Essentially this bill means that students who attend career and technical education high schools in the State of California do not have to have any arts instruction, at all. They still have to have all the other subjects required for graduation, but not the arts. And the really bad news is that this bill appears to be moving full steam ahead.I am a big supporter of CTE. in … [Read more...] about The State of California Considers Bill That Will Hurt K-12 Arts Education
Archives for April 2010
Guest Arts Education Blogger, Jon Deak: Creating Music with El Sistema, Part Four
Click here for Part Three Caracas, April 12-13, 2010 This will be the start of "The Week That Was!" for us and this wonderful, colorful band of children. If I didn't know through years of composing symphonic music that creativity can indeed be given a boost in restricted, unknown and time-intensive circumstances, I would say this could not be done, even attempted. But Richard … [Read more...] about Guest Arts Education Blogger, Jon Deak: Creating Music with El Sistema, Part Four
John Schoenherr, Children’s Book Ilustrator, RIP
Last week I learned of the death of the book illustrator, John Schoenherr. My favorite among his work was his partnership with Jane Yolen on the Caldecott Award Winning children's book Owl Moon. For my money, the Caldecott Award is a real measure of quality. Of course there are others like Newbery, Geisel, etc. And, with a five-year old daughter, I spend time a lot … [Read more...] about John Schoenherr, Children’s Book Ilustrator, RIP
Guest Arts Education Blogger, Jon Deak: Creating Music with El Sistema, Part Three
Click here for Part Two Caracas, April 9-10, 2010 The excitement builds. Also the nerves. Have you ever noticed how, when you travel to a completely new environment, all emotions are magnified? The joys are expansive, the fears are bottomless, each event rings clear, vibrates with color. I feel I should go to bed wearing dark sunglasses! And yet, there is a penetration to … [Read more...] about Guest Arts Education Blogger, Jon Deak: Creating Music with El Sistema, Part Three
Guest Blogger, Jon Deak, Creating Music with El Sistema, Part Two
Click here for Part One Caracas, April 8, 2010 We're here! It seems impossible to describe all the events and feelings of just the first twenty-four hours of our trip to Venezuela, to experience and interact with El Sistema. I've been so long in awe of this program which is revolutionizing this country and the musical world in the best possible way--and now here we are, in its … [Read more...] about Guest Blogger, Jon Deak, Creating Music with El Sistema, Part Two