PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Recognising the artist in everyone
Creative genius lies within all of us and it is through the arts that we can most often realise this genius within . “ But wait ,” you say , “ I am not artistic nor creative . I do not paint , write symphonies , act in the local production or sing beautifully ” ( except by yourself in the car ).
Well , you are a genius , and we are surrounded by genius in the boys and girls in the Preparatory School . The arts are a continuum that starts with imagination . Imagination is the extraordinary power we have as humans ; and we take it for granted far too often . Our boys and girls ( and us ) are different from all other creatures on earth because we can make things , create things . We immerse ourselves in a world of ideas , concepts and theories and we create the seemingly impossible . All in our minds . All of our girls and boys in the Preparatory School have this power . So our challenge is : how do we ‘ tap ’ into it ? With all these latent talents , how are we going to provide the perfect environment to further develop and demonstrate them ?
Simple , we say . We provide excellence in teaching in the Arts , outstanding facilities and the most crucial component : time . We immerse our students in worlds of art , music , dance , drama and opportunities for imagination , creativity and expression . As many schools and school systems around the world are cutting time and teaching from the Arts in the quixotic quest for standardising everything , we are creating more time , more opportunity and increasing opportunities for
Mr Clark Wight
our Preparatory School students . We require them to delve into their creative minds and build competency , excellence and skills all crucial to the full development of their creative genius . And , the arts are good for the soul and for the brain . The freedom to create understanding and new ideas , images and sounds to our world is a powerful force in building wellness and positivity in our young students ( and adults ).
Teaching the Arts is not an optional extra for our students , it is an essential component to their development and education , because in their future , creativity , innovation and a growth mindset will be critical to their and our success . Many educators from around the world are joining together in calling for Arts and creativity to be as important in the curriculum as literacy and
numeracy in schools . A solid foundation and development in the Arts are linked to enhanced academic achievement in mathematics , literacy , creative problem solving and verbal skills . And the most amazing thing is that we understand that every child is a genius at this already . Our children are born with the ability to create abstract thought , create new ideas and to be curious . Too often , schools have played a damaging part in crushing this gift for the sake of conformity and standardisation . What we love about the boys and girls in the Preparatory School is that we are working diligently to harness this genius and provide daily opportunities for them to create understanding , imagine and be curious .
Our success and theirs will be measured in the future they create for our world . But for now , our emphasis on STEAM learning ( Science Technology Engineering Arts Maths ) can be measured and we can work with all students on the core skills and competencies of an excellent primary education . The Arts is the creative glue that binds the other STEAM curriculum areas together . It is an exciting time for us as we watch our amazing students inquire , create , build competency , explore creativity and find their own unique voice and genius through the Arts .
You are an artist ! You , too , are a genius . Create , inspire and share like we do in the Preparatory School .
Mr Clark Wight Head of Preparatory School
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