The art of acting and stagecraft has been continuously evolving. Before we look at what differentiates a low-quality drama school from a great one, let’s get the basics right.
So, What is a Drama Class, Really?
A drama class is a course that focuses on teaching the art of acting and performance. In a drama class, students typically learn how to develop their acting skills, express themselves through movement and speech, and understand the principles of storytelling and stagecraft.
Drama classes can be offered at various levels, from introductory classes for beginners to more advanced classes for those with prior experience. They may also cover a range of topics, such as improvisation, script analysis, character development, and stage direction.
In addition to teaching acting techniques, drama classes provide students with opportunities to practice their skills through performances, rehearsals, and group activities.
By participating in a drama class, students can gain confidence, improve their communication and teamwork skills, and develop a deeper appreciation for the performing arts.
A great drama class is one that empowers students to speak in front of other people and work on their interpersonal relationship skills. They get to focus on and practice acting. This brings us to the most important question:
“What Makes for an Effective Drama Class?”
An acting school worth investing in is not one that simply looks at arts as a one-dimensional medium. It should be able to help students to:
- Tie science and arts subjects together and use ‘arts’ as a lens to improve their drama learning
- Portray their learning and dive into acting with their experiences and artistic elements
- Work together and create a solid group dynamic while building comfort and familiarity
- Hone their creative problem-solving skills via the medium of the arts and transfer these learnings into any job/position
- Build a community with your peers and engage in relationship-building
- Ultimately talk clearly, authentically, and with purpose
The takeaway: An effective drama class is one that provides students with a well-rounded education in the theatrical arts while also fostering creativity, self-expression, and teamwork.
5 Effective Drama Class Techniques for Beginner Students
An acting class for beginners can seem daunting. But with these techniques, as students, you can improve your dramatics significantly:
1. Experiment, Experiment, Experiment!
You must explore the different acting techniques and exercises to become more comfortable on stage. For instance, you can practice the “mirror exercise.” Here’s how it works:
- You stand facing a partner and mirror their movements and expressions.
- This helps build a sense of trust and connection with your scene partner and allows you to become more aware of your own body language.
2. Improvise Often, Improvise As Needed
Improvisation is an excellent technique for beginner drama classes. You can try improvisation with an improv acting class, which can be both challenging and exciting.
It’s amazing how quickly scenes can develop when you’re working with a group of people who are willing to take risks and build on each other’s ideas.
In addition, you’ll be able to build on your confidence, creativity, and spontaneity. You can also start with simple exercises like a one-word-at-a-time story where you build up on a story one word at a time.
3. Learn About the Technical Aspects of Theater Production
In addition to acting techniques, you must focus on the technical aspects of theater production, which includes lighting and sound design.
You’ll be able to understand how these elements can be used to enhance a performance and create different moods and atmospheres on stage.
4. Don’t Be Afraid to Perform
As is with any discipline, practice makes perfect. So use any opportunity you get to perform in front of an audience.
It might be nerve-wracking, but it can also be incredibly rewarding to see how your hard work has paid off and hear the audience’s positive feedback. Additionally, rest assured that your confidence will get a solid boost.
5. Keep Learning, Keep Growing!
Drama as a field requires consistent effort, ongoing learning, and immense practice. This skill demands continuous learning. You should always strive to grow as an actor.
In addition to the tips mentioned above, drama teachers can use these techniques to improve the quality of teaching.
Additional Drama Class Techniques for Teachers to Keep in Mind
Here are a few other common yet effective drama class techniques drama teachers can use (and make their own):
- Warm-up exercises: Start each class with a fun and engaging warm-up exercise that helps students relax and prepare for the lesson. This could include breathing exercises, stretches, or vocal warm-ups.
- Role-playing: Role-playing is a great way to get students to step outside their comfort zones and into different characters. It helps them develop empathy and understand different perspectives. You can start with simple scenarios like ordering food at a restaurant or asking for directions and allow the students to develop the story from there.
- Script analysis: Analyzing scripts can help students understand the structure of a play and the motivations of the characters. You can start with short scenes or monologues and have students read and analyze them together.
- Ensemble building: Ensemble building exercises help students learn how to work together as a team. This could include games like “Zip, Zap, Zop” or “Pass the Clap.”
- Movement exercises: Movement exercises help students develop physical awareness and coordination. You can start with simple exercises like mirroring, where one student mirrors the movements of another.
- Character development: Developing a character can help students understand the motivations and emotions of the character they are playing. You can start with simple exercises like creating a character profile and improvising scenes in character. This will allow the students to explore their creativity and develop their own unique style.
- Supportive and safe environment: Focus on offering constructive feedback and encouragement to students. Additionally, provide a safe and supportive environment where students feel comfortable taking creative risks and expressing themselves. The classroom should be a place where students can be themselves without fear of judgment or ridicule.
The takeaway: Overall, the key to effective drama classes for beginners is to create a safe and supportive environment where students feel comfortable taking risks and exploring their creativity.
Final Words
Looking for a way to tell your story in your own voice? Or perhaps, create your own magical world?
Instead of Googling “acting class near me,” consider looking at the Dramatic Arts Program at the Burlington Royal Arts Academy. It is one of the best acting schools. In this program, you’ll get the following:
- One-on-one access with experienced drama teachers and learn how to express yourself with world-class dramatics sessions
- Personalized drama coaching and will be able to master the techniques and tools to become great communicators
- Learn about the magical world of cinema and everything related to it, such as camera, image capture, sound, animation, visual effects technique, and more
What makes this program unique is that drama teachers use the ‘STEAM’ model—Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. The idea is to incorporate science elements while bringing an artistic quality to a drama class and enable students to get the best of both worlds in one class.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about drama classes:
Q. What is drama class?
Drama class is essentially an educational course that teaches students about acting, theater, and performance. It typically involves exercises, games, improvisation, scene work, and studying plays and playwrights.
Q. What skills can I learn in drama class?
Drama class can help students develop a range of skills, such as public speaking, improvisation, collaboration, creative thinking, and self-expression. It can also help build confidence, empathy, and social skills.
Q. What types of activities are included in drama class?
Drama class may include warm-up exercises, movement and vocal work, improvisation and games, scene work, and performance projects. Students may also study different genres of theater and explore different approaches to acting.
Q. Do I need acting experience to take drama classes?
No, you do not need any prior acting experience to take a drama class. Drama classes are designed to introduce students to acting and theater and help them build their skills and confidence.
Q. What age groups can take drama classes?
Drama classes are available for a wide range of age groups, from elementary school students to adults. Classes may be tailored to different age groups and skill levels.
Q. What can I expect in a typical drama class?
In a typical drama class, students may engage in warm-up exercises, improvisation games, and scene work. They may also discuss plays, playwrights, and theatrical genres and explore different acting techniques and approaches. Classes may culminate in a performance project, such as a play or a showcase.
Q. How can drama class help me outside of acting?
Drama class can help develop a range of skills that are valuable in many areas of life, such as public speaking, teamwork, creative thinking, and problem-solving. It can also help build confidence, empathy, and social skills that can be applied in various contexts.
Perhaps you’re wondering how sending your child to art school will benefit them later in life. When it comes to giving your child a lifetime advantage in the real world, there’s nothing better than an arts-academic-focused education to get them started. Why? Because we do not just teach academics and we don’t just teach art. We built our academic-arts-focused programming on a foundation of excellence that encourages students to set the bar higher and higher and then achieve their goals. When it comes to the world outside of high school goal setters and goal getters achieve and go beyond their highest potential.
Is art-academic-focused education the right choice for shaping tomorrow’s leaders, innovators, and changemakers? It is when you choose Burlington Royal Arts Academy (BRAA).
How does a BRAA Inspire Academic Goal Setting?
The Burling Royal Arts Academy (BRAA) encourages and fosters academic learning in a creative, supportive, and challenging environment. We push our students to set and then reach high academic standing in all pursuits.
Why Does BRAA Focus on Goal Setting?
When a goal is set, there is immediately an incentive because simply reaching a goal is intrinsically rewarding. BRAA focuses on goal setting because it ensures that our students have something to aim for. Why is goal setting so important? What does it teach students?
Goal Setting Inspires Creative Thinking: When our students set goals, they do not always have a clear idea of how they will achieve them. Without a clear-cut path or pre-determined process to follow, students must think outside of the box and take creative and innovative leaps to meet their goals. The ability to think creatively is a key ingredient for a successful future outside of school.
success, you want more. And it’s true. We support our students in both setting and reaching goals, so they experience success early. This gives them the confidence to continue to set and go after even loftier goals next time.
Goal Setting Teaches Valuable Lessons about Failure: Great leaders need to frame mistakes and setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow. Some leaders don’t learn how to cultivate a growth mindset until later in their careers, but we give BRAA students an advantage by entrenching growth mindset learning in all of our art and academic programs. While we like to see our students reach milestones, we also understand that sometimes students miss the target. And that’s okay. We support them in recovering from failure with resilience and grace, and then take that learning and go after the next goal.
Learning to Set Goals Leads to a Goal-Oriented Lifestyle: Students who get into the habit of setting goals will be lifetime goal setters, and as a natural result, they’ll be achievers. We build the concept of goal setting into our academic and arts programs so that students get into the practice of goal setting and leave BRAA as experienced, habitual goal setters.
Goals Inspire Learning and Improvement: Sometimes a student reaches for the stars before they learn to fly. We’re here to help. Setting goals inspires students to improve or learn something new so that they can reach their goals and taste that sweet success. Alternatively, when students miss the mark, they often revisit goals with a new determination to learn and improve as necessary so that they succeed the next time.
How does BRAA Incorporate Goal Setting within the Arts?
At BRAA, we don’t just build goal setting into our academic programming. It’s also at the base of our arts programming. We train our students to reach beyond the status quo, and we expect that they’ll reach for the stars both on and off the stage. We inspire our learners to inspire others through art and performance. We give them the goal-setting tools they need to continue challenging themselves to raise the bar long after they leave BRAA.
If your student can dream it, we support it. Whether your student wants to be a lawyer, teacher, doctor, principal ballet dancer, or actor, we support and guide them on the path they choose so that they can reach their highest potential. Our students have full access to a supportive team of academic professionals. We are as invested in your child’s goal as they are. When they succeed, we succeed.
Trust Burlington Royal Arts Academy with Your Student’s Future
Choosing to send your student to an academic-arts-based high school is easy knowing that Burlington Royal Arts Academy is as committed to their success as you are. Don’t delay – Register now. If you’d like to learn more, visit us online at burlingtontonroyalartsacademy.ca. You can learn more about the school, book a tour, or reach us at 1-289-245-1534.
Are all arts-academic-focused educations the same? Sure, they share some similarities, mainly their fusion of arts and academic instruction. However, what sets the Burlington Royal Arts Academy (BRAA) apart from other schools is that the school is built on core foundational values. These values form the basis for everything we do and teach at BRAA. When you choose the Burlington Royal Arts Academy you are choosing an education that aligns with our foundational values, and those values matter.
What are the Foundational Values?
BRAA subscribes to the ACE program of values. ACE stands for:
- Activity
- Creativity
- Engagement
We use these foundational values to help shape our students so that they’re set up for success throughout their lives because the values place importance on citizenship and character education. Our students leave BRAA not just educated, but ready to move on to post-secondary with confidence and independence.
Foundation 1: The Active Student
Why it matters: Our student’s engagement in an immersive artistic-academic high school education helps to develop their humanity, educating the mind and body through cognitive, physical, social, and emotional activities leading to self-improvement and well-being.
BRAA endeavours to ensure that students are ready for lifelong success by building incorporating the concepts of altruism, ethics, and active participation in all our arts and academic learning. Students develop skills required for flexibility, adaptation, and resilience, all of which are required for future success.
Foundation2: The Creative Community
Why it matters: Our graduates exercise the necessary moral values and growth mindset for acceptance into the post-secondary institutions they desire and into the changing global workforce as it adapts to new ethical mandates during times of turbulence, volatility, and uncertainty.
At BRAA, we make sure that our students are ready to cultivate supportive relationships. Additionally, we work to instill the value of community and a sense of responsibility for the people, environment, businesses, and infrastructure that hold the community together. We do this through the promotion of culture, arts, and creative endeavours for the community to share. With these skills, our students can face the world outside the walls of BRAA as more than just productive contributors, but as citizens who make an impact on the community – both local and global.
Foundation 3: The Engaging School
Why it matters: We teach our students how they can become future stewards of our planet and envision a great future – and then make it happen.
At BRAA, we encourage students to participate in self-reflective improvement exercises, with the aim of making real and impactful changes to the world around them. We start this process through our education and arts instruction, progressively adding more innovation into the programming as students work through it. The goal is to encourage students to engage in the environment they’re in – whether this is the school, the building, its resources, art, or each other. This provides an engaging experience for all involved and results in learners who can easily and nimbly adapt to their environment in the future regardless of how volatile, uncertain, complicated, and ambiguous it may be.
How BRAA Supports Students
We do not expect students to incorporate the ACE values into their everyday learning without support. Our focus is on providing students with an environment that celebrates their creativity, curiosity, and desire for collaboration. Our teachers define who we are as a school, and it is their commitment to excellence, innovation and student development that distinguishes our community from others.
Trust Burlington Royal Arts Academy with Your Student’s Future
Choosing to send your student to an academic-arts-based high school is easy knowing that Burlington Royal Arts Academy is as committed to their success as you are. Don’t delay – Register now.
If you’d like to learn more, visit us online at burlingtontonroyalartsacademy.ca. You can learn more about the school, book a tour, or contact us online.
Are you thinking about getting your child enrolled in a private school? Do you often find yourself Googling: “Schools near me“? Or perhaps, thanks to your years of research, you already have a ready repository of the best schools in Burlington.
No matter what side of the spectrum you’re on, you cannot hope to zero in on a private school in Burlington without visiting the premises first. This is essentially the first step in the right direction. In this blog, we will look at five mistakes you should avoid during private school tours.
5 Mistakes To Avoid During Private School Tours
Mistake #1: Going on a Schools Tour Without Preparing
One of the most common mistakes parents make when visiting private schools is they don’t make any effort to prepare. Start by blocking your calendar and schedule. This way, you won’t have to rush through your interview.
Generally speaking, a school tour takes about an hour, post which you will need to meet an admissions staffer. At this point, your child may need to undertake a few tests.
While they give the test, you must be mentally prepared to answer a few questions the staffer may ask. For example, why isn’t your child doing well in math?
When answering these kinds of questions, never be defensive. Additionally, you must answer the questions truthfully. You can also talk about any remediation efforts you might be undertaking to solve the issue.
Pro tip: For some reason, if you are unable to answer a question, just be honest. You can also let the admissions staffer know that you will follow up with the response via email.
Mistake #2: Going Overboard with the Schools Tour Preparation
Another classic mistake that parents make is being overly-prepared. Yes, there is such a thing as being over-prepared.
For example, try not to make your answers look like a rehearsed speech–that’s a big turn-off. Also, you shouldn’t endlessly brag about your child’s accomplishments, or else you risk looking arrogant and too in the face.
Another point to note is not to overshare your opinions about the school. These small pointers can go a long way in creating a lasting positive impression.
Other important tips you must remember include:
- Coming prepared with the right questions (more on this later)
- Asking the questions respectfully and thoughtfully (you don’t want to sound like an interrogator)
- Listening to the answers patiently
- Demonstrating your willingness to be a part of the school and add value in any way you can as schools consider active and engaged parents to be an asset
Mistake #3: Being Late for Your Appointment
Being late is a sign of disrespect. Period. If you are running late, do make a call to the admissions office and let them know. This little act of courtesy goes a long way in creating a good impression.
When you do arrive at the school, start by apologizing for why you were late and take the conversation forward. Make sure to give a legitimate reason and explain your circumstances in brief.
Pro tip: Try to arrive fifteen minutes early to the interview and use this time to compose yourself and prep your child. A five-minute motivational talk can boost your child’s confidence levels and help you to get started on a more sure-footed note.
Mistake #4: Not Dressing Up Appropriately
Casual dressing attire is a no-go. If you and your child dress up shoddily, the school might mistake you for being disinterested. As a thumb rule, remember that you don’t need to go all-out formal; opting for smart business casuals works just fine.
Pro tip: To elevate your dressing game, take a look at the school’s online photos and understand how the faculty dresses. This can help you zero in on the right attire.
Mistake #5: Being Disinterested and Rude During the School Tour
While this may seem like something you wouldn’t consciously do, mistakes do happen. For example, in their excitement, some parents might inform the admissions staffer about how the school is probably fifth on their list.
Or perhaps, you might be airing negative comments and opinions throughout the tour for the smallest things. These can make you look rude, ungrateful, and pompous. And believe us when we tell you that small mistakes like these can add up.
So, here are the tips to be mindful of and present a respectful and appreciative front to the school:
- Do not undermine the school’s admissions game. They have years of experience. Most schools understand that parents typically categorize schools based on three categories: ‘reach,’ ‘competitive,’ and ‘safe.’
- It is not just you who is assessing the school. Understand that the school, too, is interviewing you to see if you and your child would be a good fit. The school expends equal effort to review your child’s academic achievements, behavioral standards, and other accomplishments to date.
- Do not take calls or respond to messages during the interview. Unless it is a genuine emergency, stay away from your phone at all costs.
- Do not offer any kind of bribery in exchange for getting your child admitted into the school.
Top Tips to Remember When Visiting Private School Tours
Now that we’ve understood the kind of mistakes to avoid, let’s also take a look at some important tips to keep in mind when visiting private schools in Burlington:
- Do your research: You need to spend your time, effort, and energy weighing the pros and cons of the top 3 private schools in Burlington. This will help you to select the right private school for your child.
- Start your search right: The first key consideration for most parents should be to understand how far the private school is from where you stay. So, start your search right by Googling: “Schools near me.” This will allow you to capitalize on the power of local search. In fact, according to Google Trends, the term “Private schools near me k-12″ was the 11th most-searched term in 2022:
- Plan to the T: The next logical step would be to plan and schedule your school tour in person. This will help you gauge the potential of the best schools in Burlington. Generally speaking, with every visit, you should be able to get more information on the private school. So, plan ahead and schedule your private school tour well in advance of your application deadlines. This will also provide you with the time needed to prepare for each school visit.
- Ask the right questions: Here are some of the most important questions to ask when visiting a school:
Question | Follow-Up |
1. What is your school’s mission and philosophy? | – How is your mission and vision integrated into a typical school day? – What are the school’s biggest achievements?
|
2. What kind of curriculum does your school follow? | – Why does it follow said curriculum?
|
3. What does the average class size look like? What is the student-to-teacher ratio? | – What does your yearly faculty turnover look like? Why do you think they leave early? – What kind of skills and talent do you look for when hiring the staff? – What are your teacher’s qualifications, and how do you support their professional development? – How do you measure a student’s individual progress?
|
4. Do you have a homework policy? | – How much homework do you give children every day? – Do students have a balanced academic-social life? – What are your school’s operational hours?
|
5. What kind of extracurricular activities does the school offer? | – Are there enough programs for sports, clubs, and community service?
|
6. How is technology incorporated into the everyday curriculum? | – What’s the inherent role and intensity of technology being used in the classroom?
|
7. What type of specialty programs and classes does the school offer? | – Can you elaborate on the facilities available in the school? – Do you have before- and after-school care for working parents?
|
8. How does the school support a student’s weaknesses and strengths? | – What kind of initiatives does the school undertake to help students with emotional, academic, or social issues?
|
9. Does the school have a Gifted program? | – How do you differentiate learning for a Gifted child?
|
10. How does the school tackle behavioral issues? | – What kind of anti-bullying policy does the school have?
|
11. Does the school offer any financial aid? What is the cost of tuition? | – How much does the uniform cost? – Are there any kind of additional costs for extracurriculars? – Do you provide free-of-cost transportation services?
|
12. How involved are parents in the school? | – What kind of activities do you have in which parents can take part? |
Wrapping Up
Whether you go for virtual school tours or decide to visit a private school, doing your homework is paramount to your child’s educational success.
While school catalogs, online brochures, and 360-degree YouTube videos are great primers on the school, nothing compares to a personal visit. So, keep the tips and mistakes outlined above in mind, and make an informed decision to secure your child’s future.
Life without music can get quite dull. From the time we are born, we are attracted to various sounds and melodies that can soothe us, calm our anxieties, and take us through a roller coaster of multiple emotions. However, while everybody enjoys music, not everybody is a musician.
Becoming a musician or becoming adept at playing an instrument requires years of practice and proper guidance. Many musicians start playing at an early age, getting several years to hone their talent. If your child is inclined towards learning music, helping them select the right instrument could be the first step on their musical journey.
Whether your child wants to be a musician or you want to help them build creativity, memory, and discipline – learning a musical instrument can help your child in more ways than one, but only if you pick the right instrument for their age and interests.
Six Tips for Helping Your Child Choose the Right Instrument
There are numerous benefits to introducing music to children at an early age. Various studies have confirmed the positive impact of music on the mental health of children.
According to a study by Martin Guhn, children who actively make music tend to get better grades than their peers. The study was based on data collected from over 110,000 students in Canada. It also stated that students who have played an instrument for several years are generally a year ahead of classmates who are not musically inclined.
But how do you help your child develop their musical instincts at an early age? It starts by selecting the right instrument for them – one that will become their faithful friend in all situations. Violin, guitar, flute, keyboard – there are endless options to choose from, but you need to consider your child’s temperament, personality, and physique before selecting an instrument for them.
Here are six tips that will help you make this difficult decision:
- Consider Your Child’s Personality
No two kids are alike and will not learn to play an instrument the same way. Therefore, it’s essential to find an instrument that matches your child’s personality to motivate them to stick to it.
For instance, an energetic and vivacious child may enjoy learning to play the drums. Similarly, a child who likes being the center of attention may prefer to play the electric guitar or trumpet. That’s because such instruments are prominently featured in music groups.
Conversely, a quiet or introverted child may like to learn the piano or the acoustic guitar. These instruments can be learned solo and provide immense company in solitude.
- The Popularity of an Instrument
The popularity of a musical instrument is also something that makes a difference. Children who want to be popular are often motivated to learn instruments like the guitar, violin, or trumpet, which are well-known. They can find recognition with such instruments and make friends easily.
As parents, you’ll find more teachers for such popular instruments. The con is that your child may face a lot of competition in music schools or elsewhere for popular instruments.
Having said that, some kids are drawn to lesser-known instruments. These children want to be unique and wish to learn a rare instrument. While finding classes for such musical instruments may be difficult, it will give your child some extra boost if they want to get into a music school, owing to comparatively less competition.
- Gauge Your Child’s Interest by Engaging in Musical Activities With Them
Instead of simply talking to your child about what instrument they may want to play, you could do some music-related activities to find out what interests them.
You can listen to different types of music with your child, check out live performances, introduce them to new artists, and visit some music concerts and programs to help them discover their interests.
- Keep Your Child’s Physique in Mind
It’s possible your child isn’t interested in any instrument. In that case, you may want to select a musical instrument according to their age. This is especially true for small children. These age-appropriate guidelines may help you:
- Most small kids take well to the violin, but their hands might be too small for some string instruments, like the cello. Make sure to check for this.
- Once your child is about eight years old, their hands are generally big enough to play the guitar.
- If you don’t want to go for a string instrument, the clarinet can be a good option for kids above seven years of age with growing lungs and hands.
- If you can’t decide, a piano is the safest bet and comes in various sizes.
While these guidelines generally hold, you may want to check your child’s physical attributes before making the final decision. Check the size of their fingers, sensitivity to strings, dexterity, motor skills with feet, etc.
Your child will naturally enjoy an instrument that they are comfortable playing. This includes the way they hold the musical instrument and how they play it. Once they feel comfortable, they can happily spend hours practicing the instrument and honing their talent.
- Consider Whether Your Child Has a Role Model
Does your child revere any well-known musicians? Kids who like a particular musician may want to become like them in the future. If your child has already found a role model in the music industry, they likely want to emulate them by playing the same instrument as their idol.
Having an idol also makes the learning process easier. When your child is frustrated, they can always look up to their role model for inspiration.
- Budget and Availability
Before you ask your child to play an instrument, find a teacher for music lessons in Burlington. You should also check their school’s instrumental music club to learn about the opportunities available for your child. If your child wants to perform in the future, you may want to consider a music school that offers more than just media arts courses.
How Can You Bring Academics and Music Together?
An art-focused education at an early age can give your child the foundation they need to succeed in life and pursue any career they want.
From guidance on how to pick an instrument that’s right for your child to performance opportunities and proper focus on academics, the Burlington Royal Arts Academy (BRAA) proudly offers art-focused education to children to foster creativity and teach them essential life skills.
The Music Program at BRAA, Halton’s only arts-academic private high school, provides students with an appreciation and deepened commitment to music. We teach technical skills, music theory, and history and also offer performance opportunities to give our students a holistic taste of the field of music.
For students new to instrumental music, we help them select and develop skill sets for specific instruments. We also partner with the Burlington Symphony Orchestra to provide more opportunities to our students.
When you consider what media art is and how widely it is consumed, it is clear the study of media art (the fusion between art and technology) provides learners with a solid foundation for technological learning along with arts education. When you choose the Burlington Royal Arts Academy (BRAA), you can trust that we provide an excellent media arts program, because we know that media art is the wave of the future.
What is Media Art?
Media art is an art form that depends on some type of technological component to function. It is everywhere in our lives and it is one of the most powerful communication tool that we have. It influences all realms of life. Some examples include:
- Graphic design
- Filmmaking
- Animation
- Photography
- Website design
- UX design
- Sound engineering
- Video game design
- Scriptwriting (for TV, film, video games, apps, etc.)
- Lighting technicians
- Digital illustrator
- Visual effects
- And more!
Watch a video about BRAA’s Media Art program
Four organizing principles guide the creation of media art as laid out in the Ministry of Education curriculum guidelines:
- Hybridization involves innovative ways of combining art disciplines to create what can be called “hybrid” forms of art.
- Duration explores the nature of time and how its perception can be manipulated and presented.
- Interactivity involves viewer participation and includes art forms such as interactive installations, performance art, gaming environments, and web-based art.
- Point of view can be expressed both conceptually – revealing, for example, the artist’s political perspective – and physically through perspective.
Why is Learning about Media Art Valuable?
Consider how media art is consumed: video games are more popular than ever, digital streaming platforms such as Netflix and Hulu are well recognized, and the world of marketing, especially digital marketing, is at the forefront of what can be achieved when it comes to using digital platforms to drive sales. Film, TV, video games, ads, etc. all require content to be successful, and the need for content continues to grow. That content is developed by digital media artists.
When it comes to giving your child a lifetime advantage in the real world, there’s nothing better than an arts-academic-focused education to get them started. Our media arts program teaches students the latest media art techniques including cinema, camera work, image capture, sound capture, animation studies, film and video, photography, and visual effects techniques.
Students that wish to pursue media art education in post-secondary institutions receive full support. BRAA staff also assist students to prepare a portfolio for Sheridan College, Conestoga College, O.C.A.D, or any other post-secondary institution, so that they may continue their study of media arts. Even if digital art isn’t in your child’s ultimate career plan, the technological skills and knowledge they learn are transferrable, and many employers now are seeking candidates with a variety of skills that they can apply across the job spectrum.
Do you have questions? Contact Us Today!
Creativity: A Necessary Skill for Success
Perhaps the greatest skill that students gain through media art instruction is that of creativity. Students learn to apply creativity to their art using various forms of technology. They work to develop their creative thinking and technological skills throughout their time at BRAA. As future leaders and innovators, well-honed creative skills are a major requirement for success.
Creativity isn’t just for art – it is necessary for problem-solving, critical thinking, goal achievement, idea generation, and inspiring those you lead to also be creative. Media art requires all of this and more from students. When it comes to your child’s success, set them up to be a creative and innovative leader by giving them an academic-arts-focus education at BRAA.
Trust Burlington Royal Arts Academy with Your Student’s Future
Choosing to send your student to an academic-arts-based high school is easy knowing that the Burlington Royal Arts Academy is as committed to their success as you are. If you’d like to learn more, visit us online at burlingtontonroyalartsacademy.ca. You can learn more about the school, book a tour, or contact us online.
Parents of students who wish to pursue an arts-related career might find themselves confused when it comes to choosing the right school that prepares their kids for their preferred future.
Choosing between a conventional or traditional school or an arts-focused school can be confounding—understandably so. However, choosing the right type of schooling for your kids is an important decision, and understanding the differences between traditional schooling and an arts-focused school can help you make an informed choice.
Generally speaking, a traditional school will offer your child more exposure to people and experiences unrelated to arts. This could be valuable, but it could also be a hindrance for someone who wishes to excel in their chosen art form.
Traditional schools tend to emphasize general academic work, focusing little on studio work and arts-focused subjects. So, if you think about whether an art school is worth it, the answer lies in what your expectations are from the school.
If you want your child to only be exposed to general academics, a traditional school could be an option. However, if you’re preparing your child for a career in the arts or are looking for a more holistic education option, an arts-focused private school like the Burlington Royal Arts Academy could provide the exact guidance they need with the necessary exposure to general academics.
What are Art Schools?
Unlike a traditional school, an art school is dedicated to visual arts and design. Instead of excessive focus on general academics, a student’s workload in an art school would tilt towards studio classes, meeting and learning from the masters in their field, and getting exposed to relevant artists at an early age to start finding their personal ‘style,’ so to say.
A traditional school prepares a child for the real world, while an art school prepares them for the real and ‘creative’ worlds. It helps them understand what is expected in the professional art world outside of school and the basic skills they need to grow in the field and start connecting with fellow artists at an early age to develop a strong peer network.
Eventually, the choice between an art school and a traditional school is a personal one, but an art school could give your child an early push to succeed in the world of visual arts.
The Burlington Royal Arts Academy primarily focuses on the visual arts in addition to higher education programs. We encourage creativity, enabling students to apply their artistic and creative skills in the real world. At a young age, students get to work and learn in a community of artists, building the skills they need to succeed in the real world.
Is Art School Worth It?
Here’s why it is worth it for someone who wants to pursue a career in arts:
- The opportunity to learn from art professors who are artists themselves. Even though art is subjective, learning from established artists can help students refine their skills and avoid some mistakes along their career path. Art professors can also mentor their students, giving them the opportunity to flourish under the guidance of someone who’s already made their mark in their respective fields.
- Art schools offer a structured environment for students to pursue their passion and stay motivated. Instead of focusing on multiple aspects, students solely concentrate on visual arts while dedicating the necessary time to general academics. This can help students learn the required skills much faster than in the general academic set-up at a traditional school.
- An art school provides dedicated studio space and equipment to learn, which might not be possible for students to manage on their own. Studying with a peer group of other artists can also keep students productive and motivated.
- Art schools regularly hold shows, allowing students to display their works alongside their peers. This provides exposure to students, as their work can be viewed by the public, including art critics and collectors.
Besides the focus on arts, an art school also teaches other skills that help the students build solid foundations for a happy life. Even though art is at the center of an art school, students learn different skills, including general academics, for their future careers.
At the Burlington Royal Arts Academy, an arts-focused school as opposed to a regular art school, we lay heavy emphasis on the Ontario academic curriculum, including business studies, French, English, and math.
Even though it’s widely believed that students attending an art school in Ontario are completely immersed in the pursuit of art, oblivious to everything else that’s important in the world, things are quite different at the Burlington Royal Arts Academy.
While the school is certainly a place for budding artists, it is also the right platform for students who are more academically inclined but whose parents understand why art is important in education. Such students are offered art classes to supplement their education, allowing them to follow their academic pursuits with an arts-focused mindset.
Whether you should choose an arts-focused academic school for your child is eventually a personal decision. However, you should know that students at the Burlington Royal Arts Academy sign up for a highly academic experience with instruction in the arts.
You can expect that experience to deliver a well-rounded personality with exposure to multiple fields, paving the way for a bright future.
Art-Focused School vs. Traditional School
Your child wants to become an artist, and you’re wondering whether to send them to an art school in Canada or a traditional school.
The decision is tough, and there’s no correct answer for everyone. However, learning the differences between the two options could help you make up your mind and make the right choice for your child:
| Arts-focused school | Traditional school |
|---|---|
|
An arts-focused school offers creative coursework, allowing students to study unique subjects that help them find their style as an artist. However, that doesn’t mean you can skip general academics. The Burlington Royal Arts Academy offers an arts-focused syllabus for grades 9 to 12 that is centered on art with necessary weightage given to regular academics as well. |
A traditional school will focus on general academics, and art may be available as an elective. |
|
The focus is on creative learning, allowing students to explore their artistic abilities and creative thinking, which are also essential skills needed to succeed in any corporate environment. |
Traditional schools do employ creative learning methodologies, but art and art-related subjects are generally optional or extras. |
|
An arts-focused school is meant for everyone. It helps students who are certain about pursuing arts and need focused guidance without compromising on academics. The opportunity to learn from established artists with all the professional equipment at their disposal is unmatched. For students who are academically oriented, an arts-focused school offers art as an additional subject to help broaden their horizons. |
A traditional school is a good choice for students who wish to study conventional subjects and are still evaluating where their passion lies. It is also suitable for students who might want to pursue a career in another field but learn art as an optional subject. |
The Burlington Royal Arts Academy is the closest you’ll come to finding a balance between arts and academia, as we don’t teach art at the expense of general academics. However, we do inculcate art in everything we teach, enabling students to study better and hone their creative thinking.
Even though everybody understands why art is important in school, an arts-focused school like ours also understands why it is important to learn to apply art and creativity in real-life situations.
Here’s what we promise our students who get to learn arts and academics together at our Ontario art school:
- Problem-solving and critical thinking skills
- Confidence and self-awareness
- Enhanced cognition
- Effective communication skills
- Varied experiences in academics and arts
- Refined fine and gross motor skills
- Commitment to a high level of self-expectation and life-long learning
- Creativity and cultural awareness
- Limitless potential for growth and development
If you’re looking to broaden your child’s horizons by sending them to an academic-arts-based high school, rest assured that we at the Burlington Royal Arts Academy are as committed to their success as you are. Don’t delay – Register now.
If you’d like to learn more, visit us online at burlingtontonroyalartsacademy.ca. You can learn more about the school, book a tour, or contact us online.
What Does it Mean to Attend an Arts-Academic-Based High School?
You want what’s best for your child, including choosing the best high school. However, for some parents that choice can be tough, especially when it comes to choosing an academic-arts-focused high school.
Don’t worry. At Burlington Royal Arts Academy, we understand that choosing the right high school is a big decision. We also know that some parents might wonder if art school is worth it. Let Burlington Royal Arts Academy (BRAA) take the stress out of deciding. We can help you understand what makes our academic-arts-focused high school the right choice for your child.
Why is it Important to Choose the Right High School?
High school isn’t just a place that teens go to during the day. It’s the place that’s going to shape who they become, in partnership with their families. When you choose BRAA, you’re choosing a home away from home, no matter where home is. We provide a space that is nurturing and safe. High school is a time of self-discovery, growth, and learning to make decisions that impact the future, and we are here to support and guide your student through this phase of life so that when they attend post-secondary, they are ready.
Choosing the right high school sets students up on the path that’s going to carry them through to their post-secondary pursuits and beyond. No pressure, right? So, while choosing a high school is challenging, deciding between a regular public high school and an academic-arts-focused private high school can be even more confusing, daunting, and difficult. Luckily BRAA has a great team that can provide tons of support along the way.
Do you have questions? Contact Us Today!
Is Art School Worth It?
Art school is 100% worth it for learners who want to get the best of both worlds: academia and arts. At Burlington Royal Arts Academy, we do not teach art at the expense of academics. Instead, we teach arts & academics alongside each other to provide students with all the benefits that come from pursuing arts and academics together, such as:
- Problem-solving and critical thinking skills
- Confidence and self-awareness
- Enhanced cognition
- Effective communication skills
- Varied experiences in academics and arts
- Refined fine and gross motor skills
- Commitment to a high level of self-expectation and life-long learning
- Creativity and cultural awareness
- Limitless potential for growth and development
- And more!
Check out Burlington Royal Arts Academy! Book a Tour today. Can’t make it to us? Take a Virtual Tour instead!
What Do the Students Learn at Art School?
There is a myth that students who attend art school in Ontario are art student stereotypes who spend their days wrist-deep in watercolours or acting out the best scenes from Hamlet. At Burlington Royal Arts Academy, quite the opposite is true. There is a heavy focus on the Ontario academic curriculum, including business studies, French, English, and maths. Students who show more aptitude in academics over arts have a place at Burlington Royal Arts Academy. For these students, we encourage art classes as a supplement to their education. Other students come for the arts-focused education and balance their academic pursuits alongside their artistic passions. These students generally declare a major area of study within their art, but they can explore other areas for which they’ve shown aptitude but may not yet have been exposed.
Is Art School Limiting?
We’ve had parents express concerns that choosing an art school may be limiting. They worry that their student may not get accepted at the post-secondary institution of their choice or that they won’t be career-ready later in life. Thankfully those fears are unfounded. At BRAA, we are prepared to support your student’s pursuit of arts while ensuring that they receive approved Ontario curriculum academic instruction that is equivalent to what they would learn in a non-arts-focused school environment. In fact, our students are uniquely advantaged by our smaller class sizes and small, supportive team of academic professionals.
When you choose Burlington Royal Arts Academy, you’ll enjoy all of the benefits that come along with private education coupled with the amazing experience of attending an arts-based academic high school.
Watch a White Board Introduction to Burlington Royal Arts Academy
Why Choose Burlington Royal Arts Academy?
You might be asking yourself why you should choose an art school. That’s a fair question. Making the right decision requires an understanding of what academic-arts-focused high school means. When you choose a Burlington Royal Arts Academy Private Education for your student, you’re not just choosing a highly academic and prestigious collegiate experience, you’re choosing to supplement it with instruction in the arts. The result is a well-rounded educational experience that opens doors to an extraordinary future.
What makes Burlington Royal Arts Academy the right choice for you? Our mission is to encourage and foster learning in a creative, supportive, and challenging environment. We’re focused on developing a passion for the arts while achieving academic excellence. It is our goal to ensure that your student is set up for success in their post-secondary careers – and beyond! To make this happen, we go above and beyond. How?
Trust Burlington Royal Arts Academy with Your Student’s Future
Choosing to send your student to an academic-arts-based high school is easy knowing that Burlington Royal Arts Academy is as committed to their success as you are. Don’t delay – Register now. If you’d like to learn more, visit us online at burlingtontonroyalartsacademy.ca. You can learn more about the school, book a tour, or contact us online.