This article, The Hijacking of Arts Education, was forwarded to me by my friend Andy Wolf, who just wrote this terrific and important piece for the NY Daily News urging New York State to forgo applying to Race to the Top.The first piece, the hijacking piece, which strikes me as a sort of way out there, Joe McCarthy world view where art education is being infiltrated by … [Read more...] about Arts Education and Social Justice
The State of California Considers Bill That Will Hurt K-12 Arts Education
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
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