If you’re the parent of a highly creative teen and you’ve heard about Arts Academy in the Woods, Fraser, Michigan, you might be wondering if AAW is right for your child.
As a parent with a creative child who doesn’t click with conventional education, finding the right art school can be challenging. You’re seeking a school that provides excellence in integrated arts and academic education with high standards and a full curriculum that will challenge your child.
AAW is that school. Plus, with a zero-tolerance policy, it’s also a safe haven for LGBTQ students and those who march to the beat of a different drum. Curious? Read on.
Arts Academy Teaches Academics Through Art
Arts Academy in the Woods offers a full curriculum of both arts and academics.
It’s also the perfect place for students who excel in the arts but may struggle with STEM-focused education. That’s because the primary focus of arts educators at AAW isn’t on fostering a student to get high test scores. They define success as nurturing the whole student to become someone equipped with the skills needed to face adult life. As such, they teach STEM subjects through art.
For example, an instructor might teach social studies (i.e. history, geography, economics, and civics) through art by studying art movements during specific eras. In this way, students learn the importance of taking action on local, national, and global issues. They practice critical thinking skills that encourage informed civic action while gaining tools to understand human behavior, culture, and development.
Meanwhile, science instructors stress the intrinsic understanding of how science changes the way we view everything, including art and music. A student can have a new experience of art when learning how eyes see color. Or they may have a deeper understanding of music when they understand sound waves.
AAW teaches academic subjects this way – be it science, math, social studies, English, or second languages.
Finally, through the school’s health and wellness curriculum, students are encouraged to learn essential life skills that help them maintain physical, mental, emotional, and academic wellness – with an added emphasis on mental health. Which brings us to the next point…
No Tolerance for Bullying At Arts Academy in the Woods, Fraser, Michigan
Even in today’s climate of encouraging more diversity, equity, and inclusion, conventional educational institutions continue to be breeding grounds for bullies.
According to a National School Climate Survey, about 74% of students report having been verbally bullied at school. And more than half of the LGBTQ+ students in the study said they felt unsafe at school. Of those, nearly a third missed at least one day of school in the previous month because of bullying.
There’s no doubt that bullying impacts academic performance. And where it exists, the cycle is self-perpetuating. Students who are bullied show less academic improvement because they’re afraid of standing out. As a result, some teachers identify these students as unmotivated learners.
These seemingly low-achieving students then receive less attention from teachers – thus pushing them further down the academic rabbit hole.
This is not the case at Arts Academy in the Woods, Fraser, Michigan.
Art High Schools Such As AAW Celebrate Diversity
One of the key advantages of attending AAW is that they’re all about celebrating rather than bullying kids who would be deemed as “different” in other schools. And this includes LGBTQ+ students.
Maybe it has to do with the way those who are artistically inclined tend to see the world. The creative mind is open and inspired by variety and change. It sees the potential in that which is different. And it thrives in an environment where conventional thinking is constantly challenged – such as at an arts high school or arts middle school.
Then again, perhaps an open mind is inherently creative. Who’s to say?
Whatever the case, LGBTQ students who attend AAW do not stand out as odd or strange. At least not any more so than the other students.
Because when every student is encouraged to celebrate their unique differences – to let their inner weirdo shine, as it were – there’s a huge drop in bullying.
Does AAW Sound Like a Fit for Your Amazing Teen?
Arts Academy in the Woods, Fraser, Michigan is truly the whole package. And the icing on the cake? AAW is a charter school that’s FREE to any middle school or high school student in Michigan.
So if you’re ready to find out how AAW can help your child become a happier and more confident student, contact us today to request a tour of our school.
And prepare for all sorts of possibilities!