A bit of a catch up!

Eeek! I am very much behind on my updates due to a bout of food poisoning last week!! I have had a very successful first two weeks of classes. The older classes have enjoyed jewellery making and hand sewing and binding their own cloth sketchbooks to use throughout the classes (pictures to come soon! they are so talented!) and the younger kids have enjoyed bead animal making and squishy balloon face making!

I am trying to ease everyone into the "individual creativity" side of things (hm does that phrase make sense?) As I may have mentioned before in Thai culture the teacher is one of the most respected persons in a child's life...you do not talk back or correct a teacher even if they are wrong. At least here in Pai, the schools seem to teach in a military style leading students to take in the teachers beliefs instead of creating their own. This seems to result in Thai children struggling immensely with individual thought and creativity...and the effect this has on art classes? All the kids copy the demo or choose to do things identical to the person they most look up to in the group and when given a task many kids often say that they cannot do it before trying. I am hoping that as time goes on the art projects encourage a bit of self-confidence and individual creativity. Of course the Thai value of respecting their teachers is a very important and positive thing, but it would be wonderful for the kids to be able to uphold these values as well as grow into self-confident individuals. :)

Off to make Krathongs for Loi Krathong...wikipedia it :)

Love, Peace, and Popsicles,

Michelle