New Guide Helps Parents Support Arts Education In Their Child’s School
The Center for Arts Education (CAE), the leading voice in restoring and revitalizing the arts in New York City public schools, is offering a FREE guide for parents just in time for back-to-school. My Child, the Arts and Learning: A Guide for Parents PreK to Second Grade, gives parents the information they need to advance and support arts education in their child’s school and to help them understand how they can make a difference.
Most American parents believe that arts education is central to a top quality education and most want more arts education in the schools. Research shows that children who participate in the arts do better in other subjects. The arts have been shown to foster literacy and math skills, as well as strengthen verbal and nonverbal communication, critical thinking, intercultural understandings, team building and leadership skills.
“Arts have traditionally been regarded as the pinnacle of a culture’s achievement; it is so important that this traditional educational function continue in our schools,” said New York City Councilman Robert Jackson. “This Guide is an exciting tool to remind parents and educators that arts education plays an important role and it is helpful in showing them that how they support it.”
The Guide offers parents helpful tips and covers key issues for parents including:
• How the arts fit into your child’s education
• How your child can benefit from the arts
• It’s the LAW: The Arts are for Every Child
• What to look for in your child’s school
• How YOU can support the arts
“This guide is an indispensable tool for any parent. It clearly outlines the important place of art in a child’s intellectual, emotional, and social development,” said Daniel O’Donnell, New York State Assembly. “It recommends how parents —even busy ones—can get involved in their children’s arts education at school, at home and in the community.”
The Parent Guide will be distributed to 300 NYC public schools the first week of September, all parents have to do is ask for one at their child’s school. It will also be made available to download in several different languages from www.cae-nyc.org.
The Center for Arts Education (CAE) is committed to restoring, stimulating, and sustaining quality arts education as an essential part of every child’s education. CAE provides information and resources that demonstrate the benefits of and need for arts education as part of a quality, balanced education. CAE also identifies, funds, and supports exemplary partnerships and programs that demonstrate how the arts contribute to learning and student achievement. CAE is dedicated to influencing educational and fiscal policies that will support arts education in all of the City’s public schools. Since its founding in 1996, CAE has awarded nearly $40 million in private and public funding to support arts education partnerships and programs.#
