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Art is equal to other subjects


From: Justin Kramer (justkramer_at_TeacherArtExchange)
Date: Sat Mar 02 2002 - 04:18:40 PST

on 3/3/02 1:38 PM, at wrote:


I am in Townsville, Australia - a regional city in North Queensland. In
regards to art being the same as other subjects, our subjects are divided in
8 Key Learning Areas. This is a national policy and a brief interpretation
is provided at the below URL:

In brief this policy ensures that each K.L.A. is of equal weighting in
regards to student teacher contact time - its a pitty that it isn't the same
for internal budgets.

However each school may implement a slight variation on this but must ensure
the minimum amount of contact time being met. As regards to me in art, this
means that the entire school population in middle school must do a minmum of
180hrs for two years in one of the Arts, either visual art, music, drama,
media and/or dance. This would be the same for maths, science, health and
physical education, etc. And as a result a student who is coming into High
School in year 8 may do art but not science in that year. And for their
final year in middle school they may pick up an additional 180 hrs in art -
hence, they are given the opportunity to do it for the whole of their middle
schooling but this additional year is optional but may continue on depending
on what they are yet to complete.

As for seniors, thats a different ball game - they nominate their subjects
from a given list - they may not choose Science, Maths, Health and Physical
Education, etc. However, they are fully debriefed on University course
pre-requisite, etc and some us their career goals to guide them. One
variation of this has presented me with a few students enrolled in 3 art
subjects in their senior school = 600min of art per week! You get to know
the students you teach very well.