Education and Early Childhood Learning

Arts Education is the umbrella term that includes four arts subjects or disciplines. The Arts subjects or disciplines are: Dance, Drama, Music (includes Band, Choral, Strings/Orchestra, Guitar) and Visual Arts. Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning has developed new curricula in these areas (K to Grade 8). These subjects are listed in the Subject Table Handbook. Schools should use the Manitoba curriculum frameworks as the basis of reporting on the Arts subjects offered in their schools.

No. Any one or more of the four Arts Education subjects may be taught to meet the arts requirements and report cards have to reflect what was taught. Schools have the flexibility to choose the number and combination of Arts subjects appropriate to their local context, resources, needs, and the Arts Education implementation approach used in the school.At least one Arts Education subject must be reported in its own subject grading box with the four subject categories.

Only fully implemented Arts frameworks are reported on as a standalone subject, regardless of whether they are taught in an integrated manner or taught separately. Curriculum integration reinforces meaningful connections within and across subjects. While all educators are encouraged to integrate Arts Education learning outcomes across curricular areas where meaningful and appropriate, each Arts framework is considered fully implemented only if all four essential learning areas for any one Arts subject are explored in comprehensive, substantial, and interconnected ways.

Because there are various approaches to Arts Education in Manitoba schools, there are options in the report card for reporting on the Arts. When a particular one or two Arts subjects or disciplines are the focus of instruction over the course of the year, they may be reported as separate subjects using the four subject categories (e.g., Creative Expression).

If multiple (three or more) Arts subjects (e.g., Drama, Music) are offered as part of school programming, student achievement is reported for all but at most two of these subjects under the heading “Arts Education” using a multi-subject grading box. At least one Arts Education subject must be reported in its own subject grading box with the four subject categories. Further detail is found in section 4.4 in the Manitoba Report Card, Support Document, Partners for Learning.

There is some local discretion. For example, an Arts subject taught throughout the year may be best suited to its own grading box, while two or three subjects taught in rotation (e.g., a different subject during each term) may be best suited to reporting using the multi-subject grading box. Whichever approach is used, a maximum of two grading boxes (with the four subject categories) may be used for reporting on Arts Education and at least one Arts Education subject must be reported in its own subject grading box with the four subject categories.

Although learning in the four categories is reported separately, this learning is integrated as part of teaching and learning experiences that deeply explore all four categories or essential learning areas.

Although each of the four essential learning areas presents a distinct set of learning outcomes, their achievement is not intended to be realized in isolation. The essential learning areas are intended to function in an integrated way with each other so that disciplinary tools and language are connected to how they may be used to create and communicate in the subject, why the Arts subject is important for different times, places, social groups and cultures, and what purpose and meaning the arts subject has for individuals and communities.

Report card indicators are provided in the Manitoba Report Card Policy and Support Document and are intended to support educators in assessing and evaluating the four categories as part of integrated teaching and learning practice.

The report card indicators are taken directly from the General Learning Outcomes that are associated with each essential learning area represented by the report card categories.

Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning does not mandate weighting for the four categories but a balance of the four categories is expected to reflect the equal importance and the integrated nature of the four essential learning areas.

Even though the subject categories are not used for reporting in this scenario, it is expected that they remain in focus when assessing student achievement.

If the focus of learning is different from the grade-level expectations in an Arts subject, please refer to the Manitoba Report Card, Support Document, Partners for Learning, section 4.2.

Curriculum frameworks for K-8 Dance, Drama, Music, and Visual Arts are available on the Arts Education website.

Course codes are found in the Subject Table Handbook.

Details on the Private music options/credits for Grades 9-12 can be found on the Arts Education website.

The private music option can earn high school students up to a maximum of four credits.

Course codes for the private music option and the professional dance credit (limited to students in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet professional program) are found in the Subject Table Handbook.

Information for schools, parents, and students on the private music option, Royal Winnipeg Ballet Option, SICs, and other matters regarding graduation can be found on the Graduation Requirements web page.