UPDATED BELOW ***
This letter was sent in to the MFC (Music for Children) (subscription required) online discussion board this morning. It breaks my heart to hear stories of teachers all around the country as they try to deal with this horrible legislated educational nightmare. My response is noted below the writer's letter. Read on...
Dear all,
I have run home at lunch to write this. I need information from people who are teaching in districts that have been affected by NCLB. How have you fit music into this?
My district has restrictions as to blocks of uninterrupted time that must be taught in math and language arts. The district, in its state documents, has said that this time won't be broken up by such things as music or pe. (I teach music to 4/5 at 6 schools and PE teachers teach pe to k-3). There are serious discussions going on about all this-(I am not invited) and I'm really getting the feeling that they might cut the prep program (we give teachers one 40 minute prep a week) and hire part time people to come in the afternoon and provide the prep. AHHHHHHHHHHH. I am a permanent full time person in my district-have been for 13 years.
If you can help in any way with documents, sites.... please email me asap! I am writing a letter tonight and would welcome any pertinent info.
Thanks,
Sue in Napa CA
Dear Sue. sigh.... This problem unfortunately is pretty much sweeping the country. I retired in 2006 in part because my program was so adversely affected by the implimentation of NCLB in my district. In my case the administration over-reacted and super-scheduled all the remedial classes restricting elective class choices causing my enrollement in choir to drop from 170 in 7th and 8th grade to 48.
I know this is not encouraging to hear, but we MUST learn from our experiences and here is what I can take from my experience.
1. Talk to your administration. Then.... talk to them again. You MUST educate them about the value of your program, especially with regards to the fact that arts training helps the WHOLE child, including the part that takes tests! Perhaps other listers could help provide specific examples and research projects that are now verifying what we've always known.
2. Build a working relationship with the rest of your administration, especially those with input into scheduling and especially those who get to advise students as to what programs they should be taking. In my school, it was the guidance department that controlled the testing, who got remediation, and who got "recommended" for certain classes. (including one or two of mine.) Sad to say, but as my relationship with administrators deteriorated, so did my class sizes.
3. Work outside of class with students. Volunteer for bus duty, or cafeteria duty so your face can be seen by as many students as possible. If they know who you are, they'll tell the schedulers that they'd like to take your class, or at least ask they why they aren't allowed to take it.
4. Get to know your Parent Leadership. Volunteer to do concerts or simply to meet and talk with them. A few parents on your side can be a powerful force in your favor.
5.6.7.8.9.10.... Keep working on this. Find out everything you can about how your school works, who pushes the buttons, and who makes the decisions. You are an important teacher in your school! Everyone is being affected by NCLB. It is going to be with us until the SLOW wheels of legislation finally turn to some important necessary changes.
The biggest reason I retired was alas, my age and health. If I were 25 again, I'd still be in the thick of this battle. The passion for teaching is still strong. Good Luck.
Lister challenge. Let's start adding files to the discussion board showing the research that's been going on in arts education that can help teachers like Sue teach parents and administrators about the value of a fine arts program. There is immense public knowledge out there, it's time to let it show!
UPDATE
Thanks to Kathy in Newtown for letting us know that the Music Educators National Conference website has great resources for arts advocacy.
A couple of links for starters:
http://www.menc.org/information/advocate/facts.html
and
http://www.menc.org/information/advocate/sat.html
