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A couple of months ago, a grim picture for schools was painted by the Schools Chancellor. Then there was the stimulus package, with a central focus on protecting jobs of teachers. Then there was a budget offered by the Mayor which projected that there would be no teacher layoffs and that the NYCDOE was being protected to a much greater degree than other agencies. Predicting New … [Read more...] about A Memo from the NYC Schools Chancellor to School Principals

It always amazes me how many people in the arts education community don't know David Perkins. Perhaps it's because he isn't an arts guy, per se, but rather received his Ph.D from MIT in mathematics and artificial intelligence. Perhaps it's the wide range of his work. There are many other Project Zero faculty who are better known, particularly in the arts education community, … [Read more...] about People You Should Know: David Perkins

But of course, you say. Well, this is one of those things you want to watch, for the funding for field trips is closely associated with funding for teaching artists, arts supplies, school plays, etc. While the stimulus money for education will pour significant funds into some schools, at the very same time other schools will see budget cuts. It's part of the schizoid time we … [Read more...] about Field Trips Declining

Only Children Need ApplyOkay, of course we all know about teaching artists providing arts instruction in schools. We also know of non-arts teachers providing arts instruction (which predates the arts teacher). We also know, although it is still an outlier in arts education, of parents and other volunteers teaching arts.Okay, here's a new one: a New York City public school, P.S. … [Read more...] about A New Replacement for Certified Music Teachers

I once had the great good fortune to be taken to the woodshed by Warren Simmons, head of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform. Warren gave me a brilliant lesson on advocacy through the lens of informed engagement. Without information, the engagement was likely to fail. What and how would you inform those you seek to engage, both as a precursor to engagement, and as part of … [Read more...] about Arts Education Bill of Rights