"Pathway Access Classes are a bit of a new idea at Oakland School For The Arts, introduced at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year. Initially offered to middle school students, then to high school the following year, Pathway Access Classes allow students to branch out of their arts sub-pathway and try something different."
---Calliope Dean, 8th Grade
Pathway Access Classes are a bit of a new idea at Oakland School For The Arts, introduced at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year. Initially offered to middle school students, then to high school the following year, Pathway Access Classes allow students to branch out of their arts sub-pathway and try something different. These electives offer students the chance to have new experiences, or to improve upon existing skills outside of their designated art. However, many students prefer to stay within their Sub-Pathway and continue to take access classes within them.
They use this opportunity to better a skill that they have already learned and are passionate about within their arts.. It allows students to focus more deeply on a singular part of their Sub-Pathway. Students in Production Design, for example, can focus on Photoshop and how it pertains to their art practice. Most students reported that it allows for a little more creativity in their artwork. “It’s been a great way for me to figure out new ways to express myself,” says Talise Murray, 8th grade Productions Design Student.
Since semester two of last year, students could take classes in pathways outside of what their Sub-Pathways are in. This meant that a student in Performative Arts could take a class in DVM, and vice versa.
28.6% of 50 polled students stay within their Sub-Pathway when choosing their weekly class. “I prefer weekly classes inside of my sub-pathway because normally they have cool writing prompts and I know many people in them,” said a polled 7th grade Literary Arts student. They have been enjoying the experience as a whole and prefer to improve previous skills.
While many students prefer to stay within their Sub-Pathway, the majority of polled students, 49%, prefer to branch out and try new things outside of their regular arts classes. Many students prefer to try new things because it allows them to discover new things.
Murray prefers to try things outside of her Sub-Pathway. “I’m now taking classes that are far different from my Sub-Pathway and I’ve enjoyed it a lot more.” Murray is currently taking Intro To Dance and it’s been “100% my favorite so far,” she exclaims. “Just because it’s so different from my Sub-Pathway and it’s a nice break.”
Callie Frederick, 8th grade Literary Arts student likes both to stay in their Sub-Pathway and branch out. “I’ve really enjoyed theater classes, so Fundamentals of Theater and Improv. But I also liked taking a Literary Arts class in fall of 2020 when Telegraph was still an elective.”
“Having the class on Wednesday is the best possible time they could have it,” Murray says, “Having it right in the middle makes it feel like a chance to breathe and step away from my normal schedule.”
Weekly electives have proven to be a positive experience to many students with 87.5% of polled students saying they have enjoyed it and 75% saying it has been beneficial.
Whether they stay in their Sub-Pathway or branch out to a new one, most middle school students agree that they like having the opportunity to take them.
“It’s been a really cool opportunity,” says 6th Grade Literary Arts Student, Zara Quiter, who’s taken Making Multiples in the past and is currently taking Improv through the Theatre Department.
Most students enjoy learning completely new things in their weekly classes. “I learned new skills in the electives I’ve done. I’ve been really happy with the opportunities I have with it, like if I wanted to go to a dance class I could, a photography class, really anything I could think of,” said a polled 6th grade Vocal student.
“Mixed media was my favorite to take, absolutely,” says 7th grade Literary Arts student Zanthe Jones-Gerachis. “Mostly because it was so different from what I’m used to and overall a fun class to take.”
“I’ve been definitely enjoying the opportunity because in 6th grade I wanted to be in Visual Arts and I still love drawing and doing things like that so It’s great to have the option to do something else and still stay in Literary Arts,” Jones-Garachis continued.
Weekly electives have been beneficial to so many of OSA’s middle school students, who say it lets them explore their creativity and try new things and gives them a nice break from routine.
They use this opportunity to better a skill that they have already learned and are passionate about within their arts.. It allows students to focus more deeply on a singular part of their Sub-Pathway. Students in Production Design, for example, can focus on Photoshop and how it pertains to their art practice. Most students reported that it allows for a little more creativity in their artwork. “It’s been a great way for me to figure out new ways to express myself,” says Talise Murray, 8th grade Productions Design Student.
Since semester two of last year, students could take classes in pathways outside of what their Sub-Pathways are in. This meant that a student in Performative Arts could take a class in DVM, and vice versa.
28.6% of 50 polled students stay within their Sub-Pathway when choosing their weekly class. “I prefer weekly classes inside of my sub-pathway because normally they have cool writing prompts and I know many people in them,” said a polled 7th grade Literary Arts student. They have been enjoying the experience as a whole and prefer to improve previous skills.
While many students prefer to stay within their Sub-Pathway, the majority of polled students, 49%, prefer to branch out and try new things outside of their regular arts classes. Many students prefer to try new things because it allows them to discover new things.
Murray prefers to try things outside of her Sub-Pathway. “I’m now taking classes that are far different from my Sub-Pathway and I’ve enjoyed it a lot more.” Murray is currently taking Intro To Dance and it’s been “100% my favorite so far,” she exclaims. “Just because it’s so different from my Sub-Pathway and it’s a nice break.”
Callie Frederick, 8th grade Literary Arts student likes both to stay in their Sub-Pathway and branch out. “I’ve really enjoyed theater classes, so Fundamentals of Theater and Improv. But I also liked taking a Literary Arts class in fall of 2020 when Telegraph was still an elective.”
“Having the class on Wednesday is the best possible time they could have it,” Murray says, “Having it right in the middle makes it feel like a chance to breathe and step away from my normal schedule.”
Weekly electives have proven to be a positive experience to many students with 87.5% of polled students saying they have enjoyed it and 75% saying it has been beneficial.
Whether they stay in their Sub-Pathway or branch out to a new one, most middle school students agree that they like having the opportunity to take them.
“It’s been a really cool opportunity,” says 6th Grade Literary Arts Student, Zara Quiter, who’s taken Making Multiples in the past and is currently taking Improv through the Theatre Department.
Most students enjoy learning completely new things in their weekly classes. “I learned new skills in the electives I’ve done. I’ve been really happy with the opportunities I have with it, like if I wanted to go to a dance class I could, a photography class, really anything I could think of,” said a polled 6th grade Vocal student.
“Mixed media was my favorite to take, absolutely,” says 7th grade Literary Arts student Zanthe Jones-Gerachis. “Mostly because it was so different from what I’m used to and overall a fun class to take.”
“I’ve been definitely enjoying the opportunity because in 6th grade I wanted to be in Visual Arts and I still love drawing and doing things like that so It’s great to have the option to do something else and still stay in Literary Arts,” Jones-Garachis continued.
Weekly electives have been beneficial to so many of OSA’s middle school students, who say it lets them explore their creativity and try new things and gives them a nice break from routine.
