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.