Note: To protect the privacy of our members, e-mail addresses have been removed from the archived messages. As a result, some links may be broken.
Find Lesson Plans on getty.edu! GettyGames

Re: No Child Left Behind

---------

From: Aaron Hopkins (hopkiaar_at_TeacherArtExchange)
Date: Fri Jan 24 2003 - 09:02:11 PST

Renee...i teach in Maryland and my school is beginning to take on a challenge grant due to the poor test results from our students. We have a fifty percent mobility rate and and a sizeable percentage are free and reduced lunches. The challenge grant focuses on literacy (which is the focus for elem. no child left behind). They want art teachers (music, phys. ed, and media as well) to teach reading in the morning along with everyone else. I am fighting this idea tooth and nail, since the kids will get jipped of the small amount of art time they already have. I can't justify having 30 min of art a week to increase literacy time. They already have 300 min a week for literacy compared to 55 min for art. I have said repeatedly that I would incorporate literacy in my class (which i do often), but would not agree to the idea of replacing art with reading. If the kids could get 60 min or more a week and still have time for me to teach reading, then maybe. But art has its' own value, just as literacy. Has a
nyone heard of VISUAL LITERACY? I would like to learn more about that topic, since I could use that to help justify the program I have been working very hard to build.
Aaron in Maryland

>>> Renee.Berg@k12.sd.us 01/23/03 06:55PM >>>
Dear fellow art professionals, Does anyone know where I can read the "No Child Left Behind" proposal? I've seen a few editorials on it and would like to read more on how it affects the Arts. Somewhere I read that Art was equated as a Basic along with Math, English, etc.. But, as meetings are being called in our district on how to address this, I've been told art might possibly take a cut at elementary level, so we can squeeze in more "basics" for better testing scores. When the proposal address arts do they mean music, and drama only and not the visual art? I hope this is addressed at Nationals this Spring. I want to inform me and my fellow art teachers so if we face a battle, we are prepared with some knowledge.
Bergie
 

Renee Berg
6th,7th Art and 8th grade Art Tech
Mitchell Public Schools
Mitchell, SD
http://teachers.k12.sd.us/rb043 

---
---