The rest of this posting is about art and creative projects in our classroom. We hope this gives you a better understanding of our program and what your child is doing at school.
In our class, we value process and creation over final products. So much learning comes from experimentation and play. We want our students to be thinking about what they would like to create and how they will do that. Because of this, you will not see “cookie-cutter crafts” or worksheets sheets coming home from our class. Be sure to ask your child to tell you about the creations they bring home. What have they made? How did they do it? What did they use? Did it work out they way they expected? Is there something they would do differently next time?
We always encourage our students to take care of the environment by recycling, composting, using cloths instead of paper towels, etc. We often use recycled materials, and scrap and GOOS paper (Good On One Side) at our craft and drawing centre. We do put out “good paper” for special projects. Certain works of art will be kept at school to be added to your child’s portfolio, which will be sent home at the end of the school year.
We also believe that children should be given “real” tools for their work. As the year progresses, our students use permanent markers, acrylic paints, watercolour paper, clay, sewing needles and wood working tools. They learn how to handle these materials with care. Students are usually invited to come and try these new materials, and initially some prefer to be observers. Sometimes, we ask all students to take part in certain activities or special projects.
Not only do we give students the opportunity to explore and experiment openly with materials, we also encourage them to take time to slow down and observe. This often includes observing the natural world to see what they notice. We have also been closely observing leaves (their shapes, veins, colours). We have talked about using constructive criticism to make improvements and doing more than one draft to make improvements to our drawings/work. This will be an ongoing process throughout the year. When drawing their self portraits, the students used mirrors to look closely at their features. We were very impressed with the details they included! They are looking at their family photos to draw pictures of their family members. If you have not already done so, please consider sending in a printed photo or emailing us a photo(s). Thanks!
We continue to be astounded by our students’ talent, creativity and ingenuity!