 |
Art Smarts: How to Become an Advocate for Arts Education - Part 2
Lauren Schiller
Kids Crafts
What School Districts Are Doing
to Promote the Arts
Less than half of America's 8th graders are being taught
the arts. They are missing out on all the advantages listed
in Part 1, not to mention countless others. Despite these
dismal numbers, school districts across the country have taken
note of these fantastic findings and have implemented a comprehensive,
district-wide arts program in their schools.
Each program is unique. Some have focused on using art as
a method of learning other subjects, for example using the
scale of painting to teach geometry. Others have provided
more arts courses, and made them a weekly part of the curriculum
in the lower grades and expanded electives in secondary school.
And others have provided artists in residence programs where
professional artists come into the schools to share their
crafts with the students. However they go about it, it has
been proven that there are specific factors that determine
the success of such programs:
- Active involvement of the community in the shaping and
running of the program. This includes parents, artists,
arts organizations, businesses, local civic and cultural
leaders.
- A supportive Board of Education that provides the framework
for a strong arts program and superintendents who have a
vision for arts education and work with the School Board
towards that vision.
- District arts coordinators within the school system who
oversee the program and maintain and grow an environment
that is supportive of the arts.
- Teachers of the arts are encouraged to continue to constantly
learn about their art form as well as how to teach it.
- School leaders publicize their efforts throughout the
community to secure funding and support from local government
and businesses.
- A strong arts curriculum is established in elementary
school and provides a foundation for students as they progress.
- Offer specialized arts programs, such as magnet schools,
Advanced Placement arts courses, and summer programs.
- The districts employ state and national policies and programs
to advance the arts in their schools.
- School leaders advise the adoption of an overall program,
but implement it gradually.
Click here to read Part 3 of this series and discover what you can do to advance arts education.
Back to top
|
|
