Primary : Creative

Visual arts fully integrate into all aspects of the curriculum. Basic expressive methods of drawing, coloring, painting, and constructing allow each student to discover his or her creative ability through the introduction of color exploration and composition.

Starting with the Primary division, Turning Point School employs two established and effective teaching techniques for music education. The Orff Schulwerk method is based on singing, chanting rhymes, clapping, dancing, and keeping a beat on any object a student can find. It allows for expression and experimentation without being bogged down in the technicalities of learning instruments. The Kodaly method focuses directly on singing and developing "inner hearing", rhythmic co-ordination, and a sense of harmony. These fundamental skills are developed before the introduction of reading or writing music. In our program, Orff Schulwerk and Kodaly are used in tandem so that students can realize their expressive potential without becoming discouraged by technical difficulty.

Primary Art Exhibit

At Turning Point School, our Primary division students paint, draw, doodle, and construct to discover the fundamentals of line, form, color, and shape in an environment free of criticism. No one second-guesses a purple sky or a fuchsia dog here! This freedom provides students a perfect opportunity to explore their creativity as well as providing an outlet for their self-expression. It would be unfortunate for these masterpieces to be kept away from the world. Fortunately, at the end of each school year, students are able to show off their work at the Primary Art Exhibit. Individual students select pieces they have created for display in the show, and collaborative works created by the whole class are exhibited as well. Turning Point students and teachers from all levels tour the exhibit, and special visiting hours are set up for parents.