Advocacy: Working towards a musical future.
Opportunity Vs. Resources
In Ontario, we live in a world of great opportunity, and limited resources. Governments, school boards, schools, and even individuals need to allocate their assets in a way that makes sense for their students. In working for their piece of the pie, music educators and their allies need to recognize that other subjects and educational priorities, which also have clear value to Ontario students, are also vying for a sizeable slice. Our role as music advocates is to ensure that we highlight the amazing opportunities that the study of music offers our children, while working to earn our fair share of the resources.
Work it…
Note that as an advocate you are working to earn your share of the resources. We are no longer living in a time (if such a time ever really existed) when investments in the Arts and Music will consistently be made because it’s the right thing to do. To encourage anything like a reasonable flow of human and fiscal resources towards music, it has to be seen as the right thing, and the effective thing, and the prudent thing, and the expedient, thing and the politically advantageous thing, and the… well, you get the picture.
How we can help:
On this page we provide you with a range of advocacy resources that may be worthwhile to music teachers, students, parents, and other allies in our campaign for music. In addition, in our OMEA members only section, teachers will find some “school specific” strategies that are intended to help the individual teacher work within their schools to ensure an ongoing place for music education in their building. At this very local level especially, advocacy without alienation is the key! Watch the “breaking news” section for time-sensitive material, such as events, election material or survey opportunities.
OMEA/Alliance for Music Education Produced Advocacy resources:
Links to:
- OMEA Class Size Consultation – A letter to Edulabfinance
- OMEA 100th Anniversary Celebration Speech – Advocacy Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
- OMEA Response to Education Policy – The OMEA Joins Chorus of Concern
- OMEA Response to 2018 People for Education Arts Report
- OMEA Ontario Election Resource
- “2018 People for Education Arts Report”
- “Continued Decline, Continued Concern” OMEA Response to P4E Report 2017
- “2017 People for Education Arts Report”
- OMEA Response to “Geography of Opportunity P4E Report
- “An Advocacy Map” OMEA Presentation, 2016
- Summary of Provincial and National advocacy perspectives
- OMEA Advocacy PowerPoint, 2015
- OMEA/Alliance for Music Education: Standards for Music Teachers and Music Specialists
- Alliance for Music Education Ontario brochure
Other Advocacy Resources:
- Stop Calling it “Prep”! – Implementing the new arts curriculum
- People for Education Arts Report
- Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat: Ontario—Placing Music at the Heart of Literacy Instruction
- Coalition for Music Education—Grassroots Advocacy Guide
- Coalition for Music Education– Other Advocacy Materials
- Coalition for Music Education– A Delicate Balance: Music Education in Canadian Schools
- Ontario Principal’s Council—Don’t Call it Prep Time!
- Canadian School Boards’ Association: 21st Century Learning Skills
- Thames Valley Time Allocation Document
- NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) advocacy resources
- SOCAN Music is the Food of Fun
- Richard Gill TEDx talk: The Value of Music Education
- Ken Robinson TED talk: Do Schools Kill Creativity?
Members Only resources:
- An Advocacy Roadmap: Prezi basis for 2016 OMEA conference presentation
- 2013 Recorder Article:
- Principals Want to Know: Identity Building through the Arts (unpublished draft)
Updated Articles to follow