New Exchange Encourages Educators to Ignite Artistic Passion in Students Arts & Education Exchange Connects Teachers to Troubadours, Timpanis and Technology
Radical ways to “green your curriculum” through choreography; an all-original American Roots Music concert ala Zydeco in your classroom; yodeling and songs that bring the old-west alive . . . Tese are just a few examples on what you might find on the Arts & Education Exchange.
As music educators, we all know the value that the arts bring to our schools. Yet convincing our colleagues of the intrinsic value that interdisciplinary learning adds is never an easy task. Often we find ourselves asking, how do I advocate for increased support for the arts in my school? How can I improve student access to various methods of arts learning? Or, where can I go to grow my own practice and expand my own methodologies?
To tackle these challenges and expand access to the arts in schools across Illinois, Arts Alliance Illinois–with the support of the Illinois Music Educators Association–launched the Arts & Education Exchange this fall. Te Exchange is a free, easy-to- use online service that connects educators with arts providers to give students an opportunity for expression and self-discovery through creative outlets like music.
Te Exchange evolved from research which found that there was not enough information for Illinois educators about what arts resources were available in their area. Te Exchange will help you discover arts resources that you didn’t even know existed in your community.
In addition to the Illinois Music Educators Association, the Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Arts Council, and a consortium of other stakeholders came together to shape the Exchange. Te Exchange is supported in part by the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation and the JP Morgan Chase Foundation.
How Does the Arts & Education Exchange Work?
It takes five minutes or less to register for an account on the Arts & Education Exchange. Arts providers post details, pictures, video, and audio about their programs. Educators can then tap into the Exchange and can conveniently search for arts programming by keywords or custom-search by specific grade, type of arts program or region.
In addition, educators can post specific arts requests for their classrooms in the Exchange. For example, a high school band instructor could ask for a jazz ensemble to complement the orchestra’s unit on improvisation. An elementary school music teacher might seek a way to incorporate a Bhangra dance lesson into her course on world music.
What Will the Arts & Education Exchange Allow Educators to do?
Te Exchange is designed to help educators build and sustain comprehensive arts programs that complement their current
curriculum. It gives them access to one-stop shopping for arts programs, arts education resources, and online community discussions.
When you visit
www.artseducationexchange.org, whether you are a classroom teacher, school administrator, or parent, you can register as an educator. (Teaching artists and arts organizations should register as arts providers.) Once you create a profile, the Exchange will help you:
· Build relationships with arts providers · Find programs that help you meet state standards · Bring more arts and artists to your school · Discover creative solutions to meet your needs · Engage your school community through innovative programs · Learn from other educators who share their best practices · Find professional development workshops to earn CPDUs and learn new techniques · Explore funding opportunities and receive reminders about grant deadlines
Te creative mind not only refers to our students, but is equally applicable to us as educators and lifelong learners. We too must remain diverse in our pedagogy, exploratory in our techniques, and flexible toward new technology. Tis responsibility is no small task to be sure, but the Exchange endeavors to make this practice easier for all education professionals, especially those who may feel apprehension toward integrating various art forms into their curriculum.
Understanding that arts are an essential part of a quality education, not only in the art room, but in every discipline, is a fundamental building block of this initiative. It’s critical to go beyond state standards in the classroom. “Increasingly, researchers are finding evidence that early arts education is a building block of developing brain function. Music training is closely correlated with development of phonological awareness – one of the most important predicators of early reading skills.”1 Te Arts & Education Exchange recognizes that interdisciplinary learning through arts integration equally enriches students with cognitive as well as social-emotional benefits.
What’s more, programs found on the Arts & Education Exchange are meant to enhance a school’s existing arts resources. Arts partners and teaching artists should complement– not replace–certified arts teachers. Effective instruction in the arts requires knowledge of artistic processes as well as an understanding of the developmental needs and stages of children. Certified arts teachers are experts in both their arts discipline and the appropriate pedagogy for their students. It is essential that schools and districts invest in the hiring of certified arts teachers so students receive the same quality instruction in the arts as in other subject areas.
With the support of groups like IMEA, the Arts & Education Exchange will expand access to music and the arts in schools in cities and towns across Illinois.
1 Asbury, C., & Rich, B. (Eds). (2008). Learning arts and the
brain. Te Dana Consortium report on arts and
cognition.New York: Dana Press
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Illinois Music Educator | Volume 72 Number 1
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