-
Test Obsession Anyone?
Okay, you might argue that such a blog entry on the very day that NAEP reading results are released offers quite a skewed measure. I beg to differ. Nevertheless, take a look at the top Google new links for education news, today, May 20, 2010. Will historians write that Americans had become obsessed with test…
-
The Thomas Edison of Music Education and Composition, Jon Deak: Creating Music with El Sistema, Part Ten
Click here for Part Nine Five American Pieces At this midpoint of the program, we perform the pieces written by the ‘Bridge’ students of New York City for their Young Composing friends of Venezuela. Isaac Draper: From New York to Venezuela. Immediately apparent is the driving rhythmic theme, closely chromatic with intensive percussion, giving way…
-
The Thomas Edison of Music Education and Composition, Jon Deak: Creating Music with El Sistema, Part Nine
Click here for Part Eight We enter the children’s world: Michelle Hernández: The youngest composer, at age eight, has written for her original “dream’ assignment” a story so touching and symbolic of the whole, that we have her read it to the audience: Cuento Sobre la Música tells of the magic power of music to…
-
Reflections on a New York Times Op-Ed on Charter Schools
In today’s New York Times, Charles Murray of the American Enterprise Institute wrote an op-ed piece titled: Why Charter Schools Fail the Test. Mr. Murray makes a great case for the shortcomings of standardized tests (ELA and Math) as the singular measure of student achievement and school environment. In particular he sites the longitudinal study…
-
NYS Assembly Member Files Appeal to Force NYC to Meet State Law on Music Education
It’s a savvy approach to a long-term problem: the New York City Public Schools do not provide the minimum levels of music (and arts) education required by the State of New York. Assembly Member Alan Maisel, acting on behalf of the Music Educator’s Association of New York, filed an appeal with David Steiner, Education Commissioner,…
-
Guest Arts Education Blogger, Jon Deak: Creating Music with El Sistema, Part Seven
Click here for Part Six Caracas, 15 de abril Last two days of classes! With the concert on Saturday, We’ve decided to allow the children to work until Friday afternoon. This is risky, because in order to get this many pieces ready in legible form for professional musicians to read easily, means that all the…
-
Florida Arts Teachers Asked to Take 50% Pay Cuts to Keep Jobs and Draconian Cuts Proposed for NYSCA
On my first blog since Artsjournal.com returned from malware hell, (bravo to Doug McLennan for all his hard work to restore Artsjournal.com to its normal state), I bring to you the latest and greatest on how to cut education budgets during a crisis: the Broward Country Public Schools (Florida) are asking arts, physical education, and…
-
Guest Arts Education Blogger, Jon Deak: Creating Music with El Sistema, Part Six
Click here for Part Five Caracas, 13 de Abril, 2010 Having been so blown away by the rehearsal of the Simón Bolívar orchestra the previous Friday (see Part Three), and totally involved with planning these Young Composer classes, one might excuse me if attending the concert of the Mahler 7th Symphony this Tuesday evening would…
-
The Tools of Creativity, by Jon Deak
The Tools of Creativity By Jon Deak April 10, 2010 Hola Dani – You had asked me a very good and pointed question: “If you say that the children can already compose, then what exactly do you give them in your classes?” So, just to make things clear, I do want to give an answer…
-
Guest Arts Education Blogger, Jon Deak: Creating Music with El Sistema, Part Five
Click here for Part Four Caracas, April 13 Another day of wonders and the unpredictable. Today, Diana Arismendi, head of El Taller de Escritura Creativa, the Center for Creative Writing, and a prominent Venezuelan composer, returns from Puerto Rico to help us organize our efforts. I need her to feel that our program of starting…