AUSRALIAN CURRICULUM

Initial Advise Paper: The Arts

Summary notes

 The proposed Australian Curriculum moulds visual arts, music, dance and
drama into one mandatory field, arranged around three strands – generating,
realising and responding.
 Ill defined terminology -(generating realizing responding) is not based in
research
 Mandatory Visual Arts, Music, Dance, Drama and Media Arts to be taught
discretely from K-8.
 Minimum 2 hours per week K-8 equates to 20 minutes per week or 13 .5 hours
per year compared to 100hrs in Years 7 & 8 for Visual Arts and Music in NSW
 Although being presented as ‘user friendly’ for the generalist primary teachers,
Primary teachers have expressed concerns about the Federal Government’s
proposal, as content in all forms of the arts is ill defined.
 The initial advice paper does not provide for a rigorous engagement with the
Visual Arts. The structuralist, subjective approach to the visual arts in the initial
advise paper, with focus on “expression” has no conceptual depth
 It presents a Visual Arts Curriculum of the lowest common denominator
 Visual Arts as described in the initial advice paper has Implications for schools,
current specialist programs, timetabling, teachers’ jobs, universities, and the
arts in our communities. It opens the way for generalist ‘arts’ teachers in
secondary schools,
 Ignores understanding that literacy and numeracy and other skills, are
embedded in the Visual Arts and allow students with different learning styles
and abilities to access them.

The VADEA resolution:

“ That as members of VADEA we find the proposals for the National

Curriculum for the Arts (in the ACARA Initial Advice paper) are unacceptable,
and that we have no option but to reject them in their current form.
Instead, we suggest that ACARA look at other models and structures that
respect the integrity, identity and authenticity of fields of practice so that future
generations of Australian children are supported in the quality of learning in the
Visual Arts.”

What can you do?

 Contact your local member.

 Bring this issue to the attention of your colleagues, P&C associations, artists,
regional galleries in NSW and nationally.
 Visit the ACARA website http://www.acara.edu.au/home_page.html to read the
draft documents and make comments.
 The shaping paper for the arts is due to be released in July. Comments will close
in September.