Students are then required to analyze their
findings in order to assess how these can be
presented using art techniques and skills, and
reproduce them in a cohesive manner.”
On the other hand, the moment she dreads
as an art teacher is when a student turns in a
blank canvas. This has not happened to Ms.
Lu yet, and she hopes it does not come to be.
But a blank canvas is a reflection of a student’s
lack of originality, and a failing art education,
she believes. However, worse would be to
suppress students’ creativity by “providing
too many detailed images and instructions,”
warns Ms. Lu. “I prefer to discuss my students’ ideas with them, before moving on to
specific techniques and methods. This helps
them better express their original ideas, once
they have learned and honed the necessary
skills.”
Deliberation and reflection are essential parts
of Ms. Lu’s classes. Not just with her, but students can also discuss their ideas with each
other. “In my classroom, students are free to
interact with me and each other, to choose
and experiment with different tools, and decide on how to create their own work. I try
my best to ensure that my students do not
have any reason to turn in a blank canvas.”
She cites another example from her grade
3 lesson on learning the technique of block
printing where students drew inspiration
from African tribal culture. Ms. Lu reiterates
that students learn techniques and basic
brushwork from a world of inspiration, some
more conventionally than others. But the students’ creativity, vision and expression always
come through. “Take the fish paintings on
the wall,” she points, adding, “I only showed
them how to complete a single fish; it was the
students who decided how they would represent the movement and interaction of schools
of fish.”
LET THEM FOLLOW THEIR HEARTS
As Ms. Lu goes through all the paintings of
Chinese fish on her wall, she says pausing in
parts, “No two children will have the same
reflections or reactions to what I have taught
them… I just show them some basic techniques, so that they can follow their heart.”
She insists that art cannot be restricted to rigid rules and criteria. She also hopes parents
can help their children explore and enjoy art
by encouraging them to draw or paint as they
like at home or wherever they choose to.
Well, at Keystone if you walk onto the fifth
floor of the primary school building, the
buzz of creativity followed by the silence of
creation that you hear from the Art Room
is definitely the sound of students following
THE WORLD IS THEIR CANVAS
their hearts. “This is my true calling,” beams
Lu Nan’s approach to teaching is ideal for Ms. Lu, and it definitely is.
Keystone’s model of education that emphasizes reflection, inquiry and innovation, especially for primary school that is framed by the
bilingual immersion program. Experienced
in both Chinese and international art and
art education, Ms. Lu offers students plenty
of opportunities to learn and understand art
from China, and around the world: “One of
my lessons involves learning a Chinese cultur“No two children will have the same reflections
al topic via western methods. I designed an
or reactions to what I have taught them… I just
art project based on the daomadan (a female
warrior character from the Peking Opera), in
show them some basic techniques, so that they
which students are required to first carry out
can follow their hearts.”
detailed research on the daomadan through
inquiry-based techniques common in international education. Their research will help
them find specific costume patterns, types of
theatrical makeup used, and other elements.
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