IEA Newsletter for Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Welcome to the Institute for Education and the Arts’ weekly newsletter for September 12, 2007. The newsletter is published each Wednesday to the IEA listserv and is archived here on the IEA blog.

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REPORT
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LITERACY INSTRUCTION IN THE CONTENT AREAS:
GETTING TO THE CORE OF MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
Alliance for Excellence in Education, 6/07
“Today, more than six million of the nation’s secondary school students fall well short of grade-level expectations in reading and writing. Recognizing the urgency of this literacy crisis among middle and high school students, policymakers in all parts of the country have begun to implement a wide range of new programs and services designed to help struggling adolescent readers catch up in essential literacy skills, particularly reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. However—and as this report argues—if students are to be truly prepared for the sophisticated intellectual demands of college, work, and citizenship, then these reforms will not be enough. Even as their schools help them to catch up in the basics, students also must be taught the advanced literacy skills that will enable them to succeed in the academic content areas—particularly the core content areas of math, science, English, and history.”
Download the report>>


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ART AND MEDICINE
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ART COURSE FINE-TUNES MEDICAL STUDENTS’ OBSERVATION SKILLS, TALENTS
Mary Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 7/31/07
”Seven students, completing their first year of medical school at the University of Pittsburgh, clustered around two objects in a small room and listened intently to an instructor's comments. Then they were asked to share their own observations about the subject of the discussion. The instructor was Louise Lippincott, Carnegie Museum of Art chief curator and curator of fine arts. And the objects were paintings – ‘Sailing’ and ‘Cape Cod Afternoon’ by American artist Edward Hopper -- in the museum's collection. The students, four women and three men, were attending a new mini-elective, ‘Art and Medicine,’ offered jointly by the School of Medicine, the Carnegie and The Andy Warhol Museum … Its intent is to challenge and to expand the students' notions about, and acuity of, visual perception by developing a heightened sensitivity toward looking. That includes not only sharpening observation skills but also expanding awareness of how individual life experiences shape and constrain what one sees.
Read more>>

THEATER TRAINING HELPS DOCTORS ENHANCE PATIENT CARE WITH CLINICAL EMPATHY SKILLS
Virginia Commonweath University, via Newswise, 8/21/07
“Doctors taught empathy techniques by theater professors show improved bedside manner, according to a pilot study by a Virginia Commonwealth University research team. The findings may help in the development of medical curriculum for clinical empathy training … Patients often identify empathy skills, such as understanding, listening and honesty, as important traits in their primary care physicians. Results of the VCU study … indicate a significant improvement in the clinical empathy skills of internal medicine residents at the VCU Medical Center following six hours of instruction with professors of theater … ‘We think it’s important that this study showed that there are measurable clinical empathy skills and that those skills can be taught to residents,’ said study co-author Alan Dow, M.D., associate director of residency training and assistant professor of internal medicine at the VCU Medical Center. ‘Improved empathy skills for doctors will mean that patients have better interactions with their doctors and are more satisfied with their care.’ According to Aaron Anderson, Ph.D., associate professor of theater at VCU and a study co-author, clinical encounters are similar to the interactions that actors experience during performance … ‘We were not teaching doctors to be actors,’ Anderson said. ‘But there are some elements of theater training that can be applied to medical training and can be useful for doctors trying to connect with patients.’
Learn more>>


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ARTS IN SCHOOLS
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MEET H. GENE JONES:
ACCELERATING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT BY INTEGRATING ART IN THE CURRICULUM
Awarded a $100,000 Purpose Prize for Americans Leading With Experience
H. Gene Jones has been awarded a Purpose Prize for his incorporation of the arts into the core curriculum. “Gene Jones, a decorated World War II bomber pilot, built his post-war career by turning failing businesses into profitable corporations. In 1999, at the age of 84, he turned his attention to the next generation. Combining his business savvy and love of music with his passion for education, Jones created Opening Minds through the Arts. Based on scientific brain research, the K-8 program integrates the arts into core curricula as a way to boost individual academic achievement and improve at-risk children's chance for future success. For example, creative movement specialists help instill critical thinking and problem-solving skills in second graders, and third graders develop compositional skills by learning to play a recorder, read music and write original tunes. Independent research shows that the program has raised students' scores on third grade standardized tests, increased attendance, reduced discipline problems, and boosted parental involvement. Project Zero researchers at Harvard have selected the program for inclusion in an upcoming report, Excellence in Arts Education and How to Achieve It. Started in three schools, Opening Minds through the Arts now operates in 36 schools, involving 17,000 students and 650 teachers in Tucson's largest public school district-the second largest in Arizona. Over the last year, many districts throughout the state have consulted with Opening Minds about bringing the program to their schools.”
Learn more about Gene Jones>>
Learn more about the Purpose Prize>>

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BRINGING DIVERSITY TO CLASSICAL MUSIC
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BREAKING THE SOUND BARRIER:
THE SPHINX ORGANIZATION AND CLASSICAL MUSIC
Aaron Dworkin’s lecture at the Chautauqua Institution, 8/15/07
MacArthur “Genius” Grant Winner Aaron Dworkin, who founded and is President of the Sphinx Organization, presented a lecture entitled “Breaking the Sound Barrier: The Sphinx Organization and Classical Music.” In it, “Aaron discussed his experiences that led to the founding of Sphinx, the current state of diversity in classical music, and Sphinx’s programs. The enthusiastic audience of over 1,000 received the lecture with a rousing standing ovation and raised many great questions during the question and answer period at the conclusion of the lecture.”
Watch the lecture online>>
Hear his podcasted interview on Chautauqua Radio>>

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THE "REAL" SHAKESPEARE
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WHO WROTE SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS?
Frontline, PBS
This Web site has teacher resources to assist high schoolers explore this age-old question.
Learn more>>


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GRANTS, FUNDING, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS
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2008 HARRIS WOFFORD AWARDS
Youth Service America/State Farm Companies Foundation
“Established in 2002, the prestigious Harris Wofford Awards were created to honor former Senator Harris Wofford - one of our nation’s greatest public servants. The Awards recognize extraordinary achievements in three categories: Youth, Organization, and Media for actively contributing towards, ‘making service and service-learning the common expectation and common experience of every young person in America.’”
Learn more>>

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