ERIC Number: ED573415
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 14
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: 978-0-88989-414-3
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Knowing One's Community through Arts Education
Boudreau, Ronald
Canadian Teachers' Federation
The Services to Francophones sector of the Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF) strives to provide teachers with the tools they need to perform an important dimension of their mission, which is to transmit and build the Francophone identity. "The Knowing One's Community" series explores how school curricula contribute to this objective. Generally speaking, arts are associated with the expression of a culture. At the society level, this link is considered obvious. However, this association is not as clear in education, especially in French-language education. It is fairly safe to say that arts education may even be "more" relevant in education in minority settings than in any other context. Considering the fact that only recently did French-language schools fall under the governance of the Francophone community, the question of the importance of arts education bears asking. The research project that led to this report was conducted during the 2013-14 winter months and it is important to note that only curricula available at that time on the various ministries of Education's websites were analyzed. In curricula, arts education includes four disciplines: visual arts, drama, music, and dance. Three provinces provide guidance for teaching these four disciplines, but the majority offer no document to support some of the courses, even if they are part of the teaching program. When curricula do exist, most administrations/jurisdictions have developed specific documents for each of the four arts disciplines. Two provinces, Ontario and Saskatchewan (at some levels), have adopted an approach that defines a theoretical framework establishing common grounds for arts education and then prescribes teaching plans for every one of the four disciplines. The efforts made by some of the provinces mentioned in the analysis represent the emergence of an awareness of the important role played by arts education in cultural appropriation in a school setting. Recommendations for curriculum development for French-language schools in minority settings are included. The following is appended: Guiding Principles for Arts Education in French-Language Schools in Minority Settings. [This project was made possible through the contribution of the Fédération culturelle canadienne-française (FCCF). This report was translated by Marie-Hélène Larrue. For "Knowing One's Community through Language Rights," see ED573414.]
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Art Education, French, Language Minorities, Cultural Education, Curriculum, Visual Arts, Theater Arts, Music Education, Dance Education, Curriculum Development, French Canadians, Culture, Identification
Canadian Teachers' Federation. 2490 Don Reid Drive, Ottawa, ON K1H 1E1, Canada. Tel: 866-283-1505; Tel: 613-232-1505; Fax: 613-232-1886; Web site: http://www.ctf-fce.ca
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Canadian Teachers' Federation
Identifiers - Location: Canada
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A