So, last week for our art study I printed off a free colouring page for "The starry night" by Van Gogh so we could attempt to copy his painting. I suggested painting as I know she doesn't like colouring in. She didn't like the sound of painting and I could understand her difficulty as I could see it would end up with colours all over the page:) So SHE suggested we colour it in! Miracle!
I've never encouraged her to try colouring in and just gone along with her dislike because I don't really see much point to it other than it keeping her busy for sometime. I know there are some views out there for and against colouring sheets and I chose to go with the against idea (in our home) because I know it doesn't lend itself to too much creativity. Am I getting controversial? :) I would hate to become controversial on my blog:) Anyway....back to last week, she did actually colour in her sheet, it took her two days to complete but I thought it didn't turn out too bad for someone that doesnt' like it:
Last Sunday at church, she was given some activity sheets to fill out, some colouring in sheets and one to fill out some details about herself. No guess for which ones she went for! :) Now, I have to preface this by saying that I have never taught her spelling in a formal way as I am following Charlotte Mason's philosophy of copywork for now and dictation and spelling will come later over the next couple of years. So, she asked me for help with spelling a couple of the bigger words she wanted to fill in about herself but other than those she spelled the rest by herself. Not bad spelling I thought! That night after she went to bed, I got it out to show Ron and we both chuckled! Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks right! Well, all I could see was 'confidence' as I read it with Ron. I don't really remember being so confident of myself when I was her age. Needless to say I am thankful to God for what He is doing in her life! Here it is below, what do you all think? I won't mind if you chuckle:)
It reads:
My name is Rebekah. I have mummy, daddy hair and brown eyes. My nose is cool and nice. My skin is light and it feels soft. My ears are sensitive and nice.
I like to wear pertty clothes. Today I am wearing top, pants. My black pants are cool. My shoes are blue and sparkly. My socks are black and white and they smell like perfume. I on the other hand smell like me. If you listen my voice sounds happy and funny. My favourite thing about myself is my generosity. It is nice and fun.
Thanks for getting to know me. Here is a picture I drew of myself. I am fantastic.
18 comments:
Super precious! You've summed it up perfectly. Good on Rebekah!!
In the classroom I've found "The Starry Night" comes up beautifully when kids (and keen teachers or mums) try to copy it using oil pastels or crayons, then wash over with diluted food dye or paint wash. Variations just add to the abstract nature of the work.
Now you've got me excited about starting these things with my children soon!
Do you use a guide or plan for which artists you focus on? I'm thinking of winging it, but open to suggestions.
Thanks for the link to the free colouring-in pages... We are not a colouring-in sort of family either but I have a few ideas how I can use the free pages. Rebekah did a lovely job! :)
One of my sons wasn't fond of colouring and it took me a while to find out why. He was concerned that he might be messy and cross over the lines and due to this he wouldn't even colour pictures. Rebeka's picture is lovely .
I love her Starry Night!! And so great she has that confidence! :)
Tea
I'm with you on the colouring sheets! And my Star liked them. Oh well... And I love Rebekah's confidence. That's the best. I love kids who are confident without cockiness or attitude. Terrific!
Vanessa, we are not doing focussed artist studies as yet, might start this next year:) In the meantime for the last couple of years we have been using the "come look with me" series of Gladys Blizzard, great introduction to art study for littlies:) Thanks for the tips on how to make it more abstract, I'm going to have to try that one:)
April, you're welcome:)
Jo, that's interesting, I should try to find out if that's her issue as well!
We very occasionally use colouring sheets, but spend a lot more time using blank paper. Goo sometimes gets overwhelmed with a colouring sheet, especially if it is quite detailed - there's too much to do.
It's lovely to see Rebekah's natural confidence. You're doing a great job with her! And I did chuckle at her answers - socks that smell like perfume! Tee hee :)
LOL - absolutely loved her fill it in about herself. That is way too much fun. Loved her confidence too - and some of her words were quite grown up as well.
I hope you don't mind but I just have to find out what my girls would put in the same spaces.
ps. My girls like coloring. They don't do it all the time, but yeah, they quite enjoy it when they do. My boys never liked it much though.
Love the answers on her worksheet.
I hope she's drawn a picture of herself looking FANTASTIC! :)
Mrs Adept, no I don't mind:)
Alecat, no she didn't actually draw a picture of herself, she ignored that part:)
Samuel (now almost 8) never liked coloring (we're in the US - lol). But he does love to draw now, so we're working on that skill, while just admiring famous artwork in books and reading about the artists.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I don't actually post much anymore, now that he goes to school. If I ever did homeschool, we would use his school's curriculum - it's that perfect for him.
I didn't use coloring sheets at all for my older kids. I was taught in college that it stifles their creativity. As I started using notebooking, I started seeing people using lots of coloring pages to fill up their notebooks. I have used some since then, but I've seen what the others have seen. Some of my girls liked them, but none of my boys have. The Dover coloring pages are so neat, but none of my kids have really made very good use of them. There are some Bible coloring pages that are very detailed that I thought were so cool, and my kids humored me and colored them, but that was about it. They do some really great drawings on their own, so I don't worry about it.
The confidence your daughter has is such a blessing. It shows that you have made her feel so secure and good about herself that, like you said, out of the abundance of her heart her mouth speaks. I never had that confidence, either, so it makes me happy to see her starting out with it.
Jennifer, nice of you to drop by my blog:)
Penny thanks for your comments and compliments too!
Funny! That is the most precious fill in the blank sheet! I adore her answers.
Her answers are so precious! Have you and your husband tried filling out a sheet yourselves??
My boys don't color either. I adored coloring as a child.
Richele - hubby and I filling out a sheet?? now that would be interesting wouldn't it! :0)
Oh, that is awesome. I love her confidence in the last line..."I am fantastic!"
Fun to see her work. We also do quite a bit of copywork with our oldest. Those small bits here and there really do pay off in time!
Very cute! I wish my socks smelled like perfume! ;)
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