Help Wanted: Coalition Seeks Writers for New Arts Standards By Erik Robelen<http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/>
Ever looked at a set of standards and thought to yourself: Why on Earth did they include that? Or, I can’t believe they left out XYZ! Well, enough of the Monday morning quarterbacking. A national coalition is looking for a few good men and women to help write a set of “next generation” standards for arts education.
Actually, to be more precise, it’s trying to recruit 40 content experts, 10 each in dance, music, theater, and the visual arts. The deadline is Oct. 27 to apply for one of the spots.
Individuals interested in serving on a writing committee can apply at http://tinyurl.com/67lxbtd.
Click here for background on the effort to develop the new, voluntary standards.
The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards recently hired a project director, Phillip E. Shepherd, an independent arts education consultant, and longtime arts educator, based in Lexington, Ky.
“We have a real opportunity to do something extraordinary,” Shepherd said in a press release .”If we expect our teachers to teach and our students to truly learn, we need standards reflecting classroom practice and new modes of learning that will make our students highly competitive in the world economy.”
In addition, the coalition has named chairs for the four areas:
Dance: Rima Faber, president of the Capitol Region Educators of Dance Organization and former program director at the National Dance Education Organization.
Music: Scott Shuler, arts consultant for the Connecticut State Department of Education and president of the National Association for Music Education; and Richard Wells, director of music and performing arts in the Simsbury (Conn.) Public Schools and music chair for the Connecticut Common Arts Assessment Project.
Theatre: Rachel Evans, assistant professor of theatre education at Kean University in Union, NJ.
Visual Arts: Dennis Inhulsen, president-elect of the National Art Education Association and principal of Patterson Elementary School in Holly, Mich.
As a retired music educator from the St. Paul Public Schools, colleagues write music standards every 5 years. After completion they were usually lost by the arts administrator, or put in a desk drawer and never used. Until the arts is an equally respected curriculum in the US, states, cities, neighborhood schools, music will never be upheld by any district administrator nor school principal.
To change this, you have a lot of work to do.
Thank you for your efforts,
Vicci Johnson 2009-Retired Director of Bands, St. Paul Public Schools