Open letter to Federal Labor Cadidates

Labor Policy: Music Education

When we, the School Music Action Group (sMAG) Victoria, wrote to you around May 28^th, we outlined our recommendations for improving school music education.   

Since then we have read your Education policy: http://www.laborsplanforeducation.com.au/labors_plan#better-trained-teachers and we welcome the transformational, overarching strategic plan the policy sets out to deliver on public school education throughout the nation.

We welcome your policies around:

• ·       Full funding of the Gonski review recommendations
• ·       Better trained teachers and better quality teaching
• ·       Investment in leadership and Principal training and support
• ·       Investment in disability education with a vision towards equity
• ·       Targeted resources, and
• ·       Accountability and transparency measures

We also read a belief and commitment from Federal Labor:

“Labor believes the benefits of musical education should be available to all Australian students. We will support more schools introducing children to the arts through the joy of music.

A Shorten Labor Government will provide $2 million a year to expand successful school music programs such as Music: Count Us In, Musica Viva in Schools and the Song Room. We will also invest $350,000 a year to continue the SongMakers program beyond 2017.”

We welcome the Shorten Labor Party aspiration!  Great news that the ‘joy of music’ will be afforded to ‘all Australian students’. 

PUBLIC SERVICE TEACHERS

To achieve this, we would respectfully implore that a Labor commitment is met with the same measure as the proposed investment in public service to STEM subjects.  Investment in strategic oversight, a mandatory P - 8 sequential, continuous and developmental program, delivered by expertly trained music teachers working as Public service, school employed teachers is the only way to deliver on this vision. Schools must be mandated to provide a protected 50 - 60 minute session for the vision to become reality.

While we appreciate an injection into the Private Music Education business providers, it is only through full time teacher employment in a school, that real transformational change can occur.  In this way, the teacher as central becomes the foundation upon which Incursion providers may extend student engagement.  Tertiary level training must be comprehensive and fully funded.

While we appreciate the ability for Private Music Education business providers to reach remote locations of Australia, for those services to be successful, broadband internet must be bolstered. We reiterate, that the best way to gain meaningful, generational change in Music Education delivery is to provide vibrant, engaging, and expertly trained specialist teachers, employed as public servants.  

We must put a stop to the inequity in Australia. Music has many benefits for all learners and communities. Training teachers is the most effective and efficient method.  Providing tertiary level music specialisation is imperative, with adequate time allocations.  Currently, tertiary institutions only allow minimal time allocations to undergrad teachers in The Arts.  Tertiary music education needs an investment in time allocation, delivered as a stand-alone subject.

Teacher registration bodies must also begin to implement the recommendations of the NRSME (2005) and the Victorian Inquiry (2013).  We must push back on a tertiary system that lumps the arts together.  Teachers must develop deep pedagogical and content knowledge in music, as it is such a specialist area.  We have examples of undergraduate students, who due to the inequitable access to effective sequential and developmental music learning, have little to no knowledge of the fundamental elements of music. 

Music education builds learning power (Claxton, 2007) and cultivates more than the ability to regurgitate facts and figures, it develops thinking, resilience, persistence, resourcefulness, reflectiveness and reciprocity (Claxton 2013). We need music education to be adequately funded as a stand alone subject from P – 8, and at tertiary level, for these outcomes as well as for the joy of making music.

Our many followers, readers, colleagues, patrons, ambassadors and affiliates would be pleased to hear any clarification around your Music Education policy.   We attach our previous letter, and repeat here:

ACTIONS FORWARD FOR ANY CANDIDATE

sMAG would offer its support to the a future Shorten government should it commit to implementing the various report recommendations if elected to office later this year.

Reform of music education in all Australian schools will ensure the best possible educational outcomes for Victorian state school students and we ask you to assist by:

• ·       Advocating for the adoption of the various review recommendations in your party room
• ·       Ensuring through parliamentary process that the Shorten government implements the NRSME, and TEMAG recommendations while it remains in office
• ·       Supporting the inclusion of specific references to music education provision and quality in future Labor education policy
• ·       Becoming an advocate for music education reform within parliament so that ‘top tier’ educational outcomes for Australian students are achieved
• ·       Supporting the establishment of a Ministerial Advisory Committee to assist Government and the Department in the implementation of the long term recommendations
• ·       Researching music education reform opportunities amongst schools in your electorate so that your constituents may benefit from these initiatives and reforms
• ·       Supporting the inclusion of music education reform in the Shorten 2016 election platform and in future education policies
• 
  

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ANY ELECTED GOVERNMENT

sMAG recommends that whether in government or the Senate, The Labor Party commits to;

• ·       Universal provision of music education in Australian schools from P-8 by the start 2022 academic year - five years to allow for pre service training of music education specialists.  Public service teachers provide long term investment in schools, working in communities over decades.
• ·       Ensuring that the Wiltshire/Donnelly recommendation that Music be delivered as a stand-alone subject is implemented into the Australian Curriculum, and that the Australian Curriculum provides a sequential, continuous and developmental pathway for all students from P – 8, delivered by an expertly trained, specialist teacher.
• ·       Creating and promoting a national quality/best practice framework for music in schools.
• ·       Appointing a Commonwealth Education minister who then seeks the agreement of the COAG Education Council in requiring schools and systems to report on their music education activity annually from 2017. 
• ·       Adopting a variation on TEMAG recommendation (Rec 18) that teacher-training institutions provide students with the opportunity to specialise in a STEM subject and an arts subject – namely Music.  Effectively STEMM.  Meaning that in the medium term the teacher training institutions and teacher registration bodies are training and accrediting sufficient graduate teachers with the requisite skills in music to achieve the goal of universal provision; P – 8 Classroom music, instrumental music experts and ensemble teachers.

sMAG would be happy to provide you with any additional information or documentation you may require.  World’s best practice shows us that music should be a core component of every curriculum and should be available to every student.  We ask for your support to make this vital educational reform a reality.

REFERENCES

Robin Pascoe, et al., National Review of School Music Education: Augmenting the Diminished. Canberra: Department of Education, Science and Training, 2005. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/9459/1/music_review_reportFINAL.pdf

See Ian Harvey, Making the Progression: Report of the National Music Workshop, 27-28 August, 2006.  Melbourne: Australian Music Association, 2006.

Anne Lierse, et al., Victorian Music Workshop Report Southbank, 2007.

Victorian Inquiry Into The Extent, Benefits and Potential of Music Education 2013. http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/file_uploads/Music_Education_Final_041113_FJWsJhBy.pdf.  

Australian Government, Review of the Australian Curriculum Final Report.  Wiltshire/Donnelly 2014 https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/review_of_the_national_curriculum_final_report.pdf

Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) provided a report “Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers Report” https://docs.education.gov.au/node/36783

Expanding Young People’s Capacity To Learn, Guy Claxton 2007.

Progression In Student Creativity In Sschool: First Steps Towards New Forms Of Formative Assessments  Guy Claxton et all 2013

Federal Labor's election promise

Federal Labor have announced this week:

BOOSTING MUSIC IN SCHOOLS

Labor believes the benefits of musical education should be available to all Australian students. We will support more schools introducing children to the arts through the joy of music.

A Shorten Labor Government will provide $2 million a year to expand successful school music programs such as Music: Count Us In, Musica Viva in Schools and the Song Room. We will also invest $350,000 a year to continue the SongMakers program beyond 2017. 

http://www.artshub.com.au/news-article/news/grants-and-funding/richard-watts/labor-boosts-funding-in-new-arts-policy-251450http://www.artshub.com.au/news-article/news/grants-and-funding/richard-watts/labor-boosts-funding-in-new-arts-policy-251450

sMAG response:

Investment in the PUBLIC SECTOR, towards providing public servants is what is needed.  Public sector strategic oversight, pre service teacher education, a strengthening of the curriculum, and accountability procedures towards providing every child, in every school a music education is the only way forward.  Investment in the Public Service will give long term, generational, meaningful transformation. 
Private providers supply for the short term, offering occasional support.  It is only when a full time, school employed, specialist teacher is in place that long term, meaningful music education can take place.  From this foundation, the "add - on" private sector providers can contribute.  While we all appreciate the 'icing on the cake' our private music education providers give to programs, it is only INVESTMENT in public school teachers, employed for the long term that any significant generational change can be made.

We would like to hear if the Shorten Labor policy includes the significant investment of preservice training, strategic oversight, and a strengthened curriculum for music......

Federal Election 2016 - what you can do

Engaging Federal election candidates in conversations around the national need for universal provision of music education is opportune for everyone in our community at this time. sMAG Vic has written to all the Labor candidates, and has a view to writing to Liberal, National and Greens candidates over the coming weeks.  However, the more folks in the community that raise the matter now, the better our prospective outcomes may be - it really is a numbers game.
Federal scope includes; the national data - NSRME, the Australian Curriculum - Wiltshire/Donnelly, and pre service training - TEMAG. You can outline how the data (NSRME) shows a severe lack of provision and we call for universal provision delivered by a specialist, how Wiltshire/Donnelly recommended music be delivered as a stand alone subject in the Australian Curriculum (not 1 of 5 in The Arts), and that Recommendation 18 of the TEMAG report be extended to support specialisation in Music for pre service teacher training in tertiary institutions, if the subject is going to be delivered with any efficacy. 
Further, it is recommended that Federal education policy include; 1. collection of national data to track provision, and success into the future and 2. cooperation with State counterparts in policy development and at COAG.
It is up to all of us to raise our voices collectively now, as the politicians are keen during an election campaign, to hear what voters want.
Shake the hand of your local candidates and engage in a conversation. 
Write a letter to your local candidates, and here are all the references for you! 
To find the addresses and email listings for each candidate, visit http://insight.racv.com.au/election/contact-federal-election-candidates/ and scroll down to the hyperlinks for Liberal, Labor etc. to take you to the party pages.
1. Robin Pascoe, et al., National Review of School Music Education: Augmenting the Diminished. Canberra: Department of Education, Science and Training, 2005. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/…/music_review_rep…
2. See Ian Harvey, Making the Progression: Report of the National Music Workshop, 27-28 August, 2006. Melbourne: Australian Music Association, 2006.
3. Victorian Inquiry Into The Extent, Benefits and Potential of Music Education 2013. http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/…/Music_Education_Final_04….
4. Australian Government, Review of the Australian Curriculum Final Report. Wiltshire/Donnelly 2014 https://docs.education.gov.au/…/review_of_the_national_curr…
5. Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) provided a report “Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers Report”https://docs.education.gov.au/node/36783

sMAG Response: REVIEW OF THE PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES (PSD) REPORT

The sMAG (School Music Action Group, Victoria) welcomes the recent release of The Education State: Review of the Program for Students with Disabilities report (the PSD Report): a most comprehensive approach to perhaps some of the most profoundly challenging, sometimes controversial dilemmas, cultures and big issues in local, national and international education communities. sMAG was delighted to embrace the opportunity to prepare a submission to this most important review.  http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/about/department/PSD-Review-Report.pdf . Further, we welcome the 2016 -17 Victorian Budget and the clear commitment to put financial support behind this important sector.  While our interest group is Music education specific, the 25 broad and overarching recommendations, if implemented, will benefit all education delivery throughout Victoria and support any learning program for students with disabilities.  You would understand, we believe the inclusion of Music Education directly for students with disabilities will only enhance their development.

We welcome the inclusivity within your documentation – clearly stated on page 37;

The goals relate to all students, including those with disabilities. The targets recognise that education is about more than traditional academic pursuits and includes excellence in the arts, critical thinking, resilience, creativity, and health and wellbeing. These targets raise expectations for all students, including students with disabilities.

The Education State agenda focuses on inclusion and collective responsibility and stems from the belief that with the right support, every student can succeed.

We acknowledge that the PSD Review was thorough.  The formation of expert advice and guidance groups; commissioning a number of wide-ranging literature reviews; conduct of a number of in-person consultations with stakeholders; and submissions to online submissions and survey from a wide sector of the community were received. All contributed to more fully inform the appraisal of politically, economically, environmentally, socially and culturally sustainable law, public policy and procedures, and professional practices to support the education of children and young people with special needs in the State of Victoria.

The PSD Report acknowledged some of the local, national and international instrumentalities, implementation bodies, procedures, human rights and justice mechanisms.  Instrumentalities, bodies, procedures, human rights and justice mechanisms have, over time, advanced notions of inclusivity, integration and normalisation of these children and young people in education systems.

The PSD Report is the most recent of many such appraisals of law, public policy and procedures, and professional practice in Victoria since the mid 1980s, which is absolutely fundamental to the education of these children and young people. Gains over the past three decades have not been made without engaging in, sometimes fierce, contests of ideas. So, the PSD Report pondered: where we have come from?

            First, the PSD Report acknowledged benefits to all students and broader society; reported on an inequitable exposure to, and patchy quality of special education; detailed various funding sources; and advocated for optimum funding and governance arrangements. Indeed, the PSD Report highlighted exemplary programs in several school settings in Victoria that embrace notions of inclusivity, integration and normalisation of these children and young people.

            Second, the PSD Report acknowledged that, by definition, contexts of the local and national curriculum, assessment and reporting frameworks are fraught. The PSD Report articulated support for a cohesive and inclusive approach to frameworks that have a full focus on needs and interests of children and young people with special needs.

            Third, the PSD Report considered the profound and complex challenge of workforce capability, i.e., training of classroom teachers and specialist teachers, allied health professionals and education support staff who work in the special education sector.

Now, where we are going? There is cause for cautious optimism. sMAG congratulates the Honourable Minister on the positive response to the PSD Report that works toward politically, economically, environmentally, socially and culturally sustainable law, public policy and procedures, and professional practices to support children and young people with special needs in the Victorian education system.

sMAG is delighted that the PSD Report considered some of these most profoundly challenging, sometimes controversial dilemmas, cultures and big issues. sMAG welcomes the many press releases and budget documents that direct funding sources to further support these dilemmas, cultures and big issues.  The common mission and vision of quality education for all is a tough gig. But, with the profound challenges, there are profound opportunities in equal measure.

For example, the PSD Report noted that statutory local and national curriculum, assessment and reporting authorities have recently begun to develop a continuum of extended rubrics with descriptors of development and learning in all learning areas. Children and young people with special needs can thus work toward development and learning described in respective Foundation Levels.  sMAG implores the Honourable Minister to take courage to facilitate further collaborative development of a cohesive and inclusive approach to frameworks that include a full focus on needs and interests of children and young people with special needs, particularly in the context of several reviews into schools music education in recent years ^{1, 2, 3}.

The profound and complex challenge of workforce capability, i.e., training of classroom teachers and specialist teachers, allied health professionals and education support staff who work in the special education sector was also considered in the TEMAG Final Report (Australian Government, 2015) ⁴.  sMAG implores the Honourable Minister to take courage to facilitate further collaborative development of workforce capability in this sector, in particular with relevant Federal government colleagues.

REFERENCES

1. Henley, D (2011). The Importance of Music: A National Plan for Music Education. London: Department for Education/Department for Culture, Media and Sport. PDF retrieved 01.05.2016 from .

2. Parliament of Victoria (Education and Training Committee) (2013). Inquiry into the extent, benefits and potential of music education in Victorian schools. Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer. PDF retrieved 01.05.2016 from .

3. Pascoe, R., Leong, S., MacCallum, J., Mackinlay, E., Marsh, K., Smith, R (Bob)., Church, T., Winterton, A. (2005). National Review of School Music Education: Augmenting the Diminished. Canberra: Department of Education, Science and Training. PDF retrieved 01.05.2016 from .

4. Australian Government, 2015. TEMAG Final Report. Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: author. PDF retrieved 01.05.2016 from <http://www.studentsfirst.gov.au/teacher-education-ministerial-advisory-group>.