The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Projects puts focus on creativity
Project at Sterling Morton in Mentor puts focus on creativity
Students and families filled the gymnasium at Sterling Morton Elementary School for Talking Arts Museum.
Students and families filled the gymnasium at Sterling Morton Elementary School for its annual Talking Art Museum.
The “paintings” were presented in large 22-by-28inch frames Feb. 26 at the Mentor school. The paintings had holes in them where students poked their heads through and talked to the audience as they walked by. Students even got to dress up as famous artists like Andy Warhol and Frieda Kahlo.
Kirsten Kirby, director of community relations for Mentor Schools, says this is a great program where students get to work together researching and recreating a painting by a famous artist.
She said it also is a great way to put into practice public speaking, research and collaboration.
Art educator Jacqui Spetrino worked with about 60 students to incorporate a myriad of state standards across the curriculum for the past seven weeks.
“So what happens is, I teach the younger students how to walk through a museum, and museum etiquette, then when they move on to fifth grade, they can help guide the fourthgraders because of their experience,” Spetrino said.
“The fourth-grade students work in groups, they are assigned an artist, and they learn about that artist, and together they recreate a work of art,” she added.
Spetrino, who is entering her 16th year of teaching, emphasized the importance of including the arts in elementary education.
“We are fortunate that Mentor Schools has an art department and that they’re very supportive of us because we are one of the only districts around that has an elementary art department,”she said.
“It’s imperative for it to start young, and I believe that with all of the 21st-century skills that they want us to teach, creativity is something a computer is never going to be able to do,” she continued. “So being creative and being confident to be creative is a crucial part of art in school.”
Spetrino believes this has a significant impact on the students and the overall community. She spoke about how even past students have come back over the years to be part of the experience.
“I believe this is the student’s favorite event from school, I mean just today I had a sibling of a student come back just to peek around. It’s been a fun event, and I think the kids enjoy it.
“It’s a wonderful thing. I mean, the turnout is just amazing.”
“... creativity is something a computer is never going to be able to do.”