New Horizons for Learning: Teaching and Learning Strategies

More Arts! It's Essential and the Law!

by AnnRené Joseph, Program Supervisor, The Arts, OSPI- Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment

The inspiration for this article revolves around speaking requests for my presentations in schools, districts, events, conferences, and forums. Audiences want to hear about how arts education is a core academic subject area in Washington state, and what is happening to keep strong arts programs "alive and well" for all learners in dance, music, theatre and visual arts. My job requires me to have visionary leadership, advocacy and action to ensure More Arts! This article gives readers and listeners successful strategies to ensure More Arts in their schools and districts.

More Arts is happening!
Most educational questions can be answered by my mantra and slogan of More Arts! This type of response gets good attention, excites audiences and needs a little practice with a group. Questions such as the following seven are asked of me on most days. They are:
• "How do we keep students engaged in the learning process?" Answer: "More Arts!"
• "How do we close the achievement gap?" Answer: "More Arts!"
• "How do we engage students in meaningful learning that gives relevance, rigor and relationship to their lives?" Answer: "More Arts!"
• "How do we reach all learners, address the special needs of learners, and provide education for the "whole child?" Answer: "More Arts!"
• "How do we celebrate all of the cultural and diversity needs of our students?" Answer: "More Arts!"
• "How do we improve the student achievement in reading, writing, and math scores of our students who are not meeting standard on state tests?" Answer: "More Arts!"
• "How do we inspire parents to choose our school for their children?" Answer: "More Arts!"

The next round of questions involves how a school/district can put "More Arts" in the lives of their students. The goal/vision of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction is for all students to have a comprehensive, sequential, and standards-based K-12 arts program in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts in all 296 school districts.
Fourteen (14) questions to ask regarding this goal/vision are:
1. Do you have K-12 classes in dance, music, theatre and visual arts, per state and federal laws and policies for arts education? http://www.k12.wa.us/curriculumInstruct/Arts/pubdocs/ArtsEdLawandPolicy0607Rev0806.pdf
2. What is your district's journey in progress regarding the state goal/vision/mandate for the arts for all learners? Where is arts education happening, what is happening and who is teaching the arts? Do you have all four arts disciplines being taught and/or available to all learners?
3. Do you have an arts administrator who is providing support, vision, and direction for your arts educators/specialists?
4. What is your superintendent's position regarding arts education? Do you have a letter of support from your superintendent/principal/administrator like Dr. Bergeson's Statement of Support for Arts Education? (http://www.k12.wa.us/curriculumInstruction/arts )
5. What type of arts high school graduation requirement courses does your district provide, developed at benchmark three and/or above, taught by highly qualified and certified instructors, for one full year of study, and non-substitutable for the graduating class of 2008 and beyond? The arts are defined as visual and performing arts. Alignment of your district/school course catalogs with state law will assist with the definition and development of appropriate classes in the arts for this requirement http://www.k12.wa.us/CurriculumInstruct/Arts/artsrequirement.aspx
6. Are your arts teachers teaching to the four arts essential academic learning requirements (EALRs) and frameworks for the arts? http://www.k12.wa.us/curriculumInstruct/Arts/EALRs/EALRs.aspx
7. How are the schools in your district addressing alternative arts, learning styles, multiple intelligences, and scheduling, staffing, arts for arts sake, integrated arts, and arts in the content areas? http://www.k12.wa.us/curriculumInstruct/Arts/pubdocs/pdf/Eisner.pdf
8. How are your schools/districts providing for professional development for arts education? Do your districts allow time for all of the arts specialists to get together during the school year to create your arts education journey, network, plan, strategize, and mobilize an arts team/unit on behalf of all learners? A full picture of up-coming state arts professional development opportunities, including ArtsTime 2007 www.artstime.org are available at: http://www.k12.wa.us/curriculumInstruct/Arts/ArtsProfDevOpport.aspx
9. How are your schools/districts funding arts education? The Arts are one of the eight core academic subject areas of reading, writing, mathematics, communication, social studies, the arts, and health and fitness. The arts are a major priority subject area. Basic education, state and federal funds are provided to your district for arts education.
10. Are your schools/districts writing grants for arts education?
11. Are your schools/districts utilizing the information, materials, resources, and research on the OSPI Arts websites? http://www.k12.wa.us/curriculuminstruct/arts and www.k12.wa.us/assessment/WASL/Arts
12. Do you have the Washington State Arts Education Poster of laws, policies, EALRs, frameworks, elements, principals, links, and vision from the OSPI?
http://www.k12.wa.us/CurriculumInstruct/Arts/pubdocs/ArtElementsPrinciplesPosterEdition2RevAug06.pdf This poster illustrates the 5000 pages of information regarding arts education, in an engaging 11 x 17 inch format. It is to be used for teaching, learning, and advocacy as your political and education frame for arts education in WA State.
13. Are your schools, districts, teachers providing and using the developed arts classroom-based performance assessments (CBPAs) as an integral part of teaching and learning? Have your teachers participated in professional development/pilots regarding these integral arts performance assessments? View the entire set of 60 arts CBPAs at: http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/WASL/Arts/CBPAentireset.aspx
14. Are your schools and districts using research, data, and best practice models to provide quality arts programs to all learners to develop well-rounded and "whole children/people" ? The fall 2006 edition Voice Magazine is featuring an article about The Arts- New Possibilities for Teaching and Learning by Stevenson and Deasy, March 2006, from the National Association of Secondary Principals. I have permission to post, print, and circulate this article on behalf of arts education. You may download the entire article at: http://www.k12.wa.us/CurriculumInstruct/Arts/pubdocs/PrincipalsResearchReviewMarch06.pdf
You can view information about WA State and how it compares to other states on the Arts Education Partnership website data base of state information at: http://www.aep-arts.org/policysearch/searchengine/searchResults.cfm Washington State is leading the nation in developing a systemic structure to allow for the best arts education possible for all learners! The synergy of our collective efforts will provide MORE ARTS for all learners in WA State!

About the Author: AnnRene Joseph is the Program Supervisor for the Arts (dance, music, theatre and visual arts), Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Her contact information follows.
OSPI Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)
600 Washington St. SE, Room 244
PO Box 47200
Olympia, WA 98504-7200
360.725.6365
FAX 360.725.6017
annrene.joseph@k12.wa.us
www.k12.wa.us

This article is in the public domain and can be freely copied and used in trainings as handouts at parent and community meetings, and in creating your school or district programs. (Please cite all sources of materials you use.)
Posted with permission, September 2006 by
New Horizons for Learning
http://www.newhorizons.org
info@newhorizons.org