Demand More Art

I have a remarkable group of close friends who began a journey with me about six years ago.  They are something of a second family and it is incredible to me to think that I might have gone my whole life without knowing them.  There are five besides me and we began a group called the West Virginia Coalition for Arts Education.  I rarely see them and can go weeks without talking to them, but I am closer to them professionally than anyone else I know.

Let me tell you how we met.  I'll keep this part brief.

Most of us began as trainers for a project with the West Virginia Department of Education called the West Virginia Arts Teams.  This was the brainchild of my predecessor Julia Lee and was grant funded.  We worked with regional teams who were to provide professional development and advocate for the arts in our schools.  After working with the project for three years we realized we were always asking to be taken seriously and have our voices heard.  It's like when you are seated with the younger members of the family at a holiday dinner so the grown-ups can enjoy their meal undisturbed.  Hence the first name of our group: The Kids' Table.

I would describe the Kids' Table as a "guerrilla advocacy" group.  We are unincorporated, without funding or official association status, not a registered lobbying organization, or anything you might associate with a successful advocacy group.  We had (or have) different assets.  Our small size means we have a truly singular vision.  That's not to say we never disagree, but there has never been any question about what we are asking for.  We also have a track record of competence.  I hope that doesn't sound arrogant, but this is a group who can evidence student learning and whose members are routinely asked to provide professional development to other arts educators.  More than anything though, we have passion.  It is usually infectious, though some find it a bit overwhelming if they encounter us all at once.  Our motto reflects that passion: "Demand More Art."

Three years ago this week we came to the West Virginia State Board of Education and the then Superintendent of Schools asking them to make five important changes.  I won't detail those here, but I can tell you that substantial progress has been made on all five.  Two of them have essentially been accomplished, one is close to being a reality, and the last two are our biggest challenges.

We have learned so much along the way and have each grown professionally quite a bit.  Our membership has changed slightly, too.  Current members Michelle Legg, Thisbe Cooper, and Steve Glendenning continue to work in the classroom and hold leadership positions in state-level arts education professional organizations.  Phil Wyatt, our "grumpy old man" <grin> and voice of experience in the group has "retired" to teaching in another position.  Stephanie Lorenze is now a professor at WVU.  And I have my gig.

Why am I writing all of this?

I'm not sure, except that I am reflecting on my professional life and hoping I've accomplished something.  I also want to pass on some things I have learned.  None of this is original, but I think its important for arts education advocates to reflect on some of these points.  I've listened to groups of arts teachers just piss and moan about circumstances with absolutely no plan to change them.  Perhaps there is some sort of catharsis there, but I find those sessions demoralizing and pointless.  So, here are a few of my thoughts.

1. Competence is your best advocacy tool.  I won't speak about myself, but I can tell you that the other five members of the Coalition are complete rock stars.  You can walk into their classrooms anytime of day, any day of the week and see exemplary arts teaching happening.  People listen more when it's obvious you know what the hell you're talking about.  Complaints from incompetent arts teachers fall on deaf ears.  Sometimes the biggest obstacle is the teacher himself.
2. Ask.  "Ye have not because ye ask not."  It never ceases to amaze me the number of teachers who will invest enormous energy into complaining but will not take the simple step of asking for what s/he needs.  Ask politely at first.  Be friendly.  If the result is not forthcoming, then ask more vehemently.  Enlist parents and community members.  If you are refused, make it a demand.  Arts education is not some frill benefit for the chosen few.  Demanding the right of all students to a comprehensive arts education is important work.  Your principal or superintendent may not like you.  So what.  Why do you want to be friends with someone who devalues your work anyway?
3. Knowledge is power.  Everyone has heard this a thousand times but no one seems to believe it.  This is probably more true in education than any other field.  I see the looks of disinterest on the faces of arts educators when they are listening to presentations on NCLB waivers, the teacher evaluation system, the Common Core, or changes in our summative assessment.  I feel your pain, I really do.  Some of that stuff is boring as shit and God knows it's rarely presented in a dynamic fashion.  Yet all of those issues (among many others) can have a direct impact on the arts classroom, especially if you understand how to leverage the information to your advantage.  This goes beyond mere "talking points," and it's true that most of us don't have the time to become experts on all of these topics.  I can tell you from experience, however, that the more you know the more power you have in any given struggle.  There is a shocking amount of disinformation in the field and the kid with the right answers holds the advantage, especially if he can cite chapter and verse.  The converse is true as well.  The ignorant are dismissed out of hand and sent from the room with a flurry of acronyms and policy numbers.
4. Be there.  Never miss an opportunity to eat lunch with, drive to the airport, or sit next to someone who can promote arts education.  Sometimes your simple presence is enough to cause them to begin thinking about how to include your issue.  Occasionally, they're going to spend some money and it helps if you're in the room when they do.
5. Yes, you really do need a "two minute elevator speech."  The problem with having a depth of understanding on a given topic is one's desire to communicate the intricacies of the issue with someone who engages in a rather casual conversation.   (I have lost many friends this way.)  Give this one a lot of thought.  Many of us are tempted to resort to just some generic statement about student achievement and the arts.  I am convinced this is a mistake.  It is possible to communicate something with a little more depth is a succinct fashion.  Need some suggestions?  "The arts are core academic subjects because they are at the heart of what it means to be an educated person.  They've also been defined as core subjects by federal law since the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001."  "Short-term arts experiences are very valuable for students, but sequential (standards-based) instruction from certified arts educators forms the foundation.  That's what we expect in math and reading, isn't it?"  "There is a significant gap in access to the arts between students in affluent schools and their poorer counterparts.  This is really a civil rights issue."
6. Passion matters more than anything.  True believers can change minds.  Much of our work in arts education advocacy is the work of evangelist.  You must believe that what you are working toward is of utmost importance and your will to accomplish it must be greater than the will of others to see you fail. 

Margaret Mead may have said: "Never doubt the ability of a small group of thoughtful, committed people to change the world.  Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."  Thank you to that small, committed group from the Kids' Table.  I'm thankful I know you.