 Creativity: Cure for the Common Curriculum
View this intriguing article by Dan Berrett in the " Chronicle of Higher Education" from this past April. A "growing appreciation of the practical, societal, and personal value of learning creative skills has prompted colleges both large and small to make creativity a compulsory part of their undergraduate education." |
FL Schools May Be Required to  Track Access to the Arts
Lawmakers in Florida are considering a proposal to require schools to report access to arts courses, just as they report data on graduation rates and student demographics. The push comes amid a downward trend in arts enrollment, despite research from the Center for Fine Arts Education that shows a link between arts enrollment and performance on standardized tests and the SAT. Meanwhile, struggling students must attend remedial courses, allowing less time for courses in the arts (National Public Radio).
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MA Creative Challenge Index
81% of American corporate leaders say that "creativity is an essential skill for the 21st century work force," adding further that creativity is the skill most lacking in those entering the work force out of college. IBM also conducted face-to-face interviews with 1500 CEOs across 60 nations and 33 industries, and 60% named creativity as the most important leadership skill.
In 2011, the MA State Legislature appointed a Commission to study the feasibility of developing an Index of Creativity and Innovation as a way of assessing creative opportunities all students have in the public schools not only in the arts, but across all subjects and disciplines. Arts|Learning executive director, Jonathan Rappaport, was a member of the commission that issued a report in September, 2012. The MA legislature recently budgeted an initial amount in order to pilot the program in several public school districts across the state. This is one example of how Arts|Learning advocates for (1) strong programs in the arts and (2) creativity across the curriculum. In subsequent newsletters this week, we will highlight several other important initiatives Arts|Learning is undertaking to support quality arts education across Massachusetts. For additional information about this project which is now spreading to other states, please click here. |
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