The Arts in the New Zealand Curriculum November 2000 This online issue of What's New? looks at the curriculum statement The Arts in the New Zealand Curriculum. It will show you: what's in the arts curriculum; how the new curriculum will affect your child; how you can help your child to learn in the arts. Contents The curriculum framework Aims of the arts curriculum How can I find out more? Why study the arts? What's changed in arts education? What are the curriculum strands? What if my child has special talent in a particular area? How will I know if my child is succeeding? How will schools fit the four disciplines into their teaching programmes? How does the arts curriculum cater for cultural diversity in my child's school? How can I help my child and get involved in their arts education? Publication Details The curriculum framework The New Zealand Curriculum Framework has seven essential learning areas. One of these is the arts. The Arts in the New Zealand Curriculum is the core curriculum statement for this essential learning area, the last to be published. The Arts in the New Zealand Curriculum was published in September 2000. A parallel document for learning in te reo Māori, Ngā Toi i roto i te Marautanga o Aotearoa, has also been published. The new curriculum brings together, for the first time, the four disciplines of dance, drama, music, and the visual arts. The curriculum will be introduced gradually; your child's school may take up to two years to fully develop an arts programme that includes all four disciplines. Aims of the arts curriculum The Arts in the New Zealand Curriculum aims to: enable students to develop literacies in dance, drama, music, and the visual arts; assist students to participate in and develop a lifelong interest in the arts; broaden students' understanding of and involvement in the arts in New Zealand. How can I find out more? There is a video on the arts curriculum available in your school, and there are people in your region who are available to speak in more detail about the curriculum. If other parents are also interested, you could ask your child's teacher or principal if the school would hold an open evening to show the video and have someone available to answer your questions. To learn more about arts education in New Zealand, visit the Ministry of Education's website at: http://www.tki.org.nz/e/arts Why study the arts? Learning in the arts is a compulsory part of all school programmes. The arts are important for both daily living and lifelong learning. Children's experiences in the arts promote thinking, emotional development, and practical abilities. The arts are fun; children enjoy them. The arts stimulate imagination, and they help us to create ideas and images that reflect, communicate, and change our views of the world. For example, think of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games and the image of Australia that was conveyed by the ceremony's sights and sounds and the actions of those taking part. As expressions of culture, the arts reflect our heritage and traditions and help to shape our sense of identity. New Zealand is a small nation in an increasingly globalised world. What is unique about us are our arts, our culture, and our heritage. In the twenty-first century, they will define us as the confident, proud, and creative peoples we are. Helen Clark, May 2000 What's changed in arts education? In their first eight years at school (up to form 2), all children will learn in the four disciplines of dance, drama, music, and the visual arts. In the following two years (years 9–10/forms 3–4), students will continue to study in at least two disciplines. In their final years at school (years 11–13/forms 5–7), students who choose to do so will specialise in one or more of the arts disciplines. What are the curriculum strands? The four strands define key areas of learning for each discipline. Developing Practical Knowledge in the Arts In music, for example, this could involve listening to and playing or singing a specific type of music (such as rap or blues) in order to identify and discuss its particular characteristics. Developing Ideas in the Arts In the visual arts, for example, this could involve designing and making a mask based on imaginary or mythical creatures. Communicating and Interpreting in the Arts In dance, for example, this could involve preparing and presenting a performance of a Chinese dragon dance, a Pacific dance such as the sāsā, or a haka. Understanding the Arts in Context In drama, for example, this could involve interviewing drama or theatre personalities about the value they place on theatre as part of their own lives and the life of the community. The overlapping and interweaving nature of the strands means that, in a given project or unit of work, students will generally learn in more than one strand at the same time. Ko toi te uri o mahara pohewa. Art is the child of imagination. Why does my child need to learn in all four disciplines? All four disciplines are basic to New Zealand's many cultures, and it is important for children to learn in all four. Each discipline has its own specific language and concepts and its own means of exploration and presentation. For example, painting a picture requires different skills from creating a dance or acting out a story or writing a piece of music. Learning in all four disciplines impacts strongly on how students think. It gives them wide-ranging and ever-increasing ways to express their ideas, feelings, beliefs, and values, and to understand those of others. This learning helps children to develop "literacy" in the arts, an important concept behind the curriculum. What if my child has special talent in a particular area? Each school's programme will aim to identify, extend, and challenge students who are gifted or talented in any of the arts disciplines. Your child may, for example, be encouraged to work with students at a higher level or to take part in more complex and challenging learning experiences than others in the same class. How will I know if my child is succeeding? Teachers will be given support and guidance on how to assess the progress of students in the different disciplines and how to use that information in their future planning. You can follow your child's progress and share their success and enjoyment by viewing their arts activities, performances, and displays, by talking to them and their teacher, and through the reports on progress that the school provides. How will schools fit the four disciplines into their teaching programmes? Schools will use many different ways to fulfil the curriculum requirements. The arts programme in your child's school may, from time to time, combine learning in two or more arts disciplines. For example, children might be asked to plan and prepare an appropriate welcome or farewell ceremony for special guests that incorporates dance, drama, music, and the visual arts in its presentation. But time will also be set aside and separate learning opportunities will be provided for each discipline. Your school will work out its own particular balance and develop its own programme, taking into account the needs of its students and the resources of your local community. All teachers will be supported in their teaching of the arts by professional development and training and by new resources in print, in audio, in video, and on the Web. Te toi whakairo, ka ihiihi, ka wehiwehi, ka aweawe te ao katoa. Artistic excellence makes the world sit up in wonder. How does the arts curriculum cater for cultural diversity in my child's school? The curriculum recognises that arts and culture are strongly linked and help to shape our sense of identity. The curriculum uses language that includes all students. It also promotes teaching and learning approaches that encourage students to value people's different cultural backgrounds. Your school's arts programme will reflect and link with the arts and culture of your local community. How can I help my child and get involved in their arts education? Share your time and talent Offer to help on arts-related trips outside the school. Offer to tutor or accompany school choirs, instrumental groups or school cultural events. Offer to teach traditional skills, such as weaving or carving. Offer to help with school productions – making or painting scenery or helping with lighting, costumes, or sound. Give support and show interest Offer to lend items of cultural significance for class discussion. Offer to provide raw materials for art projects – paper, card, or plastic. Display your child's artwork in your home or office. Attend art displays and school performances of dance, drama, and music and invite other family members. Talk about your child's involvement and progress with them and with their teacher. Widen your child's interest in the arts When your child enjoys watching a particular TV programme or video, theatre production, or cultural event, encourage them to think about how it was produced and what sort of people would be involved in making it. Take your child to art exhibitions and ask them to talk about what they like and don't like and why; encourage them to think about how and why the art works were made. If you have an arts-related business, allow students to visit your premises. Involve your child in any of your own artistic activities or hobbies and encourage their interest. Publication details Published 2000 for the Ministry of Education by Learning Media Limited, Box 3293, Wellington Website: www.learningmedia.co.nz Copyright © Crown 2000 All rights reserved. Enquiries should be made to the publisher. Additional copies of this pamphlet (item number 10184) are available free on request from Learning Media Customer Services, freephone: 0800 565, freefax: 0800 570, email: orders@learningmedia.co.nz Index of What's New?