Parents of students at the British School of Nanjing (BSN) have been seeing how curriculum specialists from Juilliard will help integrate the school’s teaching in music, dance and drama. The move comes as schools worldwide tackle the teaching of creativity.
As their children settled into classes this morning, 21 January, Erin Wight, Juilliard Music Curriculum Specialist, introduced the cooperation between Juilliard and Nord Anglia Education (NAE), of which BSN is a part.
Wight is a violinist, active chamber musician and avid performer of new music. She has been a teaching artist for the New York Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
The Juilliard Approach to Teaching Creativity
During her visit to BSN, Wight spent time in classrooms with students and offered a few professional training sessions to music, dance and performing art teachers.
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As part of this morning’s session, parents received tips for encouraging their children to be more creative at home. For example, when taking a break during a piano lesson, children could improvise to create a “melody”. They then can think about what that reminds them of.
Setting aside a few minutes to speak with The Nanjinger, Wight spoke of how the integrated curriculum helps teach creativity. “It’s sort of like an empathy builder. You can appreciate what expression looks like in its different ways. Having had experiences in dance and drama growing up helped me appreciate and connect with and find the beauty and the value in these other art forms.
“Students will ideally have the ability to make these life-long personal connections with the arts and disciplines as well, which can only enrich you as you get older.”
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In her role as Juilliard Music Curriculum Specialist, Wight works with all NAE schools in China. During this tour of duty, she has also visited schools in Guangzhou and Ningbo.
Delivered exclusively to NAE students, the Juilliard-NAE Performing Arts Programme has NAE teachers working together with Curriculum Specialists from Juilliard. They collaborate to enhance the way the performing arts is taught at NAE schools. This promotes excellence and inspires children to engage and connect with music, dance and drama at a deeper level.
Matthew Shephard, Principal of BSN, said, “The confidence and the creativity that can be developed through a high-quality performing arts program are such vital, transferable skills that I am very excited to see this collaboration, between two truly world-class organisations”.
