The acronym C.O.L.L.A.G.E.S was chosen as the title of this project because it stands for Cross-curricular Optimisation: Linking Learners’ Artistic and General Education Synergistically. This reflects the project’s main goal, that of bridging the gap between the artistic and the alchemical subjects our students learn.
Every school has its students’ well-being at heart and this means, among other things, keeping their specific needs and requirements firmly in mind at all times. Students at the MVPA are rather different from other students their age: they follow typical academic subjects taught in other Maltese state middle and secondary schools, but simultaneously train in their chosen art form/s. As a result, the MVPA is the only school in Malta which caters concurrently to both sets of student needs. Accordingly, the challenges faced are equally unique.
Individual teachers at the MVPA belong to either the academic sphere or that of the arts. Therefore, one of the key challenges which the MVPA faces is that of improving the pedagogical skills of the academic teachers to meet the needs of the arts students. Tackling this challenge benefits both the teachers and the students.
Although these students need to sit for exams in academic subjects just like the students in other state secondary schools, they also aim to pursue careers in the performing arts. As a result, it is important that even while being taught the academic subjects, the more artistically oriented needs are also kept in mind.
Although such a school is the first of its kind in Malta, such systems are quite common abroad, especially in countries which have a deep-rooted culture in supporting the arts, especially performing arts. Due to the fact that it is the first of its kind on the island, there isn’t a basis of experience on which the school and its educational staff can turn to, to improve its service. As a result, one of the needs of the school is to expand on its networks with other arts and educational schools abroad.
Teachers need training in the use of digital tools that help make this networking effort possible. This would be a valuable opportunity to exchange best practices with other schools who live the same reality as the MVPA. Furthermore, these tools could also be used internally to allow the artistic and academic teachers to liaise more efficiently.
A number of our students travel to train or compete, and many already know their future career in the arts will take them abroad on a permanent basis. The MVPA feels more could be done to expose its students to the many other similar schools or art organisations in various countries, and with technology making it easier than ever to communicate with those far away, the potential is with our reach. The importance of such a project stems from the purpose of the school, which is to blend the arts and education together and provide a strong platform for arts education.
