By Kyle M. Griffin

 

Albany, NY May 2 – Students scream profanities, spit on teachers and even destroy school property.  The Albany City School District wants to stop these destructive behaviors by exposing students to more art and music programs.  Artistic curriculums often give students opportunities they aren’t provided with in a regular classroom setting.  Administrators believe that if these courses are presented early enough, it will enhance students’ quality of life and educate them to stay away from guns and knives.  While funds are low, the district manages to offer artistic classes as well as after-school programs in an attempt to materialize their hopes.

            Many studies have been done to see the effects of artistic programs on children.  Students in arts programs showed significant increases in self-esteem and thinking skills according to a 1990 analysis by The National Arts Education Research Center.  The same study also saw a decrease in children’s violent behaviors.

Violence and city schools are often linked together.  According to the 2000 School Survey on Crime and Safety by the National Center for Education statistics, 77 percent of urban schools reported violent incidents during the 1999 – 2000 school year for a total of over 1.4 million episodes.

The district knows children are impressionable.  If students aren’t properly educated, more studies have proven that kids are more likely to turn to gang violence or other destructive behaviors such as drug abuse.  Even with the right schooling there are still risks.  They feel artistic education can improve students’ outlook on life and give them alternatives to drugs and gangs.

“We feel children need to be exposed to a wide range of arts and modalities,” said Kathy Mrozak, principal of the Montessori Magnet School on Tremont Street.  “The more they experience and learn, the less likely they are to engage in negative behaviors.”

            Each school has similar art and music programs in place based on district guidelines.  All levels from first grade and up are required to have at least two 30 minute sessions a week in art and music.  Yet the courses are individualized to the needs of the age group.  Lessons are explored more thoroughly as the children develop.  Young ones in elementary school focus on the basics of art and music, including concepts such as proportioning human figures correctly and learning scales.  As they mature, so does the material the children are taught.

            Sometimes problems arise, though.  The art and quilting club disbanded in 2004 because student participation was down.  Money couldn’t be raised when there was little involvement.

While incidents like this have happened, opportunities still exist.  Parents also understand the need for art and music programs.  Report cards detail how each student is doing academically, but there’s also a section to discuss the child’s behavior.  Teachers must suggest ways to improve student performance, and often times it will involve participating in artistic programs.  With this in mind, parents participate regularly in different efforts to help support the school and its goals.

            “We have an ‘Arts in Education’ committee and our parents fund many events,” Mrozak said.

            The Arts in Education committee is an extension of the National PTA organization.  Many Capital District schools have branches.  Their goals are to help establish art and music classes and make sure they’re kept to a strict set of standards.

            “You just do whatever you can to help,” said Yvonne O’Brien, mother of Julianna, who attends the Montessori Magnet School.  “I want my kids to have the best education possible.”

            O’Brien goes to Arts in Education meetings at Montessori regularly and offers extra help on committee projects when her schedule is free.

The success of these programs still remains mostly with the district.  Teachers and the Board of Education are always trying to make art and music a priority.  Several classroom programs ensure kids are immersed in the arts from a young age.

             “Every year they learn more and more to keep their artistic sides developing and growing.  What starts as basic skills can turn into real talent if they’re given the right attention,” said Gloria Savino, the Music, Art, and Foreign Language Department Head for the Albany City School District.  “The kids are exposed to a great deal.”

            Every student is required to participate in art and music classes.  Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students are taught in their homerooms.  Once they leap to first grade, students visit actual teachers for their lessons.

            “Teachers of these subjects have lots of latitude but use the respective New York State Learning Standards to frame their courses and to be sure students have the opportunity to meet these goals,” Mrozak said.

Art programs feature painting, coloring, and other basic skills as early staples.  Primary classes run for 30 minutes.  In middle school, more intricate concepts are introduced such as shadowing pictures, using different textures in pieces, and even molding clay to make pottery.  Those classes are 10 minutes longer.

            The music programs follow similar patterns, introducing elementary ideas about rhythm and musical beats and notes.  Students play the drums and other instruments and see what it’s like to perform in a band.  Each lesson also involves singing songs.

            At least twice a year students put on concerts that include three to four choral numbers and a small play.  Each year class has slightly different programs tailored to the specific needs of the students.

            “The programs are updated every year by teachers to keep the lessons current,” Mrozak said.  “The basic requirement to educate kids in these areas, however, never goes away.”

            Mrozak and other district supervisors feel there are several benefits to art and music programs.  Medical and psychological professionals agree that students need artistic enrichment.  Their beliefs are reinforced by case studies.

            “The musician is constantly adjusting decisions on tempo, tone, style, rhythm, phrasing, and feeling – training the brain to become incredibly good at organizing and conducting numerous activities at once,” said Dr. John J. Ratey, author of  “A User’s Guide to the Brain,” in an interview with the National Association for Music Education.  “Dedicated practice of this orchestration can have a great payoff for lifelong attention skills, intelligence, and an ability for self-knowledge and expression.”

Other studies have found value in after-school programs.  Many instances in the Albany district complement classroom activities.

One after-school activity was set up by Park Playhouse, an organization within the Albany government.  Originally created to entertain Albany residents, Park Playhouse more recently introduced Park Playhouse KIDZ.  The youth program runs for 11 weeks during the spring months.  It gives students valuable skills for working on and off stage in theatrical productions.

Another opportunity is the PAL Marching Band.  Any middle schoolers who play an instrument can take advantage of this and gain extra instruction.  They learn about showmanship and working together as a unit.

Guest speakers and performers also come to schools to teach lessons and interest children in the arts.

“We try to gain grants to foster the arts in education and to have artists do residencies and allow the children to experience a variety of art programs,” Mrozak said.  “We just had David Alan Miller of the Albany Symphony come here and do a ‘Meet the Maestro’ concert.”

Albany City School District’s faculty and staff know their programs aren’t perfect, but they’ve seen good results.  Since these programs were introduced and refined, the number of violent incidents has decreased.  In 2000, there were 307 episodes recorded at the Montessori Magnet School, in 2005 there were only 196.  They believe what they’re doing is helping students.

“There are many chances out there for our students to be involved,” Mrozak said. “If just a couple students turn out for the better because of the programs we have, then it’s all worth it.”