The Persistent Idea that Change Can Occur in Schools Without Engaging the Educators in the Process

By Jane Remer

I have decided to move a comment I just left in another corner of the "room" into the spotlight. I am troubled by what sound like dismissive remarks about schools and school people and their willingness or ability to contribute to the entire enterprise we are discussing.

I am pasting in my response below:

Response to Bob Morrison's comment: "The formula is simple: Data informs advocacy, advocacy informs public policy, public policy creates change. The execution of the formula is a key to increased access to and participation in the arts in our schools. "
While I agree that access and equity are powerful ideas, I find your statement ingenuous; it is teacher and principal and educator proof and thus bound to failure. Most of the above addresses forces outside and beyond schools. And what makes you all think that public policy about or for the arts has made an iota of difference over the last 50 years? The challenge, I believe is to accept, respect and engage the school community in this kind of discussion and thinking; data analysis and policy wonking will not create lasting change that the people in the schools will recognize, acknowledge or implement. That is the very reason that every old and recent attempt at school reform has failed. It ignores the very actors on whom sucess depends.

December 1, 2008 2:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) |

4 Comments

By Ana Luisa Cardona on December 3, 2008 9:13 AM

Maybe we slice the school time pie the wrong way.

In the traditional subject area approach, it would appear the arts will remain on the short-end.

But, if we were to look at the skills students need in a different way....e.g. observational and visualization knowledge and skills. These are needed across disciplines yet the arts should have quite a bit to contribute to teaching and learning in these areas.

I am the member of an ethnic minority and the arts, with heavy chips on their shoulders, have often felt as if they suffer from the same jostling for their fair share that I experienced as the member of a minority group.

More and more I look forward to education that is organized around compelling knowledge and skills that cut across traditional subjects.

By Anonymous on December 2, 2008 5:34 AM

All change is local.

By Jane Remer on December 1, 2008 4:26 PM

Dear Bob, thanks for the clarification, and it does help...I would like to know more about this work. Can you point me to a source or sources...
Thanks, Jane

By Bob Morrison on December 1, 2008 2:44 PM

Hi Jane,

First... nothing I am saying is dismissive about school people or their role in the process. I said data was A key not THE key to creating change.

I believe a major part of the battle (after spending 20 years working on this issue from the local to national level) is to make sure conditions are right for arts learning to take place. The policy arena at the state level is where this is most effectively addressed.

Our data was a catalyst for investments in California, new state laws mandating arts education for every elementary student in arkansas (now largely modeled in Louisiana), state level policy reforms and building level reporting in New Jersey, and a new series of state level policies to be released in Wisconsin. Others like the work engaged by Moy and the folks at Hewlett have had a major impact as well.

Information is power and we have seen the power of having meaningful data on access and equity to help alter the environment so more kids are engaged in the arts.

This is the where the leverage is to create the greatest change for the most students using limited resources. It in know way makes light of teachers or administrators... it does make the overall environment better for them to actually... have a program!

I hope this clarifies my point.

This Conversation For decades, as teaching of the arts has been cut back in our public schools, alarms have been raised about the dire consequences for American culture. Artists and arts organizations stepped in to try to... more

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