Strong Arts, Strong Schools: The Promising Potential and Shortsighted Disregard of the Arts in American Schooling

by Charles Fowler

Overview

In this elegantly written, passionately argued book, Fowler presents a convincing case for teaching the arts to all children. He argues that, far from a luxury, the arts are a vitally important part of our society and our schools. Highlighting the crucial effect of the arts on learning, this volume shows how the arts can enliven and extend the entire school curriculum by integrating different subjects in innovative interdisciplinary ways. These eighteen compelling essays are a clarion call to action for any teacher, parent, policy maker, or citizen concerned about the fate of the arts in American society and schools.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780198026129
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	11/07/1996
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Lexile:	1310L (what's this?)
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

The late Charles Fowler was a noted music educator and arts activist, and the author of numerous books and articles, including Can We Rescue the Arts for America's Children? and Music! Its Role and Importance in Our Lives. He served as editor of Music Educators Journal from 1965 through 1971 and as education editor of Musical America magazine from 1974 through 1989.

Table of Contents

Part 1	Conditions	3
1	One Nation, Undercultured and Underqualified	7
2	The Arts and Economics: Opportunities Missed, Misunderstood, and Minimalized	15
3	Society and the Schools: A Dynamic Relationship	25
Part 2	Justification	35
4	Recognizing the Arts as Forms of Intelligence	39
5	Strong Arts, Strong Schools	46
6	Cheating Our Children: Why Every Child Needs the Arts	57
7	Improving General Education Through the Arts	67
8	Developing New Audiences	74
Part 3	Curriculum	83
9	All Arts, All Students	85
10	The Arts as Academic, Basic, and Comprehensive	99
11	Whose Culture Should Be Taught?	112
12	The Shameful Neglect of Creativity	119
13	Cultivating the Arts in High School	128
14	The Correlation with Academic Achievement	138
Part 4	Reform	149
15	Redefining the Mission: Value-Centered Arts Education	153
16	The Arts as Catalysts for Educational Reform	161
17	Overhauling Teacher Education: Can It Be Done?	169
18	An Agenda: What Should We Expect?	179
19	Prospects: How Do We Get There?	193
	Notes	205
	Index	217

Editorial Reviews

"Mr. Fowler's opus, Strong Arts, Strong Schools, is an erudite and passionate testimonial from a man who made service to arts education his life's work. His words and wisdom inspire us to continue the fight to insure that every child has access to world class instruction in the arts."—Michael Greene, President and CEO, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Inc.

From the Publisher