The six Government Primary Schools in Anguilla have ended several months of arts and crafts work which climaxed in a two-day exhibition at the Teachers’ Resource Centre.
The teachers, who conducted the training in arts and crafts at the schools, were Iris Gumbs, Kathyra Smith and Charla Hobson.
“We follow a curriculum in which we try to develop different abilities in the children in grades one to six. We are based at different schools but every day we visit one of the schools to impart our lessons,” Ms. Gumbs explained on behalf of her two colleagues.
“With visual arts you can develop various skills which can be applied to different subjects. To my knowledge, all subjects are related so what you learn in social studies, it comes back in visual arts and other subjects.”
The exhibits showed how the work of the students developed, in the various grades, over the years with the use of different materials and with bigger and more complex tasks. “There is a large variety of art work on display over the two days – Thursday and Friday, June 23 and 24,” Ms. Gumbs stated. “The exhibition goes from paper work to various other exhibits such as drawings, shading, colouring using string arts, creating bags and wallets from simple materials, necklaces made from straw, shoelaces and other items. The children have had an opportunity to do all types of artwork. After the display the children are very eager to get back their work.”
Teacher Iris Gumbs added: “When they enter the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School it will be a lot different because they will have to choose whether or not they want to continue art. At the primary schools it is mandatory…but when they get to third form at the comprehensive school they will be required to choose the subject if they really like it. Usually, such students work hard to improve their skills and create wonderful pieces of art.”
