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The Fair
In the lets Start Art sessions this month, we asked students to read a chapter named "The Fair" from their English book and relate it to the Fair they visited.
Such topics help children express the ideas that they can not put into words. Through our let's start art program we aim to encourage such expression.
Here are a few stories that will surely bring back your childhood memories of visiting a fair. -
Cherished Memories and Summer Vacations
We, as conventional readers, would find it impossible to read or write in a way that does not match the rules of a specific language. But young children start developing literacy skills right from the moment people start talking to them and playing with them. As a result, children start babbling before they speak, and scribbling- drawing before they write. Letting children express what they feel through drawing and writing in their own free way would allow them to form narratives and get them started with writing. In this month of Let's Start Art sessions, we added emergent literacy practices to make the class more engaging and help children gain confidence as well as interest in literacy education.
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Coronavirus, Lockdown, and Experiences
As the first wave began to fade out, the Uttar Pradesh government started to prepare for the reopening of schools from March 1st, 2021. We also conducted Let’s Start Art sessions in a few mohalla classes to reconnect and interact with children before the schools officially opened. In the month of February 2021, our art instructors Ajay, Anjali, and Neelam conducted 14 art sessions in 8 Government Primary Schools of Varanasi with around 113 students. -
I teach them drawing, they teach me LIFE!
In this process of giving drawing lessons to children, I have learned important life lessons from them. Most importantly I have learned how to smile despite all the challenges in life. In countless small interactions, lessons they have taught me are going to inspire me to keep my head high and move forward even in adverse situations. -
Interview of Ajay Prakash: Endeavours of a small town artist
Ajay Prakash is an artist from Varanasi. After completing his MFA he wants to become a teacher with an aim to guide students who have a knack for art. Currently, he is living his dream as an art instructor for children through Shuruart's Let's Start Art initiative. In this interview, Ajay talks about the challenges an artist from a place like Banaras has to undergo.