Electives

In Upper School, creativity is embedded in every subject and the Arts are valued as a critical part of our program. The Arts are a core subject - students spend just as many minutes a week exploring their passions in the Arts electives at they do in a History or Science class. We offer an extensive array of courses that focus on the visual, performing and media arts. In the Arts, we challenge Upper School students to experiment with techniques, materials and approaches that celebrate the creativity and imagination in every student. Arts courses include:

Visual Arts: Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Collage, Mixed Media

Media Arts: Film, Video, Digital Media, Animation, Photography

Performing Arts: Theater, Improv, Instrumental, Vocal, Music Theory and Composition, Music Technology

A study in the UK reported that up to 35% of the most successful entrepreneurs have dyslexia. Interviews with accomplished business people such as Charles Schwab indicate that the talents of these individuals often lie in their ability to think creatively. AIM’s focus on entrepreneurial studies and talent development inspires our Upper School students to make connections, develop creative problem-solving abilities and follow their interests and talents.

Startup Corps is student-centered and market-based and aimed to be transformative. Music labels, neighborhood cleanup projects, a restaurant, and software development companies are just some of the student-led initiatives that have resulted from this program. While each outcome is unique, students always learn that nurturing an idea from concept to reality is hard work, but achievable with motivation and a supportive network.

Because creativity, innovation, critical thinking, flexibility and problem solving are among the most important 21st century skills, AIM believes that exposure to this coursework is critical for future success. Courses range from introductory to advanced and competitive robotics. Students learn the design and programming skills required to enable robots to perform novel and advanced tasks. Students may follow generic design patterns or go entirely off the grid and develop unique robots with advanced mobility skills.

Our Science & Engineering Wing is home to 3D printers, laser cutter and a wide variety of tools and technologies in the Makerspace, a room designated specifically for investigation and tinkering. This space gives our students the opportunity to explore and expand their digital and creative skills. In addition to specific robotics and engineering courses, we also identify access points for robotics and engineering concepts where they align with other aspects of our curriculum.