As part of the Maryland State Department of Education's (MSDE's) ongoing commitment to early learning and school readiness, a comprehensive Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) was administered for the first time this school year. This assessment, which builds on and advances the MMSR, is part of our new Ready for Kindergarten: Maryland's Early…

This article describes how teachers who were once isolated by distance and the nature of their jobs are connecting across schools in online professional learning communities. While riding the wave of technology, St. Mary's County Public Schools in Leonardtown, Maryland, is providing a connection for teachers that extends beyond school walls.…

At the 2009 Professional Conference of the NCSSSMST, humanities types were gratified to find eight sessions devoted to the arts and humanities as well as several others with a civic or humanistic component. Integration and inclusion, it seemed, were in the air, embracing not just science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, but philosophy,…

Profiles successful magnet arts schools in New Orleans, Prince George's County (Maryland), and Denver and provides guidelines for school board members desiring to open schools of the arts. Board members are urged to garner support, find a suitable location, build a staff, decide on format and enrollment method, and develop partnerships with local…

AN ALTERNATE, SECOND-YEAR ELECTIVE ART COURSE IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL FOLLOWS A PREREQUISITE 10TH GRADE COURSE, FUNDAMENTALS OF ART. GENERAL AIMS ARE--TO STIMULATE THE STUDENT'S SENSITIVITY TO AND APPRECIATION OF ART, TO INCREASE ENJOYMENT OF CREATIVE EXPRESSION, TO TEACH THE FUNDAMENTALS AND TECHNIQUES HELPFUL IN SOLVING ART PROBLEMS, TO OFFER A…

A renewed emphasis on arts education has come after a period of neglect during the 1980s and early 1990s when the arts were often slighted as school budgets grew tight and as educational priorities shifted to the basic academic subjects. Recently, results of several research studies have confirmed the advantages of student participation in arts…

The curricular framework set forth in this document is designed to assist administrators and teachers in planning, developing, and implementing K-12 dance programs. The publication is organized in five major sections: the first section presents a philosophy defining the nature of dance in relation to society, the learner, and the school…

This report examines arts participation in the ten largest metropolitan areas in the United States using data from the 2002 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts. These data indicate that, in general, these metropolitan regions tend to be more alike than different with respect to arts participation patterns. Analysis reveals that while…

The Maryland curricular framework describes the relationships that exist among the educational goals and subgoals for art, dance, music, and theater. Contemporary trends in the content areas are incorporated and the guide provides direction for a comprehensive approach to fine arts education. Organized into four major sections, the first section…

Harriet Tubman, a famous Civil War freedom fighter from Maryland, is the focus of this unit that integrates the arts and history. Students will learn about Harriet Tubman through music, art, dance, literature, and reference materials. The five lessons will be models and a springboard for the research projects that the students will complete about…

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) documents dimensions of quality in undergraduate education and provides information and assistance to colleges, universities, and other organizations to improve student learning. Its primary activity is annually surveying college students to assess the extent to which they engage in educational…