Art Curiculum Training for Haiti Children. (November 13-20, 2010)
I recently attended an Art Curriculum workshop for the teachers in Haiti which was developed and conducted by Ms. Judy Rector and sponsored by Mona Foundation and Hope is Life Foundation. Ms. Judy is a retired teacher from Washington, USA.
To rebuild and create a vibrant community where children can enjoy academic and moral education, where the community can enjoy material and spiritual prosperity, it is important that the local community be empowered to participate and sustain the development process. This was exactly what happened during this training program.
Whether to start a socioeconomic development project or to start a community school, Hope is Life Foundation’s goal is for the local community be endowed with an understanding of concepts, learning the skills, and acquiring the knowledge of the project. The entire staff of Anis Zunuzi School in Port Au Prince, Haiti attended this art curriculum workshop. This pilot program was developed at the request of the Administrative Committee of the school, who recognized the need for visual arts program.
The goal is to develop a Visual Arts Program with the hope of providing Haitian children and the community a spiritual and safe environment to emotionally grow. This program can provide teachers insight, understanding, and skills to provide engaging and effective art and arts integrated lessons across all areas of curriculum. Expressing themselves through art can allow students another avenue to share their ideas and feelings.
The first step was the introduction of “The Private Eye,” an integrated science/art/writing exploratory program. Let me tell a bit about the Prive Eye project. I was really amazed how this project captured the attention of the participating teachers. It is a hands-on learning process that rivets the eye and rockets the mind. With everyday objects, The Private Eye’s easy questioning strategy, and an almost magical magnification tool, a jeweler’s loupe - and every one’s attention was on their work and the teacher.
The Private Eye Project was one of the most enjoyable and exciting I have ever witnessed. The Private Eye got all the Haitian teachers wonder and think like a scientist, to problem solve like a scientist. The idea of using the Private Eye Project for this training program was excellent as this would also give the students the best tools for success. It fits directly into the personal mission of encouraging nature time for children and it creates an environmental sensitivity, especially in a country like Haiti. Ms. Judy incorporated the Private Eye Project to the program to demonstrate integration of curricular subjects. The project includes student jeweler’s loupes (small magnifying glasses), lanyards, a guide book and “The World in a Box,” which has sample items to explore like a seahorse, an urchin, insects, a butterfly, etc. From exploration, the teachers were guided to writing about what they saw and experienced, and then to drawing and painting enlarged versions of the items as well.
After the “Private Eye” experiences, Ms. Judy introduced the pilot visual arts program. The basics of teaching art and an introduction to the K-3 curriculum were then presented to all of the teachers. This was to insure understanding of what was being introduced at the primary level and what would be coming to the upper grades should the primary teachers approve the program.
The scope and sequence of lessons then proceed to ‘Art Tells a Story’, ‘Art Around the World’, ‘An Artist’s Vision’, ‘Perspective in Art’, and ‘Haitian Art’ by grade level. Basic art elements were introduced such as color, line, texture, shape, form and balance and reviewed at each level with more complex activities. Ms. Judy used Haitian artists as examples wherever possible to emphasize their rich artistic heritage. Teachers each created art tools and samples to help them teach in their own classes.
I want to thank Private Eye Project for their support. Ms. Judy did a great job. This is what Ms.Judy had to say, “ We had great experiences in Haiti, sharing a new way to look at the world. All of the teachers and students we shared with at the Anis Zunuzi School in Lilavois, Haiti, had never used a magnifying glass of any kind before. They found working with a tool that enlarged things fascinating! One little boy came into the room as I was setting up for a teacher's training. I gave him a loupe and showed him how to focus on his hand. He jumped back and shook his hand and said, "GWO!" which in Creole means "BIG"! Then he wanted to see other things close up.”
"Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom."- Baha’i Faith
Comments
Larry Wirth (former EK colleague, current science teacher)