The Practice of Creativity

THE PRACTICE OF CREATIVITY

Fostering Self-Expression & Beauty through an Arts-Rich Education

Since its founding, Anneliese Schools has a rich history in nurturing the creative spirit of children, with Music and the Arts serving as a cornerstone of our program across all grade levels. In TAO, we continue to build, and expand, upon this in complexity and depth.

As adolescent students are exploring their growing sense of self, the practice of art can become an outlet, and a venue, for self-discovery. In this phase of life, art can serve as a wonderful tool for self-expression. It can also build confidence as students discover artistic passions and acquire greater skills. 

TAO courses in Music and the Arts are required. Course offerings include rigorous fine art, theatrical and musical studies, music theory, choir, and orchestra. Students have opportunities for performances to showcase their developing skills with the community.  

Students of this age require a more structured approach to the practice of art-making. We encourage more discipline, more in depth-instruction, and offer more direction as students’ fine motor and abstract thinking skills mature. As children get older, they have greater interest and ability to learn the mechanics of art and music making, such as theory. 

Within the Fine Arts, students will have opportunities to use a variety of art media including charcoal, pencils, paint, pastels, ink, clay, wood, canvas and paper. They will continue to explore multiple techniques, styles and genres, while making frequent reference to Art History and the working life of artists today.  

As insight into understanding abstract concepts grows, middle school students gain a new capacity to understand philosophical concepts. This allows the study of Art to begin to encompass the cultural and philosophical aspects of art and art history.