“A Day in the Classroom with Arts For All” is a series that highlights the work our teaching artists do with students in our programs. These class recaps were written by Arts For All intern Danaley Silan (Pace ’24) in the Spring of 2022 as she shadowed five teaching artists at their respective schools.
April 6, 2022: PS15: Kindergarten with Teaching Artist Laurence Checler
On April 6th, I had the privilege of shadowing two Kindergarten classes taught by teaching artist Laurence Checler at The Roberto Clemente School: PS 15. In her classes, Laurence performed a read-aloud of the book, “Dragons Love Tacos.” Throughout the reading, she encouraged the students to participate in various discussions from what their favorite foods are to what their dragon names would be. The children were all very excited to share their thoughts with their friends, and this excitement created an energy that was perfect for starting the art project of the day.
Photo by Danaley Silan
In the book, the dragons threw a taco party. The students were to create tacos for a taco party of their own. First, they used paper plates as the taco shells and decorated them with fun designs. They then stuffed the shell with various colors of confetti, the different colors representing the meat, cheese, lettuce, and salsa. Now each student had their own taco, and the class was ready to throw a taco party just
like the dragons in the book.
It was evident how immersed each student was in the project. All of the children were working their hardest and enjoying what they were doing. The chaotic and energetic atmosphere that pervaded the room was able to be channeled into this form of creative expression. Each project was vastly unique, showing how each individual fully allowed their imagination to flow in a fun and creative way. Children having the opportunity to do this in such formative years is crucial for both in and outside of the classroom.
In addition, it was personally heartwarming to see how eager the kids were to share their projects with me, someone whom they had just met. Each student was proud of what they created, and they wanted someone to recognize their work. This was a wonderful first experience with Arts For All, and I am immensely excited for what else is in store.
