As we prepare to finish another school year at Maria Montessori School, we wanted to share our students’ accomplishments and proudly display beautiful art pieces that were created throughout the semester.
Through our art class, students have the opportunity to explore their creativity each week. At MMS, we encourage children to use their own imaginations and skills to learn naturally, developing their own sense of creativity and artistic style. Students were able to express themselves freely in a safe space, where there were no worries about judgment. We were thrilled to see all of the wonderful pieces our students created during the spring semester!
The art teacher at MMS, Laurel Sucsy, follows a teaching philosophy developed by French practitioner Arno Stern based around the idea that children learn naturally without instruction and through exploration. He believed children are deep wells of expression and will pass through modes of visual development when left to learn on their own. So, instead of teaching children specifically how to draw, they are led to create and develop their own thoughts and ideas.
In our art class, there is no “right” way for students to express themselves, and each is encouraged to use the tools provided to create in different ways. This semester, we explored the use of acrylic paints on white paper. Students ages 5 to 10 years old learned from the visual cues around them and created from their own imaginations, with children of different ages participating in the class at the same time. The wide age range, as is common in all Montessori classrooms, allows students to develop their own unique style while appreciating the development of their peers.
As a celebration of the end of the semester and the students’ hard work, we held an art show at Miss Cordelia’s, a market across the street from our school in Harbor Town. Students filled the store walls with their creations and eagerly showed their parents and shoppers their works of art. It was a fun afternoon filled with creative energy, and we are thankful to Miss Cordelia’s for hosting us!
You’ll see from the art showcase photos below that our students created a wide variety of masterpieces! From animals to sports-team mascots, students at MMS chose a variety of ways to express themselves. Thank you to our wonderful art teacher, Laurel, for inspiring our students to create, grow and appreciate art!
