Looking for H A P P I N E S S

     There are 7 billion people in the world. Each one is different to the other, but there is one common thing between all of them: they all look for happiness.

But, how people seek their own happiness?

                           Perhaps a writer is happy when he writes…

 ...Some people are happy getting out with their friends

Others, are really happy while they  are walking on the beach…

                Also, there are other people if they  win the lottery…

     ... And others, with the flowers smell

     Everyone in the world, needs a thing, a moment, a person or a reason that makes them                   h a p p y.

      In my opinion, one of the school goals is that children will be happy; and art can help to achieve this goal.

    Being happy means being a dreamer, creative, imaginative, adventurer, self-confident,… and the art can help to develop and improve all of these qualities. The art class should be a place where every child can express their own feelings, their impressions, their points of view…figuring their own thoughts through art works. Also, it should be a place where all students can imagine, create and innovate without fear of being wrong. An incorrect answer doesn’t exist in art.

        For that reason, when I will be a teacher (or art teacher, I don’t mind) I must strive in my profession for my students develop that skills. Because in the future, when they grow up, they will be able to use those skills they acquired in the art class to get their goal: h a p p i n e s s .

 Looking for HAPPINESS : That is a beautiful video related with happiness. Take two minutes and WATCH IT. . . 

      To end this blog, I would like to thank each of my colleagues. From all of you I have learned something! Also thank you Philip. He has helped me to open my mind and realize the importance of the little things that make me happy every day.

Who knows, maybe we’ll  meet again in another part of the world ... until then: BE HAPPY MY FRIENDS!

LESSON 5

    Today we have taken our five lesson, but it was different! We have done like an “excursion” around Gent and also we have visited the design museum. I really like the way you teach us art… i also think the excursions must be complete the subjects and of course art subject.

     First of all, we have visited the St.-Baafskathedraal, an there we have linked anything of the cathedral with a “dixy card” that the teacher gave us. It was a good activity to do with your children because they normally don’t look the details, and if you want that they look and see with “other point of view” that activity can help them.

    Then, we have learned more stories while we were walking around Gent. That city is a surprise!

Finally, we have gone in the design museum of Gent. It was strange, but very interesting. After being inside, the teacher gave us a paper with many questions that we can use with our future students.

The activity questions include different questions and each one is focus on a different aspect. It paper contains intelligence questions that pretends open the children mind and use different points of view that children usually don’t use. Personally, the most interesting activities are:

-Find an object that looks as if it was dancing.

Don’t you think is she dancing? I love it!

-Pick one item with characters on it.

I’ve seen many items with characters and I believe that it is a good idea from the museum. It tries to be closely for children.

    
     
Also, I would like to say something: When I will be a teacher I would like to work by projects, so I usually will try to link the content with the reality and also mixing subjects in one project. So, maybe if we’ll make the project of “chairs” we can visit that museum to know every type, shape and colour that a chair could be made of.

        H A V E  Y O U  E V E R  S E E N  S O M E T H I N G  L I K E  T H A T ?         

    Everybody knows that our lessons are finishing…so we are thinking how to link the art with happiness. I know, and you too Philip, it is a really difficult task but when we will do it I am sure that we find the reason why you always insists on that. 

See you in my last post!

LESSON 4

HELLO AGAIN!

    In today lesson we've learned about Nello and Patrasche "A Dog of Flanders". Comic books are very famous in Belgium.

     The teacher explained us the story is widely read in Japan, and has been adapted into several films and anime. Also, in this lesson we have learnt a different way to create a comic, taking into account different comics that the teacher brings to the class.

     The first part of the lesson was a little bit theoric but, the second part of the lesson was creating;  at that time we were authors of different comics.  So, everybody chose a figure to be the character of the comic. The teacher helped giving some clues and steps to start working . It’s a good idea because after that the work it’s more easier.

     We continue the activity going from one paper to the other adding different elements, such as pictures, drawing, letters, characters from books, images… After that, we returned back to the initial one. So, this is the result of my comic:

    I really like this class because it helps me to open my mind. I really like new techniques and innovators methods that in the future i could use with my class.

     Finally, let me show you my favourite comic with my favourite author: Quino & Mafalda.

                                     "Stepping on the lawn prohibited"  "- And not dignity?"

    

    He is very ironic, and I love it. ¿Do you remember that I liked double meanings?