February 17, 1999
'Art Around the World' teaches kids culture
By Carol South
Herald conributing writer
Mid-winter blahs are banished every Saturday morning during the Art Around the World class at Northwestern Michigan College. A dozen children are weaving, sculpting, painting and drawing their way around the world during the four-week course this semester.
"The kids sometimes get to do things here that they can't do at schools," said instructor Shelly Dayton-Fish, who has been teaching art to children for more than a decade. "They can try many different things and learn about other cultures."
At the Art Around the World class, participants shaped dough the first week into the form of an Aztec Sun God and then painted it the next week. They will also make Guatemalan Worry Dolls, Japanese painted eggs, a Mexican weaving and a Native American dream catcher. Some of the projects take two sessions to complete and at the end of the course the kids have a half dozen finished items to take home.
"I like that you get to use your imagination," said Baylee Corcoran, 9. "I do a lot of art projects at home and once a week at school."
Dayton-Fish teaches numerous art classes for kids each semester for Extended Educational Services, including Art Exploration and Calligraphy. She developed the Art Around the World course three years ago because she was tired of teaching her Dinosaurs, Dragons and Monsters course. That course was very popular but she felt stale teaching it after so many years and began casting around for another theme.
Dayton-Fish chose a world art theme to expose children to different art techniques and the culture of the people who do them. She tells the children about the history of each project they are working on and the meaning behind certain colors, materials or techniques. During class when she is not helping the children with their projects, she reads them short stories from around the world.
"This gives them an interesting viewpoint on other cultures in the world," said Dayton-Fish, a Kingsley resident. "They seem to already have a basic understanding that they are other cultures out there, they are pretty open to new ideas."
Dayton-Fish plans her projects and gathers materials well ahead of time, mixing homemade dough, making cardboard looms and amassing yarn, ribbon and material. She also breaks the projects down into steps appropriate for children ages six through nine, an age group she really enjoys teaching.
"There is a broad range of abilities in the first through third grade age group," said Dayton-Fish. "They are willing to try new things and don't have a preconceived notion of what it is."
Art Around the World is one of 14 courses offered by NMC's Extended Educational Services' Winter College for Kids. Five new courses were added to the college this semester and other offerings for children include photography, copper etching, juggling, cartooning, bead making and swing dancing. The program originally started in 1978 as a program for gifted and talented children, but has since expanded its focus to include anyone with a special in one of the topics.
"This is a total enrichment program," said Marion Morris, program coordinator of the College for Kids. "We look to see what kids are interested in and take things beyond an introductory level."