At ISC, art classes are for every child beginning with our 2 year olds. Our children are all artists. My emphasis is on the process. It is more important than the product and I encourage them to express themselves creatively. The children explore their creativity, using their imaginations and different media to paint, sculpt, draw, construct, design and print.

 Our youngest children focus on practicing their fine motor skills. Why is fine motor skill development important? According to Patty Bunce, an Occupational Therapist, “Little hands need to develop dexterity and strength. Teacher can help this process by encouraging children to play, explore and interact with a variety of items. Toys, clothing fasteners, safe scissors and play dough are all tactile examples of practices that facilitate fine motor development. The ability to do so is the first step in learning to color, draw and ultimately write.” One of the best ways to build hand strength is by playing with play dough. It encourages the children to use their fingers to play with paint and use suitable paintbrushes. Mixing primary colours, either with playdough or paint, delights the children, “Look, Khun Tai! I made green.”

Recently my Year 4 - Year 6 classes had a chance to go to the Van Gogh Museum as a part of their art lesson. They drew pictures inspired by many artists such as Van Gogh, Monet and Hokusai. The children were interested in the artists’ biographies and their works. It inspired them to experiment with the artists techniques. They loved doing it. As I look through their sketchbooks, I see the students developing a life long love of art. They will draw representations of things they have seen on weekends or holidays to show me without my having assigned it as homework.

As my Year 2 students were studying “Space” I let the children paint their own interpretations of Space with acrylic paints on canvas. I was so happy to hear their comments; “It was fun.” “I like it.” or “I am so excited do it!” It seems like I am a car and the children are the powerful fuel. They are my inspiration.

I ultimately hope to be a kind of art teacher who will inspires my students to not just be an artist now, but as Pablo Picasso said, to also "remain an artist once they grow up".