A day after the 2007 Grammy Awards were given out, it might be nice to pause a minute and remember that for many of these famous musicians, there was a music teacher who started them on their path. In Connecticut, singer John Mayer’s former music teacher told the Associated Press he’d be watching the show. I’m sure he was pleased that his protégée won for best pop vocal album. It’s especially important to keep this in mind, as critics of the federal No Child Left Behind Act continue to worry that the law’s emphasis on reading and math is cutting into the creative arts, particularly music. Last year Education Week reported on a study that found schools were decreasing time for other subjects, including music, that were not tested by NCLB. Here’s one take on the federal law and how it affects music education from The Music Education Madness Site, which includes comments from music teachers. And just for fun, here’s another way to blend music and education policy.
A version of this news article first appeared in the Around the Web blog.