Arts Education Seen as Common-Core Partner At the Isabella
Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, the painting "El Jaleo"—a
canvas spanning 11 feet that features a flamenco dancer—is a
popular starting point for getting students to spend time with a
work of art. But viewing and discussing the 1882 piece by the
American artist John Singer Sargent isn't just a cultural
experience. It also presents a powerful opportunity to tap into
some of the same skills asked of students under the Common Core
State Standards, said Michelle A. Grohe, the director of school
and teacher programs at the museum, which has a close
partnership with four Boston public schools. "When one of our
schools is focusing on 'close' readings, to read an excerpt of
text and describe the main idea and provide supporting evidence
or details, that is very similar to what we do with the visual
arts," she said. As educators nationwide seek to help students
meet the demands of the common core in English/language arts and
mathematics, many arts education