In speaches made regarding the education of our children in the United States our programs are often compared to those in Finland, Singapore and Canada.  Here is what Education Secretary Arne Duncan had to say August 25th. 

“Today, there are many different approaches to strengthening the teaching profession — both here in America and in countries that are outperforming us such as Finland and Singapore.Our competitors in other parts of the world recognize that the roles of teachers are changing. Today, they are expected to prepare knowledge workers, not factory workers, and to help every child succeed, not just the [ones who are] easy to teach.”

In the “Answer Sheet”  posted on Washingtonpost.com, Sean Slade, Director of Healthly School Communities, provides the reader with comments made by leadership in these countries.

Follow the  link to this interesting article on what these countries think of Art Education and its importance to a child’s development.

Answer Sheet

What are your thoughts?

 Found on the National Art Education Association’s web site are E. Eisner’s 10 Lessons the Arts Teach Children. Now that we are back in school I thought it would be a good idea to revisit them. What do you think?

“1. The arts teach children to make good judgments about qualitative relationships.
Unlike much of the curriculum in which correct answers and rules prevail, in the arts, it
is judgment rather than rules that prevail.

2. The arts teach children that problems can have more than one solution
and that questions can have more than one answer.

3. The arts celebrate multiple perspectives.
One of their large lessons is that there are many ways to see and interpret the world.”

To read the rest of these click on the link below

10-lessons-the-arts-teach

Several schools in Quebec, Canada, are participating in a research study looking at art’s effect on student behavior and engagement. The schools all make use of a program called ArtsSmarts, a learning strategy that relies on artistic activities as a way to foster students’ growth as creative thinkers.  

The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation launched ArtsSmarts in 1998 to offset the shrinking art education budget in schools. Since then, their mission has changed a bit.

“To introduce the arts back into classrooms is where we were in 1998,” said Executive Director Annalee Adair. “To integrate arts with other disciplines is where it evolved… [We’re] looking at arts as a way of learning itself.”  

To read more about what ArtsSmarts has already done and their plans for the future, please click the story link below.

Art Helps to Focus the Mind

In the quest to increase children’s reading and math scores and to secure financial support from the federal government, schools have severely scaled down and even eliminated their arts programs. What is the real cost in depriving children of an arts education?

Tim Gebhart of the Epoch Times reports that arts education has been shown to enhance children’s learning and overall development.

“Many studies show that involvement in the arts drastically improves SAT scores. Children involved in the arts are more likely to get involved in other school programs, are less likely to use drugs, are less prone to stress, and tend to have a more positive outlook on life.”

Click below and find out how the arts can predict a child’s future success in college and beyond, and tell us how the arts have bettered your life.

Arts Essential for Making the Grade in Education

Santa Rosa Schools look for ways to save Art

“In truth, we need a huge infusion of capital and a change in attitude about art and music, math and science. We need to define a well-rounded education and to make the case for its importance in a global innovation economy.”

Read the complete article  Future Leaders Need Art-Infused Education

 Read   “Don’t cheat children out of arts education”

David Twitty writes in his article “Arts an easy target as many states cut budgets” for Associated Press states:

“States across the country are slashing their arts funding for the second year in a row as they cope with falling tax revenues. Those cuts, which often happen during recessions, are a serious blow to arts agencies and individual dancers, painters and actors at a time when private donations are down and many art organizations are being more selective in what they produce.” 

To read more click here: Arts an easy target as many states cut budgets