PDF

Managing Time – Key stakeholders for arts learning

Students

Building knowledge, understanding and skills in the arts takes work, practice, study and the development of cooperative skills. These all require hands-on exploration and a commitment to safety practices. Students can learn to use skills that they have developed in the arts in a variety of other contexts and learning areas, and extend their arts learning by participating in school and community arts activities.

Teachers

Teachers are responsible for developing appropriate 'hands-on' teaching and learning strategies for students to achieve arts learning outcomes. They are also responsible for developing appropriate assessment and evaluation procedures to check for student learning. Teachers should select a range of teaching and assessment approaches that will meet individual student needs in a safe and engaging environment, thus allowing students the time to develop and refine their knowledge, understanding and skills in making and responding in all of the arts.

Teachers can also encourage students to be problem-solvers and creators of art works, and to develop creative and thinking skills that enable them to become thoughtful and effective communicators. They need to provide students with frequent opportunities to practise and apply arts concepts and opportunities to relate knowledge and skills in arts learning to wider contexts, both across the curriculum and in the world beyond the school. Teachers can motivate students both to learn and to become lifelong learners.

Parents

Parents can play an important role in maximising arts time by becoming familiar with the arts curriculum and understanding what their children are expected to learn. This will allow parents to discuss their children's arts works with them and with their children's teacher. They can support their children's arts learning by attending parent-teacher interviews and encouraging their children to complete their assignments and to practise at home. Parents can also promote and attend artistic events at their children's school to demonstrate how arts education is valued. By attending arts concerts, exhibitions and presentations outside of school, parents can demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning in the arts.

Principals

School principals can work in partnership with teachers and parents to develop an environment that ensures students have access to a quality arts education. It is their role as a community builder to welcome and inform all members of the school community. They are also responsible for ensuring that the Australian Curriculum: The Arts is being properly implemented with the appropriate time, facilities and resources made available to support student learning in all five arts subjects. Principals promote learning teams, collaborative sharing of resources and provide opportunities for teachers to engage in professional development experiences to build arts skills.

Community partners

More detailed information regarding the role of arts partnerships in maximsing arts time can be found in the building partnerships section.