Page 11 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: The Arts, 2010

OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM
The arts program in Grades 11 and 12 consists of four courses in each of dance, drama, media arts, music, and visual arts, as well as a course entitled Exploring and Creating in the Arts.
The courses in this document are intended to help students build on the knowledge and skills they have developed in arts courses in Grades 9 and 10. Arts courses for the first two years of secondary school are designed to appeal to students’ interests and imagina- tion, and provide a basis for more intensive and specialized study. In all arts subjects in Grades 11 and 12, emphasis is placed on acquiring more advanced skills and applying them in more complex ways. An important aim of the Grade 11 and 12 courses is to help students understand the world in which they live and to help them make choices that will both enrich their lives and prepare them for a variety of careers. To this end, course content is designed to encourage students to understand the connections between what they are doing at the Grade 11 and 12 levels and what is required in a broad range of university and college programs and the world of work.
In the arts program in Grades 11 and 12, three types of courses are offered – university/college preparation, workplace preparation, and open. Students choose between course types on the basis of their interests, achievement, and postsecondary goals, as well as the pathways they are pursuing. The course types are defined as follows:
University/college preparation courses are designed to equip students with the knowl- edge and skills they need to meet the entrance requirements for specific programs offered at universities and colleges.
Workplace preparation courses are designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to meet the expectations of employers, if they plan to enter the workplace directly after graduation, or the requirements for admission to many apprenticeship or other training programs.
Open courses are designed to broaden students’ knowledge and skills in subjects that reflect their interests and to prepare them for active and rewarding participation in society. They are not designed with the specific requirements of universities, colleges, or the workplace in mind.
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THE PROGRAM IN THE ARTS