How do arts education programs support a balanced curriculum?
A balanced curriculum reflects the philosophy and beliefs of educating the whole child, and enabling the child to take an active role in constructing meaning from his or her experiences. The Basic Education Plan (BEP) for the State of North Carolina was based on this philosophy. Though never fully funded nor implemented, the philosophy of the BEP holds true today. The BEP supports the premise that there is a common core of knowledge and skills which every child shall command when he or she graduates from high school. As stated in the BEP, “a basic program is not one-dimensional; indeed, it must address all aspects of a child’s development, from kindergarten through high school, or else it cannot properly be termed basic… it does not encourage learning in one area over learning in another (BEP, 1994, p1). All areas, including arts education, are considered essential to learning in school and beyond.
