One of the best parts of helping out in the classroom at your child's school is the opportunity to go back to school and revisit those childhood memories. Backpacks, desks, the hot lunch line, milk money, and of course RECESS! I applaud all of the moms and dads that take time out of their busy schedules to help out on the playground, in the cafeteria, in the library, with sports and after-school activities and school fundraisers.
If you're looking for ways to get involved, don't miss Allison Klint's helpful article on how to get involved without driving your teacher crazy!
Today I enjoyed one of my favorite things, presenting the art outreach folder (courtesy of the Springfield Art Association) to the second graders. Our topic? Henri Matisse.
It was great fun to do some background research on this artist. He was a ground-breaking contemporary artist. One of the first in the early 1900's to take all traditional art rules and toss them aside. Color represented his emotions rather than reality (grass doesn't have to be green, etc.) The result? Vibrant paintings that were deemed the "Wild Beasts" movement by early art critics. People hadn't seen anything like it!
The kids eyes lighted up when they heard that conventional rules were broken, that he defined his own path in art and that he never gave up pursuing art through a series of medical challenges throughout his life. We viewed many of his paintings and paper cutouts, and at the end each child told which one they liked best (a few didn't like any of them, and that is just fine!)
It was so rewarding to hear their individual preferences and see their active engagement in art. Although I gave my time today, the students gave a lot more in return…inspiration and honesty.
Kim, Thanks for supporting Art Outreach- it's a great program that wouldn't thrive without parent involvement like yours!