I know, I know, the full transcript and audio is coming.
In the meantime, here are a few quotes. But before that, here’s my headline:
US Education Secretary Affirms the Importance of Parents in Ensuring Arts Education
Here are the highlights:
1.”The elementary and secondary education act defines arts education as a core subject.”
2. “The 2008 NAEP assessment of music and visual arts…reminded all of us that the arts are a part of a complete education and require kids to use creative and problem solving skills.”
3.”Arts education plays an essential part in children’s education. It enriches their learning experience and builds skills that they can apply across the curriculum. The arts can play a significant role in programs that extend the school day and the school year.”
4.”As we think about NCLB reauthorization…I really want to think about how we can create incentives for folks not to narrow the curriculum, and continue to give a complete, comprehensive set of activities and experiences for children.”
5.”Parents really have to push for this and demand it. And our job as educators is to listen to what parents and students are telling us.”
6. “I’d push…three things: better recognizing and rewarding success and excellence and sharing those best practices, supporting the really creative and collaborative partnerships that create these opportunities for students, and really encouraging and empowering parents to make sure that this is the norm rather than the exception.”
Thanks to Nicole Mitzel at CAE for the quick transcription of these highlights.
Dear Arne,
In addressing your 6th quote as stated below:
“I’d push…three things: better recognizing and rewarding success and excellence and sharing those best practices, supporting the really creative and collaborative partnerships that create these opportunities for students, and really encouraging and empowering parents to make sure that this is the norm rather than the exception.”
I think the “push” needs to come from the federal, state and county as it has in the fields of science and math. If public education is all about the public deciding on what programs should be and should not be catered to, then questions need to be answered as to why arts programs (outside of tech skills as in painting, drawing, et cetera) are not adequate nor are they supported and defined by a student’s constitutional right to freedom of choice and pursuit of happiness.
A second answer, and this one is forthcoming, should be directed to why government institutions and their role in public education would think that parents should support the arts when jobs are limited to their children in arts fields when they graduate (if not in technologically based arts programs), because public training is not arts supported in public schools.
Leigh Rose
Educator, visual arts – K-12, English 6-12, creative writer and professional visual artist