Playback - Spring 2008 - (Page 27)

WASHINGTON WATCH NAMM Supports National Poll Exploring Attitudes About the Way Schools Approach the Development of Imagination STIFlING IMAGINATIoN IN SChoolS uNDERlIES INNoVATIoN AND SkIllS DEFICIT; NEW Poll REVEAlS EVIDENCE oF SWING VoTERS CoMMITTED To kEEPING AMERICA CoMPETITIVE WITh MuSIC AND ThE ARTS FoR All STuDENTS. A new group of American swing voters is poised to support policies to restore imagination and innovation as key outcomes of learning, according to a recent national poll released by Lake Research Partners. Public backing to keep music and the arts in schools is critical during this election year to empower decision makers on national, regional and local levels to make arts education a priority. is vital to meeting this goal. The new national survey of 1,000 likely voters reveals that 30 percent of American voters are not only dissatisfied with public education’s narrow focus but that they also believe developing the imagination is a critical, but missing, ingredient to student success. In addition, a reported 56 percent say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports “A significant number of these views, and 91 voters believe that today’s percent believe arts education supports a educational approaches context for imagination are outdated, impair in schools. Recent studies reveal that current educational approaches stifle both students and educators by critical capacities of the imagination, and stifle focusing on a definition of “These are surprising teachers and students “the basics” and ignoring results that indicate competencies demanded alike, blocking potential [that] a strong set of by modern life. “Americans for innovation.” shared public values are concerned that we are not being detected are falling behind as a nation and that by public leaders,” said Celinda Lake, imagination, innovation, and creativity president of Lake Research Partners. have been the foundation that moved the “A significant number of voters believe United States into a world leadership role,” that today’s educational approaches are said John Wilson, executive director of the outdated, impair critical capacities of National Education Association. the imagination, and stifle teachers and In an effort to support this need for creativity in schools, NAMM is working with the Arts Education Partnership (AEP) and several other arts organizations to help develop national research in defense of music and arts education. There is now strong evidence that the American public has awakened to these challenges and is demanding that schools act to ignite the imagination of young people as the essential origin for attaining these competencies, skills and values, and that the arts in school students alike, blocking potential for innovation.” According to Mary Luehrsen, NAMM’s director of public affairs and government relations, “Our music education students of today are the music makers, innovators and leaders of tomorrow, and NAMM is committed to this very important effort.” For additional resources and more information on the poll, visit www.theimaginenation.net. music Our music education students of today are the music makers, innovators and leaders of tomorrow, and NAMM is committed to this very important effort. –Mary Luehrsen, NAMM’s Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations music SPRING 2008 27 http://www.theimaginenation.net

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Playback - Spring 2008

Playback - Spring 2008 Contents From the President NAMM Events Music in the News Bringing Recreational Music Making to Iraq Commercial Retail Reps in the Field New Domestic Members International Washington Watch NAMM Foundation Music Notes Resources Viewpoint

Playback - Spring 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.