| The Music Center is committed to helping schools provide standards-based instruction in the arts for all students. Music Center programs are designed to help schools increase their capacity by engaging the active participation of classroom teachers and by soliciting strong commitment from school leadership.
To help you get started designing your arts education program, consider the following key questions:
- Are the arts currently (or is it your goal to have the arts as) part of your core instructional program? Is the principal, as instructional leader, actively engaged in key decision on the arts education program? Are teachers a core part of planning, implementing and evaluating your arts education program?
- What is the focus of the arts curriculum at your school? Are the arts taught as discreet disciplines? Used to enhance learning in other areas? Both?
- What are you hoping teachers will gain or learn as a result of having participated in Music Center Education programs? What is your school's expectation for teachers to teach and/or integrate the arts? Do teachers currently have access to professional development opportunities in the arts? How can all teachers gain comfort and skill in leading arts lessons and connecting the arts to other core subjects?
- What are you hoping students will gain or learn as a result of having participated in Music Center Education programs? What student learning outcomes do you want all students to achieve in and through the arts? How can your students gain sequential skills and knowledge in one or more arts discipline(s)?
- What resources is your school able to commit to its arts education program? Dedicated, appropriate space for arts programs? Collaborative planning and professional development time for teachers with artists?
- What is already being taught at the school? Does the district and/or do parents provide programs? For all students? For selected students? What other community resources are offered at the school? Are there field trip opportunities? How can the Music Center programs build on existing resources?
- How can the resources of the Music Center help your school achieve its goals for arts education? Which arts discipline(s) should be the focus of your Music Center programs? Which teachers and students will participate? How can our artists support and mentor teachers in teaching and integrating the arts? How can performances or workshop programs support learning in other areas of the curriculum?
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