Principals in Training
Create Arts Curriculum at Brooklyn Museum
by Joanne Kontopirakis

At the Brooklyn Museum, principals in training are in session, instructed in incorporating an arts education into the school curriculum. Seated adjacent to a giant pair of black sculpted, seemingly sequined tap shoes, they have broken into small groups, immersed in a guided discussion of art objects.

Their training, underway for the past 14 months, will ultimately culminate in the assignment of a school for the ’04-’05 school year. This is just one of the many seminars they have attended via the N.Y.C. Leadership Academy Aspiring Principals Program. During the summer, this training will be an intensive four days a week with a variety of topics. During the school year, participants are in residency with a mentor principal. Additionally, they attend the Academy for developmental sessions Tuesday evenings and a full day Friday.

We now observe them in discussion, after which they barely take a break. The 77 people in the program now enter the museum’s Egyptian Room divided into groups. Suluh Lukoskie, of the NYC Leadership Academy, explained that three of the aspiring principals have designed this particular seminar, entitled, “Your School As Canvas.”

Gloria Cones, a school program manager, was looking on. Asked if this was an indication that funding for the arts in public schools will now see an increase, she replied, “I definitely think so. There’s a new request for proposals (RFP). Schools will be able to ask for various programs now.”

Due to a new vision for arts education in NYC by the Chancellor, a mandate to develop a sequential K-12 curriculum has been issued, ensuring access to a quality arts education for every child. In a groundbreaking collaboration, artists from the cultural community and educators will work side by side to launch the process. 

Donating their time this evening in the area of dance facilitation was David Marquis Studios. Starting in 1977, they have employed over 30 professionals to perform for students. David Marquis remarked, “We have 110 schools, 21,000 NYC school children and 6,000 teachers. We’ve grown a lot in 27 years.” Marquis continued: “The arts promote higher-level thinking skills. I think it helps them do better on tests.  Some of these things are learned in an internal, physical way.”

Lauren Kraus, leading the movement exercises, announced to the group: “Music, dance and theatre are just as important to our students as any other academic subjects. They are essential to all our student’s learning. Too many of our students are sedentary, content to sit back and listen to music instead of creating it themselves.” “We must model the enthusiasm for our students. Take off your shoes and join in a dance experience that stimulates our brain, our bodies, and our spirits.”

At this point, the assembly was encouraged to remove shoes and jackets, and put down their briefcases. The whole group spread on the museum’s wooden and buffed mosaic floors, and bobbed their heads every which way, in unison, to an African drumming accompaniment. People whooped and thumped in a circle, and applauded at the end of the sequence.

Dr. Sharon Dunn, senior instruction manager for Arts Education, demonstrated how to use the arts resources of the City to support the teaching curriculum. She underscored the importance of the arts standards of ‘doing’, ‘understanding and utilizing materials’, ‘analyzing and understanding art’, and ‘understanding the contributions of the arts.’

“We have developed a beautiful K-12 curriculum,” she stated. Use your resources to pool with other schools. By the time students are in the 12th grade, they should have their own drawing style. We will also be training music teachers. We want children to be familiar with words like ‘crescendo,’ and not singing a song from printed words, but understanding musical notation.

The final words of the evening were inspirational: “your school is a canvas. In September you will take on the role of architects of schools. Your success as principals may hinge upon the arts.” #