Far too often the arts are overlooked as being significant in one's educational planning.
Bette Fetter, a teacher in the United States who applied her fine arts education and background in child development, disagrees. She created an original, step-by-step method to teach children drawing, Young Rembrandts, a name which resonates with one of the greatest Dutch painters.
Using proper drawing and coloring techniques with markers and coloring leads, children who learn to draw using the Young Rembrandts method are said to develop spatial reasoning and fine motor skills, order and sequencing abilities, visualization and self-discipline.
Sarah Hanna is the provincial co-ordinator and attended Indian River Academy's first after-school class with the local instructor, Tana Adams when the program started in November. The first group has completed the initial session and Conn Roberts, the school principal said he is hoping other students will give it a try. Registration is currently underway for the next session, which began Monday for Grade 1-6 students.
Grade 5 student Kylie Hull has a passion for tinkering with drawing, and turned out some great pictures weekly. She said she liked working together with lots of students, enjoys learning new things and it was a fun class.
Although the ages vary, the students are working at their best levels and the end results are spectacular, as can be seen on the bulletin board in the foyer. These are replaced weekly with the new drawings as the children take their prized work home.
Adams who has a background in layout, design and media in art, said she is excited about the new lessons which are both suitable to beginners and intricate enough to challenge continuing participants, to take their drawings to the next level.
"I am tweaking my skills as I go," she said, and credits her Grade 7 volunteer, Cierra Chatman, for helping create a positive learning, but fun environment.
TO READ MORE, VISIT YOUNG REMBRANDTS.