April 12, 2006
In my experience as both educator and consultant, I have watched an array of educational reforms come and go - and, in some cases, come and go again. These reforms may seek to make changes in specific curricular areas, such as the now ancient "modern math" movement, or make changes in the entire structure of the educational institution. Regardless of the type of reform being proposed, or its effects on students, there’s only one thing that is true of all of them:
REFORMS mean CHANGE
But remember – changes do NOT guarantee improvement
While student achievement is usually stated as the primary motivation for any educational reforms, there are often secondary motivations related to specific adult issues (such as budgets, staffing, public relations, keeping teachers or parents happy, etc.). See Decisions: Adult vs. Student-centered? and Decision-Makers: Who Really Calls the Shots?
For the most part I believe people at all levels want educational improvement, but the motivations are diverse, and frankly, not all positive. I am not suggesting that any, or all, educational reforms are bad. My intention is to make all of us aware that any environment of change is an opportunity to improve our music programs. And, when any suggestion is made to reform, it’s definitely a time to be aware of potential dangers to the music curriculum.
In this series of articles on educational reform we will cover many topics, such as scheduling, tax voucher systems, charter and magnet schools, school-to-work, middle vs. junior high schools, and also some government attempts at reform (No Child Left Behind and its Reauthorization planned for 2007 is one very timely example.). We'll look at potential positive and negative outcomes of each, and some of the primary and secondary motivations behind each ("agents of change," test scores, job security, Sputnik, etc.).
Some Key Points to Consider
Right now, however, I want to suggest some positive action points to help you and your Music Coalition navigate through the process of change:
- As a Music Coalition, be involved in school district politics at all levels. (You may want to review the Counterpoint articles that discuss how to form an effective coalition, paying particular attention to creating a committee system to distribute the work 2005 -Back to School Primer: The Local Music Coalition)
- Be proactive: make sure that at least one member of your Music Coalition is on every district task force AND that at least one member attends every school board meeting.
- Recognize that any discussion of change probably has implications for the music program.
- During any discussions of change, determine the primary motivations as early as possible; then search for possible secondary (adult-centered) motivations.
- Identify the key components of the change(s) under consideration, and how those changes might impact the music program Impact Statements from four primary perspectives: Faculty/staffing, Curriculum (Scope and Sequence), Student Participation, and Economy (Budget).
As you become involved, make every effort to hold all participants to actions or decisions that are student-centered in their outcome. You may even be able to serve as a catalyst for improvements in the music program by becoming involved in the process.
Building Relationships is the Best First Step
The key to successfully supporting your music program through such times is the development of an attitude of trust with those making the decisions. Trust comes from relationships. Relationships come from time. In other words, the longer you wait to organize your Music Coalition and mobilize advocates for proactive involvement in the decision-making process in your school district, the more difficult it will be to work for solutions that positively impact your music program.
Until next time,
John Benham
