Thursday, November 6, 2008

Temagami Pine #2 – Complete

I had so much fun painting with the students of Victoria School, this week!


After lunch, on Tuesday, I began to wonder where my painters were. The school bell had rung and the rest of the school was filling with students but I didn’t see the grade 5/6 class anywhere. I was told that they were in the gym. When I entered, the students were sitting in a circle, waiting to find out what activity they would be doing for that class. The teacher noticed me and when he came over he told me that I might not have any painters for that period, “Gym is their favourite class and I’ve never seen any student give up this class, for anything… but I’ll ask”

“Does anyone want to miss gym class to work on the painting?” the teacher asked the class. Within a quarter of a second the entire class was on their feet waving their hands shouting, “Pick me, pick me!” The teacher looked at me and with a big smile he said, “I guess that I was wrong.”

The painting continued…


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Yesterday’s class began with the judging of the colouring contest. What a challenge that was. It was obvious that all of the students had worked very hard to create their own art and they were all really and truly amazing drawings. Here are just a few:


Then the painting continued…


After the painting was finished, I had a little chat with the class to tell them how impressed I was with their painting skills and all the positive energy that they shared with me. We spoke about responsibility and the students told me, with a chorus of cheers, that they will make it their life’s goal to make this world a better place.


The teacher was very impressed, as well. He wanted to take a group photo that he would later put into the school’s newsletter. He said that since the art workshop was about understanding Nature that the photograph should be taken outside, in Nature. The students loved this idea because they wouldn’t have to do math homework for at least another half an hour!!!


Thanks, again, grade 5/6 students for making this time that we shared so special.

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In a few hours, I’ll be working with the students of the Montessori House of Children, to continue with the third painting in our series of four. It’ll be great!

Jim

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