Catch up on what’s happening
National work
I get a ton of email and at least once a week this question: “when are the Common Core coming for the Arts?” If you’ve been following the blog posts you probably know that the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) include ELA and Math. However, the work is underway on the rewriting of the national arts standards which will not be called common core but National Core Arts Standards. The Coalition for Core Arts Standards is the leadership team for the work and is made up of the national organizations for each discipline of the arts plus The College Board and my professional organization State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education (SEADAE).
There are five disciplines being developed as part of the document: dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts. The writing teams are comprised of teachers in PK-higher ed and also include members from SEADAE. You can follow the development of this work and learn what has taken place to date by going to http://nccas.wikispaces.com/.
I have been reading information about the connections of the arts to the CCSS and have provided some resources at the Maine Department of Education arts pages for you. My colleague from Kansas facilitated a webinar called The Arts, Common Core, and 21st Century Connections. Please take a few minutes to view it by clicking here.
With the heavy focus on reading and math with the CCSS I know there are some concerns that the arts will be marginalized. I understand David Coleman who was a leader write for the CCSS, ELA said: “The new requirements do not exclude the arts. There is no such thing as doing the nuts and bolts of reading in kindergarten through 5th grade without coherently developing knowledge in science and history and the arts. Period. It is false. It is a fiction.” Education Week/Curriculum Matters blog (3/21)
Condoleezza Rice and the Arts
Condoleezza Rice Makes the Case for Arts as Vital Part of Education at http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2012/03/condoleeza-rice-makes-the-case-for-arts-as-vital-part-of-education.html
Teaching Math Through the Visual Arts
Caren Holtzman and Lynn Susholtz have written a book called Teaching Math Through the Visual Arts, K-5. You can preview the book online at http://www.stenhouse.com/shop/pc/viewprd.asp?idProduct=9334&r=eu11024&pos=sponstop1&adv=stenhouse
me arts ed 