Case study of a secondary school's Artsweek
John McGlashan College, Dunedin

Description | Organisation and Planning | Gallery | Evaluation

Description

John McGlashan College is a year 7 to 13 boys' secondary school in Dunedin. The school has both day students and boarders, and around 20 international students. The college combines traditional values with a modern approach to education and claims to have a strong awareness of what parents and their sons expect from a school in today's society. John McGlashan College stresses the individuality of each boy and aims to provide him with the widest opportunities to fully develop his abilities.

The purpose and objectives of the event
Artsweek was designed for all year 10 students at McGlashan College, approximately 90 students. The objectives were to expose the students to a diverse range of arts experiences in an interactive way, and to enhance their literacy in the arts' disciplines.

Artsweek involved students participating in dance, drama, music, and the visual arts within the school and community, by making, presenting, and responding to artworks.

The objectives were selected from all four strands of the arts curriculum and offered the students a unique opportunity to develop an understanding of the inter-relation between the arts over an extended time frame.

• Developing Practical Knowledge in the Arts



• Developing Ideas in the Arts



• Communicating and Interpreting in the Arts



• Understanding the Arts in Context

What happened
The programme took place over a week and included gallery and studio visits, theatre shows, shows by itinerant performers, film showings, dance performances, and visits from artists and musicians. Students were given the opportunity to ask questions of the various artists and performers.

Artsweek opened with a range of performances across the four disciplines, and then allowed students to rotate around a series of venues and workshops and performances over the course of the week. The school had run a similar programme before, and built on this successful model to enrich their current arts programme.

The Artsweek programme was funded and supported by the Parents and Friends Association, The Board of Trustees, as well as the Ministry of Education Arts Coordinators funding.

Contact for further information
Judy Matthew, Secondary Schools Arts Coordinator, Curriculum Division, P O Box 1666, Wellington