THE IMAGINE NATION

about the imagine nation

Over the past two years a number of studies indicate that current educational approaches stifle both students and educators by focusing on a definition of "the basics" that ignores the competencies demanded by the complexities and opportunities of modern life, the skills required to sustain our role as the world leader in innovation, and the values that are the basis of our pluralistic and democratic society. Fortunately, there is now strong evidence that the American public has awakened to these challenges and is demanding that schools act to once again ignite and develop the imagination of young people as the essential capacity for envisioning and attaining these competencies, skills, and values.

There is an "imagine nation" at the heart of this public understanding that realizes that building capacities of the imagination rests primarily with an education in and through the arts and that the arts are essential to invigorating the teaching of other fundamental school subjects. Read the National Poll and other useful materials under the Resources section.

What important leaders are saying about imagine nation:

National Education Association "If our students are to receive the world class education that they deserve then we must assure them the opportunity to enhance their creativity and imagination through access to the arts and 21st century skills in their daily education. It's the only way to assure America the innovators required to compete in a global community."

— John Wilson, Executive Director, National Education Association
www.nea.org

NAMM "Research continues to expand knowledge about the impact of arts education. Data presented in this new research informs our understanding of how this impact is perceived by parents and caregivers who are nurturing children and supporting their development and education. This survey underscores belief and opinion that arts education is essential, not optional, for a complete education for all children."

— Mary Luehrsen, Executive Director, NAMM Foundation
www.namm.org

Arts Education Partnership "What is very clear in recent public opinion polling and our own research is that people across the country want a much more engaging and broadened education for students. They want schools to help students set high standards for themselves, have ambition and aspirations for success, and develop the skills to fulfill their dreams and meet the demands of the 21st century world in which we live. And, the majority of voters (88%) believe that an education in and through the arts is essential to developing the capacities of the imagination that empower students to achieve these goals. We have never seen this clear or strong an indication of public support for arts education."

— Richard J. Deasy, Director, Arts Education Partnership
www.aep-arts.org

George Gund Foundation "This work is an important affirmation of the agendas The George Gund Foundation has been pursuing in our education and arts program areas to ensure that our community’s children are ready to meet both the personal and professional challenges of the 21st century. The concept of an ‘imagine nation’ provides a clear mandate for the inclusion of the arts as part of every child’s basic education. We look forward to continued work with the 'imagine nation' partners in making sure that creativity, innovation and imagination thrive in our nation classrooms.

— Deena Epstein, Senior Program Officer for the Arts, The George Gund Foundation
www.gundfdn.org

Creative Oklahoma, Inc "The overwhelming public support of more creative approaches to education and the preparation of a more creative and innovative workforce confirms our efforts here in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Creativity Project was initiated to foster new ways of thinking about our state in the areas of culture, commerce, and education. Oklahoma's future - our second century that begins this year - requires educational systems that foster imagination and creative expression across all disciplines and for all learners. The data from the Arts Education Partnership national poll increases our confidence that being a State of Creativity is being on the right course."

— Burns Hargis, Chairman, Creative Oklahoma, Inc.
www.stateofcreativity.org

Ohio Department of Education "Our mission is to institute statewide education restructuring through international benchmarking, extend the arts in our schools, and use the STEM initiatives to foster imagination and innovation across disciplines in every level of our educational system. Arts learning frees students to think imaginatively and reach beyond their own capabilities to be the leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs of the 21st century."

— Susan Tave Zelman, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ohio Department of Education
www.ode.state.oh.us

Big Thought "The Dallas Arts Learning Initiative, a partnership between the Dallas ISD, the City of Dallas, numerous cultural partners and Big Thought is incorporating creative learning as an important part of a well rounded curriculum. The consortium of leaders in business, government, and academic fields is working to engage students at all levels and implement programs that will help build imagination and ensure a strong, innovative workforce for our future

— Gigi Antoni, CEO/President of Big Thought
www.dallasartslearning.org

National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) State arts agencies are making annual investments in arts education of better than $70 million in over 3000 communities through more than 9000 grant awards—in addition to what is contributed by each state’s arts education manager towards improving education policy and organizing advocacy for learning in the arts. The ImagineNation research will strengthen this commitment by revealing how much broader and deeper the stakeholder support for arts education can be, and illuminating how we can better communicate to educators, legislators and other decision makers the relevance of arts education to their top priorities.

— Jonathan Katz, CEO
www.nasaa-arts.org

League of American Orchestras "There is a solid body of research showing that arts education leads to well-rounded citizens, giving students the skills of creativity, problem solving, imagination, and innovation. Now, there is evidence that this is understood by the general public, perhaps in ways that it is not understood by local political powers who shape school curricula. Working at the local level with the forces that shape the agendas of local school systems, the arts can be advanced as an integral, central part of the curriculum."

— Henry Fogel, President and CEO, League of American Orchestras
www.americanorchestras.org

Educational Theatre Association "Certainly theatre educators and other arts education advocates ought to pay attention to this poll. Any research that confirms an understanding of the value of imagination and creativity in our students' learning is good news. Schools that cultivate thinking outside the box, whether in a theatre class or a science lab, are going to be critical to the success of this country’s twenty-first century workforce."

— Michael Peitz, Executive Director, Educational Theatre Association
www.edta.org

Lincoln Center Institute for the Arts in Education Lincoln Center Institute for the Arts in Education (LCI) aims to develop capacities of inquiry, observation, imagination, and creativity through guided encounters with the visual and performing arts. Because imagination is necessary for all learning and teaching, LCI’s approach is applied across the curriculum and is used by teachers of all subject areas. By partnering with local schools, offering professional development for teachers, and designing consultancies for a variety of organizations, LCI has shared its unique method of education with more than 20 million students, teachers, college professors, and arts administrators. LCI also continues to expand its investigation of the imagination in a variety of ways: through its work with the LCI-founded New York City High School for Arts, Imagination and Inquiry; by instituting the Imagination Award, which celebrates schools that are exemplars of imagination in education; and in a new book about the imagination, to be published by Jossey Bass including interviews by noted professionals on the role imagination has played in their lives and their work.

— Scott Noppe-Brandon, Executive Director
http://www.lcinstitute.org

National Urban Alliance “Rising drop out rates and poor test scores are concrete evidence that students across America, especially in urban schools, are not meeting their potential. Every student can excel, but first schools must help every student engage. In our work in urban districts nationwide, we have found that education for the imagination is critical. Teaching skills of the imagination connects with students and helps to absorb them in the curriculum. And, once those students graduate, highly developed skills of the imagination help them make a relevant, valuable contribution to the global workforce.”

— Eric Cooper, President, National Urban Alliance
www.nuatc.org

National Association of Secondary School Principals "The arts play a very important role in our lives affording students an opportunity to think creatively and look at the world in a broader, more enlightened manner. In the 21st century and during the era of No Child Left Behind, it is even more important to include the arts in the education of our nation’s youth. If we are going to be on the cutting edge of a global economy, we need well rounded citizens who use their imagination to solve our world’s problems. Arts are one way to insure that America remains an Imagine Nation."

— Dr. Gerald N. Tirozzi, Executive Director, National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)
www.principals.org

Introducing

Nama     : Amir Mahazir
Alamat  : darussalam