Ensemble cast: filling pedagogical gaps in theatre education with school and community partnerships

Sommerfeld, Jeffrey P. Part of No Child Left Behind’s legacy is the corrosion of arts education in the United States. When the 2002 education law's cast list of core subjects was posted on the walls of our nation, arts education did not make the cut, while reading and mathematics took leading roles. Instructional time and funds were siphoned for test preparation in a narrow field of core subjects (Chapman, 2005; McMurrer, 2007). Opportunity gaps for arts education disproportionately impact students of color and students living in poverty, rendering it a civil rights issue (Rabkin & Hedberg, 2011). To fill pedagogical gaps, arts education should not be outsourced to community arts organizations (Bowen & Kisida, 2017). Therefore, this concurrent mixed methods study focused on partnerships between K-12 schools and local arts agencies in Wisconsin, where only 2% of students enroll in Theatre Education courses (Underly, 2023). Examination of curriculum plans from a youth actor training program in Milwaukee, WI, with the Wisconsin Standards for Theatre revealed that the curriculum aligned with all 17 of the Wisconsin Theatre Performance standards. Students also demonstrated growth and development relative to the academic standards with increased rigor and performance expectations throughout the program. This study’s recommendations include formal partnerships between K-12 schools and arts organizations to offer Theatre Education courses in schools, utilizing the unique assets of all stakeholders. Additional research recommendations include broadening the sample size, extending the focus to additional content areas and regions of the United States, and tracking social-emotional development and other instrumental benefits for students.

Grantor dc:publisher

Alverno College

Year dc:date

2024

Author dc:creator

• Sommerfeld, Jeffrey P.

• Performing arts--Study and teaching
• Theater--Study and teaching

Statement dc:rights

• These materials may be used by individuals and libraries for personal use, research, teaching (including distribution to classes), or for any fair use as defined by U.S. Copyright Law.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://alverno.omeka.net/items/show/928

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:alverno.omeka.net:928