The magic of art

My first teaching assignment was comprised entirely of junior high courses which, much to my surprise, ignited a passion for teaching the junior high age group. For the next 18 years, every assignment I accepted included junior high work and, eventually, I discovered a passion for teaching junior high art.

Then came late August 2021, when my administrator called to share a last-minute timetable change for the upcoming year. Upon hearing the details, I burst into laughter. To my surprise, however, it wasn't a joke, and my amusement quickly turned into abject terror. Along with my usual junior high courses, I would also be teaching Grade 2 art.

That fall, as I cautiously stepped into the "spirited" world of Grade 2, I was also coping with a junior high class that had an overwhelming ecosystem of complexities. One of the junior high students in this class, whom we'll call Wren, had a complex life. From the day we met, Wren's relentless skepticism and undeniable chill revealed a mistrust of both adults and peers alike. Content to draw in his sketchbook rather than engage with our class, Wren escaped into his artwork to avoid us all. In my quest to help him feel a sense of connection with our school community, I invited Wren to assist me in Grade 2 art.

My trepidation about teaching Grade 2 simply evaporated.

When Wren joined our Grade 2 art class for the first time, we agreed that he would demonstrate our daily drawing warm-up on the board. A remarkable silence draped the room, and curious eyes followed Wren's marker floating across the board in a series of swoops and swaths. Jubilant recognition bubbled throughout the class as Wren revealed distinct floppy ears that completed his drawing of a rabbit. Amidst the delight, Wren's chilly demeanor was betrayed by an undeniable smile.

As the children began to create drawings of their own, Wren glided from student to student with an intrinsic calm I had not seen from him before. In retrospect, it was one of the more beautiful moments in my career. During that class, my trepidation about teaching Grade 2 simply evaporated, leaving in its place a warm and welcome hope.

Got an idea? Maybe you created a lesson that totally flopped or were on the receiving end of a lesson that was truly inspiring. Whatever your story, please summarize it in up to 300 words and email it to managing editor Cory Hare at cory.hare@ata.ab.ca.