18August2011

VADEA EBULLETIN
SHAPEOFTHEAUSTRALIANCURRICULUM:THEARTS

Vol.18

th Friday26 August, TheHonPeterGarrettMP(MinisterforSchoolEducation,EarlyChildhoodandYouth)andTheHonSimon CreanMP(MinisterforRegionalAustralia,RegionalDevelopment,LocalGovernment,andMinisterforTheArts)

releasedACARAsShapeofTheAustralianCurriculum:TheArts.
Followthelink,ClickheretoviewtheShapeoftheAustralianCurriculum:TheArts,ontheACARAwebsite:

http://www.acara.edu.au/arts.html
DuringthatextensiveconsultationACARAreceivedalotoffeedbackandsuggestionsabout thebestwaytoteachtheArtsinourschools,includingtheneedtomaintainspecialist teaching,MrGarrettsaid.

Wevelistenedtothosesuggestionsandthefinalshapingpaperreleasedtodayreflectsthe viewsofourartsandeducationleaders,schoolsandparents.
Read,TheConsultationFeedbackReportonthe draftShapeoftheAustralianCurriculum:the Arts ACARAreceivedover1600responsesnationallyto theonlinequestionnaireand166written submissions. Read,TheArtsattheheartofnewAustralian CurriculumMediaRelease Underthenewcurriculum,studentswillstudyallfive artssubjectsdance,drama,mediaarts,musicand visualartsfromtheirfirstyearofschooltotheend ofprimaryschool.Onceinhighschool,students willbeabletostartspecialisinginoneormoreof theirfavouriteArtssubjects.Schoolswillhavea highdegreeofflexibilityoverimplementation.

Followthelink,ClickheretoviewtheArts ConsultationReport,ontheACARAwebsite:

http://www.acara.edu.au/arts.html

http://vadea.org.au/wordpress/?p=2344

VADEA WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU! 2011 Financial Members are asked to share their comments, concerns and ideas about the Shape of the Australian Curriculum: The Arts document. Email your thoughts to contact@vadea.org.au

MEDIABUZZ
THEAUSTRALIAN,27August2011 CREATIVITYFLOURISHESINCULTUREOFDISCIPLINE,byCassandraWilkinson http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nationalaffairs/opinion/creativityflourishesincultureof discipline/storye6frgd0x1226075918297 TheNSWBoardofStudiesisabsolutelycorrecttoreject"theartsbeingusedasatoolforlearningratherthan uniquebodiesofknowledgeworthyoflearningintheirownright". Page1

18August2011

VADEA EBULLETIN

Vol.18

THEAUSTRALIAN,27August2011 FIVEARTFORMSRESTOREDTOTHECLASSROOM,by JustineFerrari http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nationalaffairs/education/fiveartformsrestoredtothe classroom/storyfn59nlz91226123176029 THEnationalartscurriculumhasbeenrewrittenfollowingwidecriticismofaninitialdraft,reinstatingthe fiveartformsofdance,music,drama,visualartsandmediaartsasdistinctsubjects. Thedraftpaperfortheartscurriculum,releasedlastyear,wasrejectedbyVictoriaandNSWforitsgeneric approachtoteachingthearts,organisedaround"generating,realisingandresponding"ratherthantheindividual arts. Butthefinalpapersettingdirectionsforthecurriculumwriters,releasedyesterday,restoresthefiveartsas distinctsubjects,saying:"Eachsubjectintheartsisunique,withitsowndiscreteknowledge,symbols,language, processesandskills."Thepapersayseachartformwillhave"specificterminology,conceptsandprocesses". Bycontrast,theinitialdraftviewedthefiveartformsasbeing"organicallyconnected,andnoteasilyseparablein somecontexts",andwasdescribedbysomeartsteachersas"tokenisticparticipationwithnoeducation attached".ThepaperwasreleasedbySchoolEducationMinisterPeterGarrettandArtsMinisterSimonCrean, whosaidtheAustralianCurriculum,AssessmentandReportingAuthorityhadreceivedalotoffeedbackduring thepublicconsultationperiodonthedraftpaper,includingontheneedtomaintainspecialistteaching. "We'velistenedtothosesuggestionsandthefinalshapingpaperreleasedtodayreflectstheviewsofourarts andeducationleaders,schoolsandparents,"MrCreansaid. OppositiontotheinitialcurriculumapproachwasledbyNSWanditsBoardofStudiespresident,Tom Alegounarias,whosaidyesterdaytherevisedpaperwasa"positivedevelopment"."Theartsshouldbea significantpartofeveryone'seducationandweshouldbeabletoachieveanationalapproach,"hesaid. TheNationalConsortiumofVisualArts,comprisingartists,academics,artteachersandartwriters,wasformed lastyeartolobbyforchangetothecurriculum.Itwelcomedthepaperasanimprovementbutheldreservations aboutthefinaloutcome. Aconsortiumspokeswoman,visitingfellowinarthistoryandarteducationattheCollegeofFineArtsinSydney KerryThomas,saidtheterm"responding"inthefinalpaperwasstillofconcern. Respondingisveryproblematic.It'sconcernedwiththeaestheticandthefeelingself.Amuchhappier termwouldbesomethinglikeinterpreting,"shesaid. "Thefactthey'restillfocusedonanaestheticresponseisproblematicbecausetheartsarenotsimplyabout aesthetics.Peoplebringtheirownemotions,desiresandunderstandingstotheirresponse.Audiencesdon't respondtotheartsasjustsensorybeings." Underthecurriculum,allstudentswillstudythefiveartsfromPreptoYear6,withsomespecialisationallowedin Year7andYear8atthestateorterritory'sdiscretion. MrCreansaidtheartswerefundamental"toourwayoflifeandnotjustfortheirentertainmentvaluethecreative artsempowertheindividualandunderpinexpression,toleranceandinclusion". MrGarrettsaidthefactthattheartscurriculumwasthesecondtobedevelopedafterthefirstfoursubjectsof maths,science,Englishandhistory,demonstratedthegovernment'scommitment"tofosteringcreativityand recognisingthattheartsareatthecentreofourwayoflife".

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