Academy Archives - Page 9 of 11

Join us for NEW after-school arts classes starting January 2022!

As we move out of the pandemic, most of our programs are now in-person at the Centauri Arts Academy, including FILM CLASSES, CREATIVE WRITING CLASSES, ACTING CLASSES & FINE ART CLASSES for children and teens. We’re also offering ONLINE CREATIVE WRITING CLASSES and ONLINE DIGITAL ART CLASSES for teenagers. Why join our after school and weekend arts classes for children and teens? We have an experienced faculty of instructors, many of whom have taught with us for years, at our arts summer camps, and in our after school programs. Joining our arts classes means exploring your creative side… but it also means being a part of a community. Creative, learn and laugh with other people who enjoy an activity just as much as you do. [...]

November 11th, 2021|Academy|

How do you Plan a Novel?

So you love creative writing and you have an idea for a novel – but where do you begin? Here Are Some Tips to Get You started! 1. Map out your story. Begin by doing this in a general way. What is the ‘status quo’ for your characters before the story begins? What is the climactic event of the story? How is the character changed by the end of the novel? 2. Identify key elements of the novel What is the ‘inciting incident’ that sets story in motion? Look for rising and falling action in the story. Will the reader be gripped throughout? Why? Every writer has their own method for planning. Some plan every detail of the novel before they begin to write, in [...]

October 14th, 2021|Academy, Retreats, writing retreats|

12 Best Novels ALL High School Students Should Read

With so much content clamouring for attention, novels often get less class time than they deserve. When students read widely, they think more deeply, and their writing naturally improves. Here’s a list of twelve novels all high school students should read – either because they are enduring classics which have impacted our world, or because they speak to issues vital to our contemporary world. All these novels offer a gripping read, and themes of relevance to teenagers. 1) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury First published in 1953, Bradbury’s classic maintains its relevance in our social media age. There’s so much for readers to discuss in this novel, and as an added advantage it’s action-packed. 2) 1984, by George Orwell Orwell’s vision of an alternative future [...]

September 7th, 2021|Academy, English Tutoring|

English Enrichment at the Centauri Arts Academy, Toronto.

Why English Matters When we began our small-group English tutoring program in September 2020, we were surprised at the needs of the students who joined us. Some were struggling in school and hoped to improve their grades – that we had expected. But many students joined for other reasons. Some loved language, and felt their English class in school did not adequately meet their needs. Others wanted the opportunity to explore more literature, or to develop their essay writing skills. Many of the students who joined us loved creative writing, and wanted to learn to read and write more deeply and creatively. One parent told us her daughter was creative by nature and excelled in English class, but had not yet developed a genuine passion [...]

August 23rd, 2021|Academy, English Tutoring|

What Happens in a Creative Writing Class?

This fall, in addition to our regular virtual and in-person creative writing classes, Centauri Arts will be adding two new courses: a Junior Creative Writing class for ages 9-14, and a Short Fiction course for more experienced writers. But what happens in our creative writing courses? As creative writing classes become more popular among young people, this is a question many parents – and young writers – may have. Read about our Creative Writing Classes here. A Typical Creative Writing Workshop: Most of our writing classes begin with a ‘free write’. This is a 15-minute writing prompt designed to whet our creative juices and help settle us all into our writing. Example: our writers receive an image of a backpacker, boarding a plane. They are [...]

August 11th, 2021|Academy, Writing Classes for Teens|

Are you Looking for Acting Classes in Toronto, this Fall?

Centauri Arts is Offering a NEW Acting Class for 9-14s, starting September 2021 If you have a child aged 9-14, you’ll know it can sometimes be difficult to find challenging and inspiring arts programs for that age group. While most of our programs are open to young people 12 and over, starting this fall, we will have a brand new acting class dedicated to children aged 9-14. Our Junior Acting Class in Toronto In these post-COVID days, Acting is more valuable than it ever has been before, since it enhances social skills encourages public speaking and promotes self confidence – all while kids have fun! Erica May Wood – our long-standing acting teacher – will run this program in addition to our long-standing Senior Acting [...]

August 7th, 2021|Academy|

Five Reasons Why Acting Classes Matter Now, More Than Ever

This fall, we are expanding our Acting Classes at the Centauri Arts Academy, offering a Junior Acting Course for ages 9-14 as well as a Senior Acting Course for ages 13-18. Why the expansion now? COVID has kept us apart for far too long, and acting classes offer young people the opportunity to brush up on those acting skills that may have suffered over the past months – all while having a HUGE amount of fun. Acting is a Collaborative Art Form Working together isn’t easy on a screen – but learning to work with others is an essential life skill. In acting classes, young people learn to collaborate, developing team skills in a way that is enjoyable as they get creative with others. Acting [...]

July 26th, 2021|Academy|

Creative Writing Classes for Younger Children, This Fall!

If you have a child aged 9-14, you’ll know it can sometimes be difficult to find challenging and inspiring arts programs for that age group. While most of our programs are open to young people 12 and over, starting this fall, we will have a brand new creative writing course dedicated to this age group: Creative Writing Class – Saturdays, 10.30am Parents are telling us that younger children are developing an interest in creative writing – so we’ve added a Saturday creative writing course especially for them. Writing prompts are varied and interesting, and this new group will include more collaborative writing activities, as well as fun writing games to build on an existing love of language. Beyond that, our new creative writing course for [...]

July 20th, 2021|Academy, Writing Classes for Teens|

Our Fall Arts Programs 2021 Are Open for Registrations

Acting, Film, Creative Writing, Fine Art – We’re Doing It All This Fall! No matter what your arts interests, we have you covered this fall – and as we move with excitement into the future, WE’RE EXPANDING! We’re now offering TWO Acting Classes – one for Junior actors aged 8-14, and the other for Senior Actors aged 13-18. We also have TWO Film programs to choose from on Thursdays, a new Fine Art program, and a choice of several Creative Writing programs – including Saturday creative writing classes for both Junior and Senior writers, and a Short Fiction program for experienced creative writing students. Click here to see our complete schedule for this fall arts classes! We’re Offering Virtual Arts Classes, Too! We recognise that [...]

July 12th, 2021|Academy|

Our English Tutoring Program: The First Year

As we approach the end of the academic year, I’m reflecting on the many wonderful students we’ve worked with since last September, and the astonishing number of literary projects we’ve completed together. Creative writing has been a huge part of all our English tutoring programs. Students begin most sessions with a 15-minute free-write, and we teach a wealth of skills through creative writing: short story structure, character development, grammar, language conventions, editing skills and more. This year, all our students have explored grade-appropriate skills related to expository writing. We used a veggie burger to teach the ‘Hamburger Method’ of essay construction (!!), and we’ve walked students slowly through the process of writing well-structured paragraphs and essays. Which is better: city life, or life in the [...]

May 30th, 2021|Academy, English Tutoring|