Wouldn’t it be great if there were a middle school/high school that was teaching academics through art? If you’re a highly creative middle school or high school student, or you have a child who is, you may have pondered this question.
The good news is, if you’re looking for a top-notch public arts-integrated middle/high school in Southeast Michigan, such a thing exists with Arts Academy in the Woods.
Located in Fraser, Michigan, this unique educational institution is the perfect place for artistically inclined students who aren’t benefitting from the way STEM-focused topics are taught in conventional schools. Plus, with a zero-tolerance policy for bullying, it’s also a safe haven for every student who marches to the beat of a different drum.
What Does Teaching Academics Through Art Look Like?
With a full arts and academic curriculum, Arts Academy in the Woods caters to creatively-minded students by integrating arts into academics. And for students who hope to move on to college, the curriculum at the school caters to that. Our academic offerings include the following:
Math
There’s a ridiculous myth that creative people can’t do math. As if being a visual person cancels out all logic. It’s a myth that’s debunked at Arts Academy in the Woods.
Our educators help students see math in a whole new way through the reinforcement of foundational knowledge and the teaching of conceptual/logical thinking via arts integration. In other words, learning math through art.
Science
At AAW, we know how science changes the way we view everything, including art and music. For example, a student may have a deeper understanding of music when they understand sound waves. Or they can have a new experience of art when learning how eyes see color.
Whatever the case, students are encouraged to experiment, try new ideas to foster creativity, and explore their available resources. They also develop organizational skills through writing and tracking data and describing the process in a clear and well-developed way.
Social Studies
AAW also teaches social studies (i.e. history, geography, economics, and civics) through art in various ways. For example, by studying art movements during specific eras, students learn the importance of taking action on local, national, and global issues.
Through these teachings, students practice critical thinking skills that encourage informed civic action while gaining tools to understand human behavior, culture, and development.
Languages
There are so many benefits to learning languages. Acquiring a second language is key to making deeper cultural connections that enhance every artist’s work. Our teachers instruct students to listen and understand, speak, read, and write the chosen second language in its simple forms. This builds an appreciation for personal, social, occupational, and civic literacy.
Health and Wellness
Finally, through the school’s health and wellness curriculum, students are encouraged to learn essential life skills that extend beyond (while also lending to) their art. These include skills that maintain physical, mental, emotional, and academic wellness – with an added emphasis on mental health.
So What Happens in Art Classes?
Unlike at conventional educational institutions, art classes at AAW are not an afterthought. They take center stage, as it were. So while students learn academics through arts, they also continue to fine-tune their creative skills and work on the areas of interest they may one day want to pursue.
Digital Arts
The world has gone digital. The job market is full of opportunities for digital artists. So for art students with an eye on the digital age, the digital arts curriculum at AAW offers hands-on interactivity with digital tools while pairing creativity with the extensive reach of modern capability. They gain imperative technological skills along the way that will prepare them for this modern age.
Creative Writing
If you think creative writing is simply crafting a story, think again. Creative writers at AAW study story structure, writing techniques, and poetry
forms. As they progress, they learn to perfect the craft of revision, collaborate on plays and films, and contribute to and edit the school’s literary blog and printed anthology. Attend one of AAW’s signature poetry slams and you’ll see firsthand the power of creative writing.
Visual Arts
For the classic artist, AAW offers a wide variety of courses including drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, and studio art. Educators encourage students to think and behave like independent artists while also grounding students in the conventions of their chosen medium. And to help prepare students for college, the visual arts courses are modeled on the college art curriculum.
Instrumental Music
Because it’s nearly impossible to make it in the world of music without first gaining a foundation, aspiring musicians at AAW explore the fundamentals of playing music. From an introduction to the basic chords and scales to grasping music theory, students also learn to analyze and critique their sound and performances regularly. And those who are college-bound are supported in their preparation for scholarship and acceptance auditions for universities and conservatories.
Vocal Music
For talented teens with dreams of being a singer, AAW is the place to be. Through our vocal music program, singers work to achieve and maintain a high level of musicianship, leadership, responsibility, and respectable character. Vocalists work daily on their class music in preparation for performances at civic, cultural, and educational activities during the school year.
Dance
The academy’s dance curriculum aligns with what students will experience at the college level – with a focus on technique, performance, and choreography. Dance majors are typically enrolled in several sections of technique and/or repertoire at various levels.
Acting
Actors at AAW use literary and historical contexts to deepen the understanding of a character. They work on formal critiques, improvisation, monologues, dialogues, poetry performances, and the creation of original works. The acting curriculum also stresses the vocabulary of the stage and stresses the physical aspects and management of the stage, and how to be comfortable with all aspects involved in putting on a full production.
Have We Piqued Your Curiosity?
Now that you know that there’s a public school in Southeast Michigan teaching academics through art, you may be ready to take a tour of Arts Academy in the Woods.
We invite you to do so!
Contact us today to make that happen. We look forward to meeting our next remarkable student.