|
|
|
URGENT ATTENTION REGARDING ARTS REQUIREMENTS
On Monday, April 19, 2010, the Board of Regents met on endorsement for elementary level teachers to teach Visual and Performing Arts at grades K-2. They reviewed regulation and policy and propose that general classroom teachers certified in Early Childhood Education take 12-15 credits of arts coursework for an "arts annotation", enabling those classroom teachers to teach art and music in grades K-2. The Committee on Higher Education will meet on Tuesday, April 20, to further discuss this plan.
NMEA is opposed to this idea. The arts are core academic subjects. Research shows that the early elementary years are critical in a student's musical aptitude and education. Public school teachers of these core academic subjects are required to have both a bachelor's and a master's degree in order to teach. The quality of instruction would be very negatively impacted if left to general classroom teachers with only 12-15 credits in the arts. This would not serve our students well. In addition, the quality of the program at the upper levels will be severely impacted by a weakening of instruction during these critical early years. This goes against everything NYSSMA has been pushing for over the years regarding having certified music teachers teaching the students. An additional topic of discussion for the Board of Regents is the idea of including Dance and Theatre for the minimum requirement of one-half credit in art and one-half credit in music for grades 7 and 8. If that passes, students would have the option of fulfilling their middle level arts requirements without taking art or music. Middle schools already use the barest of minimums to meet state requirements, this would give them even more reason to reduce student participation in music and art under the guise of “deeper depth of study in additional areas”. Please carefully read this document and the proposed ideas: http://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2010Meetings/April2010/0410emscd1.doc Please contact the following people as soon as possible to express your concern for these damaging ideas. Time is of the essence: Dr. David Steiner, Commissioner of Education:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Mr. Joseph P. Frey, Chair, Higher Education Committee:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
] Regents Members: Merryl H.Tisch Chancellor At Large
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Milton L.Cofield Vice Chancellor
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Robert M. Bennett Chancellor Emeritus
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Saul B.Cohen Chancellor At Large
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
James C. Dawson
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Anthony S. Bottar
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Geraldine D. Chapey
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Harry Phillips 3rd
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Joseph E. Bowman Jr.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
James R. Tallon Jr.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Roger Tilles:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Karen Brooks Hopkins
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Charles R. Bendit
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Rosa, Betty A. Rosa
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Lester W Young Jr.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Christine D. Cea
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Wade S. Norwood
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
All communications should emphasize the effect these will decisions will have on the musical development of the students, who are as always our primary concern. Brian Goldman, President, |