans already appreciate the importance of math and science to our future; this Commission will remind Americans of the long-term importance of the liberal arts as well."
Commission Co-chair John W. Rowe added: "Knowledge of history, an understanding of civic institutions, the ability to use evidence and to think creatively, an aptitude for cross-cultural communication--these are all vital attributes of a 21st century citizen."
"The American Academy, with its long record of stewardship and support for the humanities and social sciences, is well-suited to lead this effort," said Academy President Berlowitz. "Scholarship and education in these disciplines enable our citizens and our government to adapt to evolving circumstances at home and abroad. They are critical to our ability to compete in a global economy."
The findings of the Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences will serve as a companion to a forthcoming report of the National Academies on the future of the research university and ways to strengthen the American scientific enterprise.
"Our nation's long tradition of research and scholarship in humanities and social science has been the basis for an informed citizenry that comes from many countries, races, religions and cultures, but shares a common set of ideals, such as liberty, equal opportunity, and the rule of law," said Senator Lamar Alexander, who previously served as U.S. Secretary of Education and President of the University of Tennessee. "I am pleased that the American Academy is creating this Commission to provide recommendations on the best ways to maintain our nation's excellence in humanities and social science education, from grade-school history classes to graduate-level economic research."
"As our world becomes more interconnected, building a solid foundation in the humanities is of vital national importance," Rep. David Price said. "It is the humanities which ground, inform, and shape our civic, cultural, and intellectual lives. Maintaining a robust capacity for teaching and research in these fields will help provide a context and a framework for the most current and urgent policy debates. I look forward to receiving the commission's recommendations."
"To preserve and build on America's traditions and principles, we must have a firm understanding of our unique history, culture and heritage," said Rep. Tom Petri. "Our humanities and social science institutions help to foster that understanding, and the results of this report will guide us as we work to strengthen those institutions."
"I look forward to learning more about how we can further strengthen the arts, humanities, and social sciences throughout the country," said Senator Mark Warner. "Understanding where we are, where we have been, and where we need to go is so important, and I am pleased that the Academy is tackling this challenge."
"I look forward to learning more about how we can further strengthen the arts, humanities, and social sciences throughout the country," said Senator Mark Warner. "Understanding where we are, where we have been, and where we need to go is so important, and I am pleased that the Academy is tackling this challenge."
The American Academy Commission will draw on past research efforts, data from its www.humanitiesIndicators.org, and the experience and expertise of a multidisciplinary group of national leaders to recommend specific, actionable steps to maintain the nation's excellence in the humanities and the social sciences. The Commission will focus on education, research, and the institutions critical to advancing the humanities and social sciences in the nation.
The work of the Commission is being funded initially by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
The Commission expects to complete its work over the next 18 to 24 months. Further information about the initiative can be found at www.amacad.org.
Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. Current Academy research focuses on science and technology policy; global security; social policy; the humanities and culture; and education. With headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Academy's work is advanced by its 4,300 elected members, who are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business and public affairs from around the world.
In the past month two new resources have been issued that are worth a good look:
The National Guild for Community Arts Education has released a sorely needed guide for youth development programs: Engaging Adolescents: Building Youth Participation in the Arts.
The Arts Education Partnership has released a nifty guide for school leaders: What School Leaders Can Do To Increase Arts Education.
The National Guild for Community Arts Education
The Arts Education Partnership
The National Guild for Community Arts Education has released a sorely needed guide for youth development programs: Engaging Adolescents: Building Youth Participation in the Arts.
Engaging Adolescents: Building Youth Participation in the Arts, the result of the National Guild's research on effective practices, outlines a holistic approach that integrates arts learning with principles of youth development. It is designed to help staff and faculty develop new programs and services for teens or to rethink and strengthen programs they already offer. Profiles of organizations in varying stages of implementing this approach illustrate the concepts this guide describes.
The Arts Education Partnership has released a nifty guide for school leaders: What School Leaders Can Do To Increase Arts Education.
School principals and other leaders interested in increasing arts education in America's schools can adopt any of these actions and strategies one at a time or implement several at once. When taken together as part of an overall approach, however, their effects are more likely to be cumulative, mutually reinforcing, and more sustainable over time.
The National Guild for Community Arts Education
The Arts Education Partnership
Today, The New School announced the appointment of three deans, including deans for The Mannes College The New School for Music and The New School for Drama.
NEW YORK (June 15, 2011)--The New School today announced the appointment of Stephanie Browner as dean of Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts; Richard Kessler as dean of Mannes College The New School for Music; and Pippin Parker, director of The New School for Drama. The New School is comprised of seven distinct schools focusing on social sciences, liberal arts, administration and management, design and performing arts.
"The New School's diverse elements are united by a common goal of positively changing society," said President David Van Zandt. "Provost Tim Marshall and I are confident that Stephanie Browner, Richard Kessler, and Pippin Parker reflect the vision, leadership, and commitment to social progress that have distinguished The New School for nearly a century."
Continue reading The Mannes College The New School for Music Appoints New Dean.
Arts Education: Common Core
What Are the Possibilities for the Arts?
What Are the Possibilities for the Arts?
Tuesday, June 21, 2:00 EDT/ 11:00 PDT
Julie Fry, Program Officer, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Richard Kessler, Executive Director, The Center for Arts Education
More than two-thirds of the states have adopted the Common Core Standards in English language arts, and math, establishing clear guidelines for what students need to know and be able to do in order to graduate from high school prepared for college and/or a career. Now that leaders are beginning to ask for shared curriculum guidelines across states, the Common Core standards are poised to change the character of schools (and of instruction well beyond ELA and math) and will be accompanied by new a new curriculum featuring common assessments.
But what will the Common Core mean for the arts?
Join Julie Fry and Richard Kessler for an overview of the standards and a frank discussion of their potential impact on arts instruction.
Continue reading Register for Grantmakers in Arts Webinar on The Common Core Standards.
GothamSchools is a sort of Artsjournal for education issues. Historically, it has been focused on New York City, but has expanded its coverage in the past couple of years.
GS published a through report on yesterday's press conference, protest, and report release concerning proposed budget cuts that will lead to a reduction in certified arts teachers of 20 percent over two years. The report goes further to look at some policy and advocacy issues over the past four years.
I think it's a good read, and while it clearly wasn't intended to be a primer of any sort, it ends up fitting that bill pretty darn well.
So, you take one part solid report with specific goals, one part strong coalition of partners, including elected officials, parents, students, organized labor, one part press conference/rally, one part terrific media coverage, then shake and bake.
Click here to read Bloomberg's Proposed Layoffs Would Slash Arts Education, by Sarah Deville, GothamSchools
"I think it's realistic, it's possible, if the parties are willing to be flexible," Jackson said. "The game plan is to continue the press conferences, the rallies, the phone calls, all the things necessary to communicate how important this is."
From today's City Room, by Anna Phillips: Even Before Layoffs, Schools Lost 135 Arts Teachers
And, before that, there was successive years of steep declines in funding for arts supplies and cultural partnerships.
New York City spends $2 per student on arts supplies. I know suburban districts on Long Island and Westchester that spend about $18.
Click here to read the report.
And, before that, there was successive years of steep declines in funding for arts supplies and cultural partnerships.
New York City spends $2 per student on arts supplies. I know suburban districts on Long Island and Westchester that spend about $18.
Click here to read the report.
Reading and math teachers are expected to be cut at a much lower rate.
It's the last in a series of Arts Education Guides for Parents, making the set complete. With this new edition for high school, we now have guides for: Pre-K through Second Grade; Third through Fifth Grade; Six through Eighth Grade; and now Ninth through Twelfth Grade. In English and Spanish, and for the earlier grade, a number of other languages.
Next up? Adapting these local guides for use nationally...
(Of course, we will have to think a bit about whether or not to include the tear off card for parents to send to the schools chancellor voicing their support for arts education. That little bit of soft advocacy was all it took for the local school district to decline to promote the parent guides!)
Getting the Best High School Arts Education:
The last in the series of parent guides, Getting the Best High School Arts Education: A Guide for Parents and Students in New York City is directed to parents of middle and high school students to help empower them to become powerful advocates for arts learning in their child's educational experience.
Here are the download links for all the Parent Guides, plus a very good parent toolkit from our partner school, PS203.
My Child, The Arts, and Learning: A Guide for Parents, PreK to Second Grade
Your Child, Your School and the Arts: A Guide for Parents with Children in Grades 3 to 5
Your Child, Your School and the Arts: A Guide for Parents with Children in Grades 6 to
Getting the Best High School Arts Education: A Guide for Parents and Students in New York City
Involving Parents and Schools in Arts Education: A Parent Advocacy Toolkit
High School Parent Guide English Arts Education
Next up? Adapting these local guides for use nationally...
(Of course, we will have to think a bit about whether or not to include the tear off card for parents to send to the schools chancellor voicing their support for arts education. That little bit of soft advocacy was all it took for the local school district to decline to promote the parent guides!)
Getting the Best High School Arts Education:
A Guide for Parents and Students in New York City
The last in the series of parent guides, Getting the Best High School Arts Education: A Guide for Parents and Students in New York City is directed to parents of middle and high school students to help empower them to become powerful advocates for arts learning in their child's educational experience.
The guide answers questions like:
- Why arts education matters, especially in high school
- What are the New York State graduation requirements for the arts
- How to find the right high school arts program
- What parents can do to protect their teen's right to a quality arts education.
Here are the download links for all the Parent Guides, plus a very good parent toolkit from our partner school, PS203.
My Child, The Arts, and Learning: A Guide for Parents, PreK to Second Grade
Your Child, Your School and the Arts: A Guide for Parents with Children in Grades 3 to 5
Your Child, Your School and the Arts: A Guide for Parents with Children in Grades 6 to
Getting the Best High School Arts Education: A Guide for Parents and Students in New York City
Involving Parents and Schools in Arts Education: A Parent Advocacy Toolkit
High School Parent Guide English Arts Education
There's not one on this list that isn't true. And of course, the best part (or worst, depending on your view of things), is that many of the startlingly contradictory statements come from the same person. It's an update on a older post, let's call it version 2.0.
_______________________________________________________________________________ What's it like to support a well-rounded education that includes the arts???
Take a look at this list to find out:
If we do that for the arts, we would have to do that for every subject.
School District Official
We are going to put major resources behind Science, Engineering, Technology, and Math (STEM). Same School District Official
We are working hard to ensure the curriculum will not be narrowed.
Major Education Policy Maker
We are going to evaluate all teachers to a large degree on state test scores in ELA and math. Same Major Education Policy Maker
You arts people think that all principals have to do all day is think about arts education. School District Official
Do you really, in your heart of hearts, believe that any other subject other than the arts should be taught?
School District Arts Supervisor
I would rather kids have nothing than have low quality arts.
School District Administrator
Children are transformed by simply walking into ____________ (performance venue--you can fill in the blank). Famous Artist and Board Member of Unsaid Institution
We are proud to have served the millionth child.
Performing Arts Organization Promotional Guide
The integration of the arts cannot be done at the high school level.
School District Administrator
I am only really interested in a broad arts education that is integrated across the curriculum. Principal
The integration of the arts has no quality and no sequence and cannot be accounted for. Professor of Education
When is the arts program going to include us?
A non-arts subject area teacher in middle school
We like arts because there are no wrong answers.
School Principal
We do not like the arts because there are no wrong answers.
CEO
Parents are the key to arts education.
Foundation Staff Member
Parents are a sinkhole
Same Foundation Staff Member
Parents in low income areas don't care about the arts.
Policy Advisor
Parents in low income schools understand that the arts are part of a well-rounded education. Grass Roots Organizer
Low performing students shouldn't be required to have the arts.
School District Official
Music Saves Lives.
Arts Advocate
There would be no arts education without cultural organizations.
Arts Administrator
There is no arts education in our schools.
Elected Official
This year is going to be another great year for arts education.
City Agency Head (in the same school district as the elected official)
Arts education is vendor driven in this district.
School District Official
We have many cultural organizations providing arts education.
Same School District Official
I had no arts in elementary school.
Middle School Student
95 percent of Elementary Schools have an arts teacher.
School District Official (Same District as Student)
We must do something about ensuring that artists entering schools have basic educational training.
Director of Arts Education/Cultural Organization
After all the training artists have already received, why should we have to receive additional training? We're not teachers; we're artists.
Teaching Artist
Oh, I saw you complaining, er, I mean advocating for something or other in the press the other day.
Former School District Official (and friend)
The City has decided that we don't want your organization leading school partnerships anymore, we do that.
School District Official
Your school should recruit fewer level one students (okay, it's not arts related, but a good one!)
A School District Administrator Offering Advice to a Zoned Middle School Facing Possible Closure
_______________________________________________________________________________ What's it like to support a well-rounded education that includes the arts???
Take a look at this list to find out:
If we do that for the arts, we would have to do that for every subject.
School District Official
We are going to put major resources behind Science, Engineering, Technology, and Math (STEM). Same School District Official
We are working hard to ensure the curriculum will not be narrowed.
Major Education Policy Maker
We are going to evaluate all teachers to a large degree on state test scores in ELA and math. Same Major Education Policy Maker
You arts people think that all principals have to do all day is think about arts education. School District Official
Do you really, in your heart of hearts, believe that any other subject other than the arts should be taught?
School District Arts Supervisor
I would rather kids have nothing than have low quality arts.
School District Administrator
Children are transformed by simply walking into ____________ (performance venue--you can fill in the blank). Famous Artist and Board Member of Unsaid Institution
We are proud to have served the millionth child.
Performing Arts Organization Promotional Guide
The integration of the arts cannot be done at the high school level.
School District Administrator
I am only really interested in a broad arts education that is integrated across the curriculum. Principal
The integration of the arts has no quality and no sequence and cannot be accounted for. Professor of Education
When is the arts program going to include us?
A non-arts subject area teacher in middle school
We like arts because there are no wrong answers.
School Principal
We do not like the arts because there are no wrong answers.
CEO
Parents are the key to arts education.
Foundation Staff Member
Parents are a sinkhole
Same Foundation Staff Member
Parents in low income areas don't care about the arts.
Policy Advisor
Parents in low income schools understand that the arts are part of a well-rounded education. Grass Roots Organizer
Low performing students shouldn't be required to have the arts.
School District Official
Music Saves Lives.
Arts Advocate
There would be no arts education without cultural organizations.
Arts Administrator
There is no arts education in our schools.
Elected Official
This year is going to be another great year for arts education.
City Agency Head (in the same school district as the elected official)
Arts education is vendor driven in this district.
School District Official
We have many cultural organizations providing arts education.
Same School District Official
I had no arts in elementary school.
Middle School Student
95 percent of Elementary Schools have an arts teacher.
School District Official (Same District as Student)
We must do something about ensuring that artists entering schools have basic educational training.
Director of Arts Education/Cultural Organization
After all the training artists have already received, why should we have to receive additional training? We're not teachers; we're artists.
Teaching Artist
Oh, I saw you complaining, er, I mean advocating for something or other in the press the other day.
Former School District Official (and friend)
The City has decided that we don't want your organization leading school partnerships anymore, we do that.
School District Official
Your school should recruit fewer level one students (okay, it's not arts related, but a good one!)
A School District Administrator Offering Advice to a Zoned Middle School Facing Possible Closure
I cannot tell you how many times I have heard people from the arts education field say that arts ed needs to become part of school reform. And, this is not a new chorus, but a rather old one, going back at least 15 years.
Granted, 15 years ago, when people spoke of school reform, they meant something along the lines of school improvement, which could mean improvement of environment, attendance rates, parent engagement, and more.
Today, I am more and more inclined to think that those in the arts ed field who wish to become a central part of the school reform movement have little idea of the tree they are barking up.
It's almost as if the term "school reform" is a vague place holder that is less about the specifics of what makes for school reform, and more about it as an locus of activity. I think what folks are saying is that they want to be where the action is. Fair enough.
In other words, they want a seat at the table. But, as my friend Diane Ravitch once advised me, a seat at the table is sometimes overrated. In essence, she said to look at the teacher unions, who have a seat at the table, but often find out that they are being served as dinner.
I also see the term school reform on practically every foundation website involved in education. It's almost as if there might be some sort of public castigation should one fail to use the term "school reform." It reminds me a bit of the preemptive use of the term "quality," when communicating about arts education, as if the absence of the term denotes a lack of, well, quality!
It's a form of political correctness, don't you think?
Back to the question: do we really want to be part of school reform, as it is today?
And, what does it mean today?
Before I get into that, it's a good time to pitch a book that will lend some nice historical context: Left Back: A Century of Battles Over School Reform, by Diane Ravitch. Let's just say if you want a touch of past is prologue, then this is the book for you.
Now, let's get back to where the action is. The action, well, for the most part it's about school choice (charters and vouchers), eliminating teacher and principal tenure or elimination of teacher unions entirely, high stakes accountability in ELA and math, merit pay, closing of low performing schools, and occasional issues related to standards, curriculum, and assessment. If there's an overall theme to it all, think privatization of public school systems.
I know, it's a bit of an oversimplification.
Or is it?
I shall withhold judgment on these elements of school reform (or school deform, as it is called by some more cynical than I) and simply ask those in the arts education field if they really want to be at that table.
What is more, is there really room at the table for arts education and this particular wave of school reform? Without a doubt, arts ed is a non-starter for these school reformers. And believe me, I have been at some of the tables, not many, but a few, including the NYS Task Force on Teacher and Principal Accountability, which was tasked with coming up with the evaluations to determine whether teachers keep their jobs or not (another oversimplification), and well, let's just say there wasn't very much on my plate at that table. Was I served for dinner at the table? I am not sure yet!
And there have been other tables, where getting the arts to fit into a policy agenda was pretty much impossible.
Yes, getting to the table is a start, but let's remember it for that, meaning a start, rather than an end in and of itself. And let's also be clear about what school reform means today and the great difficulty of getting arts on the agenda, if it's even possible.
For me, well, what I want would be to help change the school reform agenda, in and through the arts. But that's a tough one, something that will certainly not come about solely through the arts education field, but if at all possible, through new alliances and partnerships well beyond the field we generally view as being that of arts education.
Granted, 15 years ago, when people spoke of school reform, they meant something along the lines of school improvement, which could mean improvement of environment, attendance rates, parent engagement, and more.
Today, I am more and more inclined to think that those in the arts ed field who wish to become a central part of the school reform movement have little idea of the tree they are barking up.
It's almost as if the term "school reform" is a vague place holder that is less about the specifics of what makes for school reform, and more about it as an locus of activity. I think what folks are saying is that they want to be where the action is. Fair enough.
In other words, they want a seat at the table. But, as my friend Diane Ravitch once advised me, a seat at the table is sometimes overrated. In essence, she said to look at the teacher unions, who have a seat at the table, but often find out that they are being served as dinner.
I also see the term school reform on practically every foundation website involved in education. It's almost as if there might be some sort of public castigation should one fail to use the term "school reform." It reminds me a bit of the preemptive use of the term "quality," when communicating about arts education, as if the absence of the term denotes a lack of, well, quality!
It's a form of political correctness, don't you think?
Back to the question: do we really want to be part of school reform, as it is today?
And, what does it mean today?
Before I get into that, it's a good time to pitch a book that will lend some nice historical context: Left Back: A Century of Battles Over School Reform, by Diane Ravitch. Let's just say if you want a touch of past is prologue, then this is the book for you.
Now, let's get back to where the action is. The action, well, for the most part it's about school choice (charters and vouchers), eliminating teacher and principal tenure or elimination of teacher unions entirely, high stakes accountability in ELA and math, merit pay, closing of low performing schools, and occasional issues related to standards, curriculum, and assessment. If there's an overall theme to it all, think privatization of public school systems.
I know, it's a bit of an oversimplification.
Or is it?
I shall withhold judgment on these elements of school reform (or school deform, as it is called by some more cynical than I) and simply ask those in the arts education field if they really want to be at that table.
What is more, is there really room at the table for arts education and this particular wave of school reform? Without a doubt, arts ed is a non-starter for these school reformers. And believe me, I have been at some of the tables, not many, but a few, including the NYS Task Force on Teacher and Principal Accountability, which was tasked with coming up with the evaluations to determine whether teachers keep their jobs or not (another oversimplification), and well, let's just say there wasn't very much on my plate at that table. Was I served for dinner at the table? I am not sure yet!
And there have been other tables, where getting the arts to fit into a policy agenda was pretty much impossible.
Yes, getting to the table is a start, but let's remember it for that, meaning a start, rather than an end in and of itself. And let's also be clear about what school reform means today and the great difficulty of getting arts on the agenda, if it's even possible.
For me, well, what I want would be to help change the school reform agenda, in and through the arts. But that's a tough one, something that will certainly not come about solely through the arts education field, but if at all possible, through new alliances and partnerships well beyond the field we generally view as being that of arts education.
