Performing Arts

Performing Arts covers the curriculum areas of dance, drama, and music. It is designed to incorporate the aims of the Australian Curriculum and link to the school’s learning priorities. Performing Arts fosters a supportive and creative environment for students to strengthen self-confidence, social skills, and ability to create and solve problems. Students are encouraged to collaborate in group-devised pieces and individually their interests and learning goals. Each lesson promotes opportunities to explore, create, play, critique and reflect on student learning. In turn this provides opportunities for experimentation, enjoyment, leadership, self-expression, appreciation, and success.

Music lessons incorporate both Kodály and Orff pedagogies and practices underpinning the music learning program. Imitation, exploration, improvisation, and composition are all key to strengthening student learning and understanding. Students learn music notation, music appreciation, singing and play a range of melodic and non-melodic instruments, the ukulele, and drumming skills.

The performing arts classroom is an ample open space, where shoes are left at the door and students can sink their feet into creating and playing. Although there is consistency in routines, the class starts with a weekly warm-up activity that allows the students to move and stretch their bodies, transitioning from classroom learning to a kinaesthetic environment. This assists in gaining student focus and setting the theme/mood for the lesson. The next activity involves ‘tuning into’ and the learning intention for the lesson. The main task for the lesson then occurs, which varies in teaching strategies and resources, using explicit teaching, active learning, project-based learning, collaborative learning, and peer teaching.

Every year we have a big school event that is created and presented by the students. Every class in the school features in the production and is a part of the Finale item, which brings the whole school back onto the stage. The event is held at Kidman Park Primary School and is set up with three stages for students to perform on. Classroom artworks are also displayed throughout the school grounds along with food stalls and additional entertainment. All students are given the opportunity to perform on a stage with lights, costuming, sound, and visual effects. It is an excellent way to end the school year and proves to be a fantastic annual community event for the entire school and community.