Recently, our K1 classroom at Utahloy International School was alive with creativity and collaboration, inspired by the impactful lessons from The Anti-Racist Art Teacher website. Our journey began with the story behind Pablo Picasso’s peace flowers. We presented a visual of the original painting and our incomplete version and agreed on what we would need to do to complete peace flower inspired artwork.
On Friday morning they eagerly placed their creations in a space where they believed their flowers would belong providing a moment of thoughtful reflection on community and togetherness. Once our vibrant artwork was complete, we stepped back to admire the stunning display of flowers. In a collective decision, we agreed to gift our painting to Ms. Chantelle, the Head of primary. Working together, we carefully carried our artwork to her office, excited to share our creation. The action of carrying a large canvas depended on their sense of togetherness.
(Photo source: Cindy-Anne Doubell)
Ms. Chantelle was thrilled to receive our peace flowers on this special day. We proudly recounted our artistic process, pointing out the individual flowers we each crafted. This experience not only allowed our students to celebrate peace but also to understand the joy of sharing their creativity with others.
K1 students and their completed project. (Photo source: Cindy-Anne Doubell)
Happy International Day of Peace! May our lesson inspire you to create your own peace flower painting and share it with someone special.
Cindy-Anne Doubell is a K1 homeroom teacher at Utahloy International School in China.