2010 DSA(Direct School Admission)

[phankao]

2ppaamm:

Yep, but I'm thinking if your kid is in NAFA, then don't have to consider so much when choosing SOTA. Maybe don't need to do CCA, but do NAFA instead? Along those lines...

But NAFA is a course, like taking private 1-to-1 lessons with private teacher, not similar to CCA at all. There's no ensemble prac for chinese instruments at NAFA. The only extra is that they have theory classes. My boy already has private instructors plus outside ensemble plus theory class plus school cca. We are not thinking of NAFA at all. Yeah, he's only interested in mainstream schools bc SOTA doesn't seem like it offers enough in that area, altho' being an \"arts\" school, it should. That was what I brought up about.

[joconde]

Anyone has advise on how to ‘groom’ a child for SOTA visual arts ? I have a friend whose child is very good at drawing and attends art lesson at private school, but yet did not get selected. Schools like NUSH give preference to kids with credentials like Math Olympiad awards. For SOTA (visual arts), is there anything similiar ?


Are there any primary schools that nurtures talents in this area ?

[phankao]

joconde:

Anyone has advise on how to 'groom' a child for SOTA visual arts ? I have a friend whose child is very good at drawing and attends art lesson at private school, but yet did not get selected. Schools like NUSH give preference to kids with credentials like Math Olympiad awards. For SOTA (visual arts), is there anything similiar ?


Are there any primary schools that nurtures talents in this area ?

Everything needed is listed on their webpage:

http://www.sota.edu.sg/Admissions/TalentAcademy/PreparationAuditionVisualArts/tabid/342/Default.aspx

I think just prepare thoughtfully. I've found that for SOTA, as long as the child has done that, not last-minute work that has been simply rushed-together, and the work/portfolio is satisfactory, there's a high-chance of being accepted. Of course the child must also show a passion for his/her work. Same for the music auditions - just make sure to have prepared. The pieces are given some 3weeks to 1 month ahead of time, sufficient time to prepare. The kids i know who prepared, got in. There was one that only worked on it few days before, didn't get thru.

[joconde]

phankao:

Everything needed is listed on their webpage:


http://www.sota.edu.sg/Admissions/TalentAcademy/PreparationAuditionVisualArts/tabid/342/Default.aspx

I think just prepare thoughtfully. I've found that for SOTA, as long as the child has done that, not last-minute work that has been simply rushed-together, and the work/portfolio is satisfactory, there's a high-chance of being accepted. Of course the child must also show a passion for his/her work. Same for the music auditions - just make sure to have prepared. The pieces are given some 3weeks to 1 month ahead of time, sufficient time to prepare. The kids i know who prepared, got in. There was one that only worked on it few days before, didn't get thru.

Thanks phankao.

Actually i'm not enquiring abt audition preparation, but rather, how to groom from young if one (or rather, the parent) aspires to get into SOTA. My girl is in P1 and has a flair in drawing. So I wonder what I can do to increase her chances. Cos i see that my friend's child's art work is really impressive but still did not get selected. Perhaps results not good enuf, or maybe SOTA looking for medalists or other credits, i dunno.....

The kids you know who got in, did they win any prizes in art competition or anything like tat ? They join art club in sch or attend art lesson outside ? Do you know how they nurture and develop the talents ? Sorry if my questions sound stupid, but i am really a layman in this area

[2ppaamm]

joconde:

The kids you know who got in, did they win any prizes in art competition or anything like tat ? They join art club in sch or attend art lesson outside ? Do you know how they nurture and develop the talents ? Sorry if my questions sound stupid, but i am really a layman in this area

Joconde, not sure if I can help, but my son is doing a bachelor in fine arts. He was never trained in drawing. His only training is himself. Every month, I would buy him $5-10 worth of A4 paper, for photocopying kind. And lots and lots of pencil.

He would draw every time he has time - and that's quite a bit. He started doing that since 4.

In Primary school, the art lessons are practically useless for him, because they require different things, he is the creative kind, not the drawing by training kind. So he never scored high for art. Perhaps one or 2 As, but not always.

For the 2 years in sec school, he was exempted from arts classes. But his love for drawing never ceased. He kept up that $5-10 budget. Then, he found an opportunity to go to U to pursue that. For admission, he needed an art portfolio. His Sec school teacher give him tips over recess. He developed that art portfolio in a week or two. That art portfolio (about 30 or so drawing), together with other credentials got him into the U to do fine arts.

So, if I am not wrong the PORTFOLIO is what any school would look for. Start helping your child develop one now, perhaps? Also, I am one who does not have time nor belief in enrichment classes, somehow, I think that they will gear my kid to their brand of art. I had wanted him to develop his own style and love. I guess I was quite successful.

Hope this gives you some guidance. Again, I really don't know your kid's style and personality. This is just what I went through... If your child has a natural talent for arts, show her lots of nice paintings/art work. You'll be surprised she may actually be able to replicate them for you. My son could replicate cartoons and animation easily at a young age. At one time, I needed to draw 26 characters for each alphabet. I could not do it after 4 hours, so I engaged his help. He was just 7. He did it in 30 minutes. All much better than mine! He also recently told me that if I had sent him for classes, he would have lost all love for drawing. O, he draws, he does not like to put in colour.

If I see the vice principal over the weekend, I will ask him about visual arts specifically, and post his answer here.

Conclusion: Art portfolio is probably what every art school would look for, no matter which level. O, by the way, since this is about DSA, I saw some RI boys who went for AEP DSA, they brought their portfolios along, too.

[verykiasu2010]

what are included as "Art" for DSA in RI ?


thanks

[2ppaamm]

verykiasu2010:

what are included as \"Art\" for DSA in RI ?


thanks

Err... you mean AEP? Drawing art. But I don't know what they ask for exactly at DSA. I saw this boy holding a portfolio, he had some still life in it, he drew some chess pieces. However, when my son went for the selection, after he was already in the school, he was asked to draw a hand holding a watch with pencil.

Not much help hor? But that's how much I know...

[verykiasu2010]

2ppaamm:

Err... you mean AEP? Drawing art. But I don't know what they ask for exactly at DSA. I saw this boy holding a portfolio, he had some still life in it, he drew some chess pieces. However, when my son went for the selection, after he was already in the school, he was asked to draw a hand holding a watch with pencil.


Not much help hor? But that's how much I know...

Many thanks still !

[2ppaamm]

phankao:

But NAFA is a course, like taking private 1-to-1 lessons with private teacher, not similar to CCA at all. There's no ensemble prac for chinese instruments at NAFA. The only extra is that they have theory classes. My boy already has private instructors plus outside ensemble plus theory class plus school cca. We are not thinking of NAFA at all. Yeah, he's only interested in mainstream schools bc SOTA doesn't seem like it offers enough in that area, altho' being an \"arts\" school, it should. That was what I brought up about.

Hm.. perhaps that's the deficiency of a new school, not enough to get a big group for the SYF competitions. It's true big groups offer different challenges...

[joconde]

2ppaamm:

if I had sent him for classes, he would have lost all love for drawing. O, he draws, he does not like to put in colour.

Hi 2ppaamm,

Thanks so much for sharing. Well, sounds like it's a better idea to let her develop naturally. Actually I'm also quite skeptical of what art classes can do for my girl, tat's why never send her to one even tho many people have urged me to do so seeing that my girl loves to draw so much. I just find many art classes too commercialised and cookie-cutter.

2ppaamm:

If I see the vice principal over the weekend, I will ask him about visual arts specifically, and post his answer here.

Yes, if you have any 'insider information', pls share ! Passion aside, one ultimately needs to be 'recognized' for their talent. I think SOTA can now be considered the most (perhaps the only one) prestigous and recognized local sch in this area. Right ?? Wrong ???

BTW, ur son's bachelor of fine arts, not local U right ?