Figure 1.--One of the most popular activities at New Zealand secondary schools is music. These boys are taking a music class, but there are many opportunities to pursue music outside the classroom at New Zealand schools.
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Figure 1.--One of the most popular activities at New Zealand secondary schools is music. These boys are taking a music class, but there are many opportunities to pursue music outside the classroom at New Zealand schools. |
The fine arts is traditionally the core of the non-sports activities program. While many other activities are now sponsored at New Zealand schools, the fine arts are still an important part of the overall program. New Zealand schools offer a varied fine arts program. Most schools offere a wide variety of fine arts activities suitable for the specific age level. The elementary schools tend to fold the fine arts into the overall program while in secondary schools there are many more opportunities for extra-curricular participation in activities associated with the fine arts, especially the the performing arts. Art, drama, and music can be studied at all levels in the school curriculum and there is usually keen competition to participate in the many co-curricular opportunities offered.
Art is another extremely popular subject with both boys and girls. This interst is, unlike the other fine arts, primarily pursued within the academic confines of art classes and in the individual's free time. There are many opportunities to help decorate classrooms and other school areas. Seasonal holidays are a great oppottunity for the children to demostrate their skills. School plays also require a great deal of work on sets. There is less opportunity for group activities at school, although there are school art exhibitions which never fail to draw considerable attention. Some of the art of the senior students is quite impressive, but the art work of the younger children can provide interesting insights on their school experience.
Dance is probably the least popular of the fine arts activities at New Zealand schools. Mostly it is the girls that are interested in dance. Few boys pursue dance, in part out of concern over what the other boys might think. The pupils that do pursue their interest in dance, usually do so in private dance schools and academies outside of school.
Many schools have a proud tradition of music performance. Some schools place a special emphasis on choral music performance. Secondary schools, depending on the size, may have several different choirs, enabling students to participate in choral music for the sheer enjoyment or to work towards levels of choral excellence. These choirs perform at a variety of localmevents as well as national competitions. A few even perform at international events. Orchestras, jazz bands and many other instrumental ensembles provide wide-ranging opportunities for musical performance and group participation. As with the sports program, the emphasis is not on providing limited opportunities for a small number of the most talented pupils, but rather to offer oppotunities for as many pupils who seek to partivipate in musical groups. As a result most schools of any size sponsor many diiferent performance groups onvplved in a wide range of musical formats.
Full-scale drama productions are a popular annual event where students can experience the discipline of rehearsal and the excitement of the opening night. Theatresports provide a less formal forum for dramatic performance. Various schools receive national recognition for the high calibre of their Shakespearean or other specialized drama productions.
