There may be changes to the way arts classes are taught in Alberta and the Province and school staff are encouraging parents and students to speak up about what is important to them.

Alberta High School of Fine Arts students Daniella Vaniersel, left, and Eric Toombs are happy with the classes they have been able to take in music and are concerned that proposed changes to fine arts curriculum will mean future students won't have the same quality experiences. photo by Tamara Neely

In June the Ministry of Education released proposed changes to arts education in the Kindergarten to Grade 12 Arts Curriculum Framework. According to the ministry, the framework is intended to increase students’ opportunities to learn about the arts and deepen their appreciation.

However, the document has teachers, students and parents concerned.

Alberta Education has posted the framework on the website www.education.alberta.ca, and it includes a questionnaire for teachers, students, parents and community members to give feedback on the curriculum framework.

The ministry will be collecting feedback until Jan. 31 and teachers and parents are encouraging the public to voice their concerns.

An information meeting is being held at the Alberta High School of Fine Arts on Nov. 23 at 7 p.m., organized by a group of parents, students, educators and a committee called Save Our Fine Arts.

Nicole Hounjet, director of music at the Alberta High School of Fine Arts, said parents, students and teachers have the opportunity to be involved with the new form of arts education by giving feedback to the Province. She hopes parents, students and fine arts supporters will attend the information meeting and engage in discussion about the impacts the framework could bring if it is adopted.

“The positive thing is we are being given the opportunity to contribute to this document,” said Hounjet. “This is a framework. We’re being given the opportunity to get across to Alberta Education what we think is important for Alberta learners.”

She has three main concerns. If the framework is implemented as is, the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of a subject could be lost, the quality of education could slip and classes with students in Grades 10 to 12 working together, such as jazz band, could be lost.

The framework is vague, Hounjet said, which leaves holes for important elements of arts education to fall through the cracks. For example, the framework is vague with its reference to class pre-requisites, Hounjet said. That leaves room for students to dabble in different subjects without needing a prerequisite. While that expands students’ opportunities to learn about the arts, it also leaves room for students to leave school without a strong foundation in one particular subject.

Vague references to hiring generalist teachers instead of teachers trained specifically in the arts open the possibility of junior and senior high school arts education degrading, Hounjet said. She would like to see the wording in the framework changed to ensure that specialist teachers are an expectation, not an option.

The effort to increase opportunities for students to try subjects by adding one-credit courses could decrease students’ access to in-depth courses, Hounjet said. She is concerned students who are already struggling to fit arts classes into their schedules could opt for a one-credit course, which only takes 25 hours, instead of five-credit course, such as Mainstage orchestra, which takes 125 hours. The effect could be less students participating in the ensemble classes, such as Mainstage theatre and music productions, dance productions and concert band. That would weaken the productions and the students’ experiences, Hounjet said.

“To take a one-credit course to stay in fine arts is a good thing, but on the other hand, what will that mean to the large ensembles? We wouldn’t necessarily have enough students for the full year,” said Hounjet. “In ensembles, students rely on one another. It’s a team.”

Alberta High School of Fine Arts Grade 12 students Eric Toombs and Daniella Vaniersel are concerned about the potential impact on programs. They both value the experiences they’ve had in ensemble band classes and they’d like to see future students reap the same rewards.

“If the new curriculum they’re proposing went through, it’d be based on individual learning and our band would fall apart,” said Vaniersel.

In addition, she credits her specialized music teachers in previous grades with exposing her to what music has to offer. If specialized teachers were lost and generalist teachers taught music, through the new framework, other students like her may not realize their potential.

“I wouldn’t have had the experience or interest in carrying on,” said Vaniersel.

Toombs agreed. When he was in Grade 10 he played in the school’s band alongside his brother and his brother’s friends, who were in Grade 12. Toomb’s interest in music was fuelled by the skill they had achieved.

“If I didn’t have them beside me, I wouldn’t have the interest in music because I wouldn’t know how good you can get,” said Toombs.

He thinks the curriculum doesn’t need the changes proposed in the framework.

“I like this music program. It works,” said Toombs.

The framework was proposed in June by the Alberta government.

Erica McDonald, spokesperson for Alberta Education, said the framework came about because the arts program had not changed in 20 years.

“The arts programs will be revised to reflect current research, promising practices, student diversity and 21st century learning — because learning has changed over the years. So (the framework) is to reflect what is going on now,” said McDonald. “The proposed arts education framework enhances current programs and puts a greater emphasis on student creativity, critical thinking and the ability to communicate in a variety of ways.”

McDonald said the framework is not a set of cuts to education. Rather, the goal is to increase students’ access to the arts.

“The proposed redesign offers greater exposure to the arts for all students,” said McDonald.

The information meeting will be held in the small gym of Foothills Composite High School on Monday, Nov. 23 at 7 p.m.

tneely@okotoks.greatwest.ca

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