Private Schools: Arts programs hone students’ talents

While academic excellence is a major focus at private schools, many of them also seek to nurture students’ ability to express their creativity through fine arts programming.

At West Island College (WIC), an independent junior and senior high school, fine arts programming is compulsory from grades 7 through 10.

“Fine arts is an important part of the student experience,” says Cindy Martin, WIC visual arts specialist and fine arts learning leader. “It provides students with meaningful opportunities to explore their interests, discover new talents and develop confidence through creativity and performance.”

The range of opportunities covers all areas of the arts, Martin says, from drawing, painting, sculpture and ceramics to drama, including acting, production and full-scale theatrical performances and musicals. There is also a broad range of opportunities in music, including concert and symphonic bands, plus jazz, brass, rock and small ensembles.

Students can move from introductory experiences into increasingly specialized and collaborative opportunities as their interests and skills develop, Martin adds.

WIC band director Jay Michalak says a significant part of the fine arts experience takes place beyond the classroom, with students visiting galleries, attending professional theatre productions and participating in workshops.

Music students also regularly perform at venues in Calgary and beyond, with some participating in performance and workshop tours across Canada.

“These experiences allow students to see themselves as artists and performers in authentic settings, rather than simply as students completing an assignment,” says Michalak.

They also develop more than just technical skills in the fine arts program, Martin adds.

“Students learn to communicate ideas, take creative risks, collaborate, listen, respond to feedback and present themselves with confidence,” Martin says. “In a world increasingly shaped by technology and AI (artificial intelligence), the ability to think creatively, approach problems from different perspectives and bring originality and resilience to challenges is increasingly valuable.”

At Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School (STS), students from kindergarten to Grade 12 are able to study fine arts, with programs that include visual and performing arts, music and band.

STS director of arts Katrina Tashlikowich says young students start out with broad exposure to the arts while in later grades they can focus on an area of interest. A common element, according to Tashlikowich, is that activities are all based on an inquiry, question or statement.

“For example, instead of just doing improv in drama, you are inquiring into how improv might be used to create character. So, there’s more than just learning the skill, it’s also about applying it in a bigger way.”

Since areas such as music and performing arts are usually done in groups, Tashlikowich says students learn how to work with different personalities, find commonality and build something together.

There is also a chance to solve problems, such as when senior school students developing a show have to determine how to ensure everything runs smoothly.

“(Since) the final product is something that you see on display, there is a real sense of upping your game so that it looks great,” says Tashlikowich. “These kids are learning this very naturally and not artificially; like, here’s a problem, now solve it.”

Some highlight events on the STS calendar include the annual senior high musical and an elementary school musical performed every two years. Tashlikowich adds that a couple years ago some STS students travelled to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to experience it first-hand.

“For a lot of kids, it’s a bright spot in their day,” Tashlikowich says of the fine arts programming. “We don’t have desks in the classroom, we’re on our feet. So, it’s something lovely about that for kids to have a time in their day where they’re like, ‘OK, now I’m going to do something different.’”

Private Schools is created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division.