NYC: National Expectations for Arts Ed

Next steps with the national arts standards

Imagine

I arrived in NYC last Wednesday afternoon and met my colleague Ana Cardona from Michigan at LaGuardia Airport so we could grab a taxi together to the perfectly located Crowne Royal Hotel on Broadway.

After checking in we walked towards Lincoln Center through Central Park. We stopped to see the Strawberry Fields Memorial to John Lennon and saw Snowdrops coming through the snow. We arrived early to help set up for the reception being held for our organization of State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education (SEADAE). Scott Noppe-Brandon, the Executive Director greeted us and we were provided with a brief overview of the arts education programs they are presently working with as part of the Center and as outreach to schools and communities. Afterwards we had supper at an Indian restaurant called Sapphire. It was delicious!

Laurie Lock and Chiho Okuizumi from VH1 Save the Music

On Thursday morning we met at VH1 Save the Music and were greeted by Chiho Okuizumi. I met Chiho in September in Maine when she was making arrangements with Iris Fields for the funding provided by VH1 for students in the school in Harmony, ME. She and her colleague Laurie Lock gave us an overview of the program later on in the day.

SEADAE colleagues hard at work

Our meeting started with an update of the National Expectations work and the day ended with strategic planning. The day before  SEADAE leadership met with our national partners including MENC, NAEA, EdTA, AATE, NDEO, AEP, and College Board. I have a better understanding of where the work is at this point. I feel confident that it will go forward stronger due to the understanding that now exists with the partners. Here are the important points:

• The governance body has an  understanding of the work we do and because of this are now in a position to better assist us.
• The survey of the states recently completed helped the entire team understand the work that is being led by the arts specialists who have been involved in standards development in each state.
• The meeting on Wednesday heard reports provided by College Board staff who have participated in the development of the ELA and Math Common Core and the Conceptual Framework for Science.
• College Board’s support for the effort SEADAE is leading provided important background information. This information will be available shortly and I will share it here.
• SEADAE has a strategic plan that will provide the states with a  national perspective.
• The effort is grounded in research collected by SEADAE about what is happening in each of the states. This  will be posted in the near future so you can see how Maine fits into the national picture.
• We can expect a draft of the National Expectations sometime during the fall of 2012.

As I stated in the past as the work unfolds I will keep you informed through this blog.

14 states represented at the SEADAE meeting

That evening I went to supper with my colleague from Arizona Lynn Tuttle and Chiho. Afterwards 7 of us went to see Driving Miss Daisy with Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones. It was absolutely FABULOUS. The actors really draw the audience into the characters. Humor, love, friendship, and trust are portrayed in an amazing way. I highly recommend it!

NYC on Broadway

 

Heading to the theater