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ARTS EDUCATION K-12

The New ABCs of Public Education
and
Arts Education

A monograph on the potential impact of Arts Education
on The New ABCs of Public Education.

Developed by the
Arts Education Coordinators of North Carolina

The Arts Education Coordinators endorse the ultimate goal of The New ABCs of Public Education. We believe that :

  • it is essential that all students reach proficiency in reading, writing, and mathematics as a part of a comprehensive education.
  • these proficiencies are attained in schools where the entire faculty is committed to the development of the whole child.
  • varied approaches to testing, including authentic assessment, should be employed.

The New ABCs of Public Education does not necessarily weaken the role of arts education in successful schools. Howard Gardner has identified multiple intelligences which are independent and mutually supportive. We believe that the emphasis for all arts educators should be on the development of the whole child, inclusive of all intelligences. The use of interdisciplinary instruction which demonstrates to every child that all subjects and elements of life are interrelated is more effective than the separation of subject areas and disciplines. It is not possible to be an effective teacher in the arts without also teaching mathematics and the use of language.

It is evident that children learn in different ways and that the arts are valuable to achieve the intent of The New ABCs of Public Education. Music is regularly involved with sets, fractions, ratios, proportions, measurement, reading and writing, pronunciation and enunciation, and many other concepts pertinent to the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics. Likewise, Dance uses many similar approaches to mathematics and many of the structural elements employed in language. Visual Arts develops verbal and non-verbal communication an understanding of geometric patterns, measurement, proportions and other math concepts. Theatre Arts focuses significantly on reading, writing and communication in the history/ literature and performance areas, and mathematics, physics, and chemistry in the technical areas of theatre study. In addition to being an essential part of preparation for full participation as an educated adult, all arts education disciplines can be integrated with and by virtually any subject.

We as Arts Education Coordinators do not see The New ABCs of Public Education as something foreign or counter to the purposes of arts education. However, we feel that misinterpretation of the document could lead to unintended consequences. We agree that children need the basic skills outlined by the plan. In fact, we believe the outlined skills might be broadened, since similar attainments in intelligences outside mathematics and linguistics are not included. Many arts educators are concerned that local decision makers may interpret The New ABCs of Public Education as being specifically-focused and use it to implement strategies which may be less than effective. For example when mathematics performance is inadequate, a solution might be to increase instructional time for mathematics to the detriment of time allocated for arts instruction. Simply increasing the instructional time beyond the present allocation is not likely to improve instructional outcomes. The solution to our student performance dilemma requires the efforts of all staff members in all disciplines. The arts are a part of what every child should know and be able to do. The consistent implementation of arts education in the curriculum is one of the most effective ways to develop creativity, higher order thinking skills and problem recognition/solving techniques.

We encourage each arts educator in North Carolina to:

  • become a part of the school reform processes.
  • identify the many specific ways in which your discipline supports reading, writing and mathematics and make these clear to students, administrators, faculty, parents and the public.
  • help decision makers recognize the importance of arts education as a part of the general education of all students.
  • become an active part of your school's plan to achieve the goals of The ABCs of Public Education

We encourage local decision makers to:

  • support a broad comprehensive curriculum including the arts for all students.
  • carefully consider the roles the arts can play in the development of the wholechild.
  • encourage the use of arts education instruction to achieve improved test scores.
  • foster creative approaches to teaching and learning.

Learning which includes the multiple intelligences and centers on the whole child is the long-term solution to the problems facing our schools. Arts education is a collective term that denotes learning and instruction in four separate and distinct subject areas: dance, music, theatre arts and visual arts. The purposes of arts education as stated in the 1996 Arts Education Standard Course of Study Frameworks are:

  • There is a strong emphasis on communicating, reading, writing and, where plausible, math throughout each arts curriculum.
  • Integration of learning both among the four arts areas and among other subject areas is stressed.
  • Since the ability to do critical and creative thinking as well as complex problem solving and to use intuition are an inherent part of the arts process, importance has been placed upon the development of these abilities throughout the entire study in each arts area.
  • There is a greater focus on knowing about, understanding and appreciating a variety of world cultures and historic periods.
  • The ability to use knowledge, skills and processes learned in the arts and apply them to other disciplines and to life beyond school is reinforced.
  • Where appropriate in some arts areas, concepts such as conflict resolution, teamwork, sensibility to and tolerance of others and their views, heightened perceptual awareness, synthesis of ideas to arrive at a logical deduction, and work force preparedness are dealt with as integral aspects of the study.

Schools with narrow vision and focuses achieve limited success. We believe the teaching of any subject for its' own sake, whether reading, writing, mathematics or the arts, is not in the students' best interest. It is only when all areas of the curriculum are taught and understood in an integrated and connected way that we fully address the needs of the students and the future of our state.

The Arts Education Coordinators of North Carolina are comprised of arts education coordinators, supervisors and contact personnel from local education agencies, representatives of arts education organizations, and arts consultants from the Department of Public Instruction. This group meets on a regular basis to exchange information and promote arts education.