25 April 2010

pop-up art



My daughter proudly presented me with this little surprise after school recently.   I've heard a lot of talk, maybe a bit of snickering,  of the perfect nature of art projects that are brought home by (American) children attending local Italian preschools and elementary schools.  Evidently it's quite different from the typical American expectation.  Some of the pieces that are brought to our house also leave me wondering who the primary artist might be, especially those crafted around special occasions.  I've come to think of them as gifts from the teacher rather than Young One masterpieces.

However. . . I can assure you that I did not teach my five-year-old daughter how to make three dimensional pop-up art, and that if she insists that she created it all by herself during free time -- well, then, she did . . . but there must be some bit of art education happening to inspire her creativity.  It can't be all teacher-centered perfectionism if this little gem is also being created within the walls.

That's just my two (Euro) cents.

6 comments:

  1. wow. that IS pretty amazing, especially for a five-year-old. that italian perfectionism is definitely wearing off.

    happy weekend!

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  2. That is very lovely! I doubt very much that it's all down to the teacher- you are creative and have quite an artistic vision in your photos, I'm sure you are no small influence on her.

    As an aside, find the emphasis on perfectionism a bit troubling. My niece was berated by her teacher for not coloring one of her projects correctly. And then berated some more for crying about it. I'm sure most teachers take a gentler approach but still, why not just let them be creative? (I am sooo American sometimes, I guess!)

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  3. Duh, that should have been "coloring one of her projects INcorrectly."

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  4. I am, too, KC, so imagine my ABSOLUTE delight when something like this makes its way home to me.

    Sorry to hear about your neice. I never understan those instances, no matter the nationality of the teacher.

    We've been warned (repeatedly) of the differences in the education systems and just have our fingers crossed for a teacher that will "fit" her well . . . double, triple crossed.

    Later . . . .
    Dana

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