Figure 1.--While New Zealand is a country which places a heavy emphasis on sport, schools also have important programs in the fine arts. New Zealand schools, especially the private schools, have significantly expanded the attention to music.
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Figure 1.--While New Zealand is a country which places a heavy emphasis on sport, schools also have important programs in the fine arts. New Zealand schools, especially the private schools, have significantly expanded the attention to music. |
While New Zealand is a country which places a heavy emphasis on sport, schools also have important programs in the fine arts. This varies somewhat from shool to school. The fine arts have a dual status. They are both part of the academic program as well as part of rge extra-curricular activities program. This varied somewhat from school to school and by descipline. Art and music was most likely to have both an academic and activities program. Drama and dance were more likely to primarily a part of the activities program. But some of the larger schools do have academic courses on dance and drama as well. All of these disciplines played important roles in the activities program.
Of the fine arts, art is proably the favorite of the younger children. All young children love to draw ans paint--regardless of their skill level. Gradually as the children grow older, it is the children with some degree of talent that are most interested in persuing art.
Dance is the one fine art in which their is a significan gender difference. The younger children enjoy the dance and movement experiences their teachers may employ in their classes, but very soon the boys tend to opt out and it is the girls tjhat dominte the dane program. This is very pronounced in New Zealand as it is in America and Britain.
Children of all ages enjoy music. As the children grow older, there interest in music increases. And this interest increases among both students with musical talent as well as youth who just enjoy music. And unlike the other fine arts this interest often cuts across social classes and economic backgrounds. Most schools offer optional instrumental training as well opportunities to make music.
