The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Teachers of fine arts in Alberta will be interested to hear that Alberta Education has implemented a review of the province’s fine arts programs.

Over the last year, meetings with educators, artists and interested groups were held across Alberta, and these diverse groups will continue to meet this fall and winter as part of the review. A literature review of the K–12 fine arts programs has been completed and includes theoretical findings and practical implications. The results of the arts focus meetings and literature research will be used in developing a K–12 arts education curriculum framework for Alberta.

The arts education team in the Program Development and Standards Division at Alberta Education comprises program managers in the Curriculum Branch and French Language Services Branch; First Nations, Métis and Inuit program consultants, and resource managers. The arts education program manager is Maureen Melnyk, who also serves as the Alberta Education representative on the ATA’s Fine Arts Council. For information about the review or to become involved, contact Maureen Melnyk at 780-644-2280 or maureen.melnyk@gov.ab.ca.

The new fine arts program of study for K–6 will be implemented in 2012, Grades 7–9 in 2013 and Grades 10–12 in 2014. Despite the long implementation process, fine arts educators should feel optimistic that the new program will focus on the importance of the arts in education.

Alberta Education staff will present the keynote address at this year’s Fine Arts Council conference. "Arts in Focus" takes place at Sherwood Park’s Coast Plaza East, November 1, 2008. Conference information is featured on the Fine Arts Council website (www.fac.teachers.ab.ca). Sixteen sessions highlighting art, dance, drama and music will be presented, as well as information geared toward beginning teachers. 

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