What makes you happy?
What makes you happy?
We asked the students this simple question based on an English rhyme from their syllabus book "A Happy Child" and got amusing answers in the form of drawings. Children told us that they are happiest about the tiny little things in their lives despite all the adversities that they face.
"Every Sunday my mother takes me to Anand Park to play. It is always the best part of the week, I feel happiest when we walk there", told Ayushi, student of class 3rd at Govt Primary School, Lolark Kund, when the instructor asked her what makes her happy.
"I'll become a teacher when I grow up. I play football with my friends in the evening after school, it makes me happy. Whenever I don't feel like studying, I start drawing and that also cheers me up", told Simran, a student of class 5th at Govt Primary School, Sunderpur(2), when the instructor asked her what makes her happy.
"I am the happiest when my parents take me shopping and we buy clothes," said Mangala, a student of class-4th at Govt Primary School, Durgakund(2).
With such themes for Let's Start Art sessions, we are trying to integrate arts with other subjects to encourage reading habits among the students.
The second set of workshops were conducted on the theme "TREES, ANIMALS AND TAKING CARE OF THEM". The theme is picked out from the Environmental science book of the students. We encouraged the students to read the chapter before the art session and asked them to draw their observation about how they can take better care of nature.
"There is a pond near my house, I used to go there every day to feed the fishes. But people in the colony have started throwing garbage in the pond and the fishes are now disappearing. So, one evening I walked there with my father and brought a fish home. I keep it in a big fishbowl and feed her every day. I feel really good that I saved her from disappearing amidst all the garbage", said Chhotu, a student of class-4th, Govt Primary School, Dashashwamedh Ghat area, Varanasi.
Nandini is a student at Accelerated Residential camp for special students at Shivpur. She cannot speak or listen but she knows how to convey her message using the sign language.
She has made her drawing expressing how she loves animals and spends time with them when she goes to her village.
Art instructor Ajay Prakash says, "I've been conducting art sessions for a year now, but spending time with the children, at this camp, feels like the best use of time."
The art sessions at Govt. Primary Schools at Bhadaini, Kabirnagar, Shivpur, Durgakund(1) and Khojwan were conducted by Neelam Gupta(Student Artist). The sessions at Govt. Primary Schools at Sonarpura, Naria, Orderly Bazaar, Nayi Sadak and Sunderpur(2) were conducted by Kavita Kumari (Student Artist). The sessions at Govt. Primary Schools at Nagwa, Shivpur, Lolark Kund, Dashashwamedh, Durgakund(2) and Sunderpur(1) were conducted by Ajay Prakash and Anjali Singh (Student Artists). The crayons were provided by Kokuyo Camlin for all the workshops.