IEA Newsletter for Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Welcome to the Institute for Education and the Arts’ weekly newsletter for October 24, 2007. The newsletter is published each Wednesday to the IEA listserv and is archived here on the IEA blog.

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NETWORKING FOR EMERGING LEADERS IN THE ARTS
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CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: AN EMERGING ARTS LEADER DIALOGUE
Sponsored by The Forum for emerging arts professionals
Co-hosted by Americans for the Arts' Creative Conversations Program
Monday, 10/29/07, 4:30 – 7pm|
600 Restaurant at the Watergate, 600 New Hampshire Ave, NW, Washington, DC
“The Forum for Emerging Arts Professionals aims to provide unique professional development and networking opportunities for emerging arts professionals. This event is an informal and open discussion on topics pertinent to emerging arts leaders in the DC area. Bring with you the issues you face every day. Following the discussion, attendees are encouraged to walk over to the Kennedy Center for the 6:00 p.m. Millennium Stage performance of the Washington National Opera's Insights series, featuring A View from the Bridge. This event is FREE. Attendees of the discussion session will receive a free drink ticket and appetizers.”
To RSVP: Email theforum.mail@gmail.com
Learn more about the Emerging Leaders Network of Americans for the Arts>>
Visit The Forum’s Web site>>


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ARTS AS A PART OF A CHILD’S PLAY AND EDUCATION
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EDUCATING CHILDREN IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM: CHILD’S PLAY
Steven T. Webb, Education Week, 8/8/07
”Many students today are not benefiting from a balance of intellect and imagination. As an American Academy of Pediatrics report published last January notes, changes in the family structure, the highly competitive college-admissions process, and federal education policies have led to reduced time for recess and physical education in many school systems, a fact that has reduced free play and unscheduled time for children. Even worse, some school systems have reduced or eliminated curricular art programs that look like play to some people. Increasingly, research in neuroscience suggests that the arts (and play) have a significant impact on students’ cognitive, social, and emotional development. From a Piagetian perspective, we know this is true in theory. But recent developments in neuroimaging technologies (brain-based research) have added another important dimension to our knowledge, by allowing scientists to observe how various processing systems in the brain collaborate. Not only do play, the arts, and physical education have inherent value—new technologies demonstrate a significant link between artistic and cognitive development. During the brain’s early years, neural connections are made at a rapid rate. Much of what young children do as play—singing, dancing, painting, drawing, acting—are natural forms of art … High-quality early-childhood programs are grounded in the arts, play, and experiential learning. When children enter school, art experiences must continue. As David A. Sousa, a former superintendent and the author of How the Brain Learns, writes: ‘The arts are not just expressive and affective, they are deeply cognitive. They develop essential thinking tools—pattern recognition and development; mental representations of what is observed or imagined; symbolic, allegorical, and metaphorical representations; careful observation of the world; and abstraction from complexity.’
Read more>>


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ARTS EDUCATION AND THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE
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GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON UNVEILS NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY
Campaigns and Elections, 10/11/07
“New Mexico Governor and Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Richardson unveiled a comprehensive national education policy … ‘My Democratic opponents have been cautious in confronting President Bush on this issue,’ Richardson said … ‘I have two words for No Child Left Behind: scrap it. The key to a good education is not narrow testing or Washington wisdom. The key is a good teacher in every classroom … As President, I will provide universal access to quality pre-K programs to all four-year-olds … I also will fund Head Start fully. The benefits of early education are clear and extensive’ … Richardson vowed that he would put the arts back in America's schools. ‘Arts education is not a silver bullet, but it is a lighted bridge,’ Richardson said. ‘Students who engage in the arts are more likely to get involved in community and charitable work. These students also perform better in the classroom. I will substantially increase investment in arts-in-education programs. I will pay for musical instruments and music teachers in underserved communities around the country. The federal government will offer extra matching funds to states that draw up their own comprehensive art programs."
Read more>>


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NATIONAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES MONTH
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OCTOBER IS NATIONAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES MONTH
Coordinated by Americans for the Arts
“Held every October, National Arts and Humanities Month (NAHM) is a coast-to-coast collective celebration of culture in America. Coordinated by Americans for the Arts, it is the largest annual celebration of the arts and humanities in the nation. From arts center open houses to mayoral proclamations to storefront banners and newspaper articles, thousands of communities across the United States are recognizing the cultural gems all around them.”
Learn more, watch the promotional video, and order free NAHM decals>>


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CONFERENCE
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CONFERENCE FOR COMMUNITY ARTS EDUCATION
11/8 – 11/10/07 (Preconference 11/7/07)
National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts
Los Angeles, California
”Guided by the conviction that participation in the arts is vital to individual fulfillment and community life, the Conference for Community Arts Education provides essential networking and professional development opportunities for community arts education leaders. As a conference delegate, you'll learn how to attract new students, fill studios in off-peak hours, recruit and retain talented faculty, establish successful partnerships, employ new technology, raise more money, diversify your course offerings, and more. Workshops are led by nationally renowned experts in the fields of advocacy, arts integration, student assessment, board development, evaluation, finance, fund raising, marketing, partnerships, technology and more. Roundtable sessions bring expert practitioners together to share information and ideas. And our showcases highlight successful programs that you can replicate back home.”
Learn more and register>>


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LESSON PLANS
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CONCEPTS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM: GREAT AMERICAN AUTHORS
Pbs.org
For grades 6 – 12
“Explore activities that highlight the careers and writing styles of American authors Ralph Ellison, Katherine Anne Porter, Maurice Sendak and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Explore their literature and review timelines of their lives.”
View lesson plans>>


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GRANTS, FUNDING, CONTESTS, AND AWARDS
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ARTS CONNECT ALL: GRANTS FOR INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS
VSA Arts
Deadline: 12/7/07
”Involving and including students with disabilities demands more than separate, specialized programs. Having students with and without disabilities interacting in activities together creates awareness, understanding, and respect—which is inclusion. To create inclusive learning environments, accessible education programs engage students with and without disabilities by incorporating multi-modal approaches and accommodating a range of abilities, learning styles, and skills. VSA arts and MetLife Foundation invite proposals from arts organizations creating or enhancing inclusive educational programs.” Eligible communities are outlined on the Web site, as are specific program and application guidelines.
Learn more>>