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Arts and Culture
Philosophy for Children
It is a hot topic, sometimes taught in workshops, not yet in school. But what is it really and why would it be useful and interesting to children ?
« Philosophy » comes from the Greek philo-sophia which is usually translated by « love of wisdom ». In Socrates’ Apology for example, Socrates assures to tend toward sophia without ever possessing it. This is about knowledge, meaning the awareness Socrates has of his own ignorance and of his desire to reach wisdom. Thus he has sophia as he knows that he knows nothing, which is a form of wisdom. The philosopher seems to be in constant search of wisdom without ever implying that he can actually reach it. Philosophy is understood as a way of life, and not only as theoritical reflection. In other words, to be a philosopher, is to live and act a certain way and not just arguing abstract questions.
Since before Socrates and especially after, it has been tradition to defend this concept of philosophy as a way of life. They however do not deny that the philosopher debates theoritical problems. The « wisdom », or more precisely the « sophia », that the philosopher is looking to possess is also knowledge. According to Socrates’ tradition, the philosopher knows how to live and can justify his choices. For example, in Plato’s dialogues, Socrates insists that his companions give him the « logos » of their judgements, values and choices, meaning to justify these in a rational way. This demand of rationality can even bring scientific basis to philosophy.
And what about children ? If we can admit that philosophy is useful, all is left is to figure out how to apply it with elementary school students. For children our goal would be to show them they are able to think. That it is possible for any of them to lead a coherent reflection and to extract results from it. What seperates man from animal is thought, and the ability to share it with others. To think is also « self-thought », i.e. to have conscience of your own thoughts. This attitude reinforces the feeling of being (« I think therefore I am ») and of the existence of the world.
These classes will be organized as a training of critical and autonomous thought. The general idea of our approach is to bring our students to think, to question, to debate, aware of their own thoughts and by listening to others.
Comics, Cartoons and Animation Workshop.
Do you like telling a short story, to illustrate a joke, create a funny commercial, make a video clip or explain a physics theory humorously, …through animated drawings or stop motion ?
You can do it by taking the Comics, Cartoons and Animation Workshop. Be the writer, director, story-boarder and producer of your project on CD-Rom or DVD. You can edit your own sequences, add music, record noises and voices and sync them to your images. Then have your friends and family come for a screening and show off your production.
Cinema or How to Tell a Story With a Camera.
Throughout this year together, we will analyze movies, write scripts, shoot and edit. Students will learn the language of film, its grammar and spelling in order to own the camera. You will edit your scenes on computer with an editing software. Movie extracts will be shown and analyzed to make practice easier. Communal brainstorming will drive story making and teamwork will transform the stories into sound and images.
Fashion Design.
Fashion design consists of several activities : creativity, drawing, sewing, self-expression through clothing, color matching, creating shapes directly on a body, and much more to discover together ! With enthusiasm, patience and desires, we will ready for this dynamic workshop.
You will start right away by creating for yourself a unique piece, straight from your imagination, to fit you and according to a special process teaching awareness of the shape and volume of our bodies.
Culture, Myths and History.
How did Bergelmir survive to the ocean of blood that drowned the world ? What is a scalde and who are the Kennigar ? Why is Kali’s tongue so long ? Who ended up drinking the Amrita ? What happened to Pa’an-Ku’s flees ? How was Enkidu attracted to Uruk ? Who was Baba-Yaga before she became a child eater ? What was Zeus’ worse fear ? Prometheus held a great secret, Europa was kidnapped by a bull and her brother Cadmos followed a cow…then what happened ?
Paint, draw, cut, sculpt soap bars, mold clay, make labyrinths, and use plaster, let your creation run free through your interpretation of myths. In this workshop discover the world’s different cultures through their wealth of myths.
I will be waiting to give you answers and eager to hear your questions.
 Drawing, Painting and Art History.
Together we will find out the secrets of artists. How can we draw a face, a person, or an animal? What is perspective? How do we use colors?
Artists have asked the same questions for centuries... With their help, we will try to find the answers.
How was a painting made 400 years ago?
What is happening in the square of the famous Bruegel painting?
Why do James Ensor's characters all wear masks?
And what does the skeleton symbolize?
Why are there so many enigmas in the paintings of Magritte?
You will have to find out... And it will be your turn to take a brush and to paint your world. Make up a funny or frightening mask. Create your own riddle in a strange painting. And today, how do artists create pieces of art? Do they use the same methods as 400 or 500 years ago? With torn papers, pastels, iron, old cardboards or old tins, you can also create art.
 Music.
To grow up with music.
Marie-Charlotte Benoit has created a music learning method based on the work of Marie Jaell (pianist) and Maria Montessori (pedagogue). The Jaell-Montessori method aims to bring the musician out of every child, to discover and develop their own musical expression, and that this experience be a source of pleasure and satisfaction, fulfilling him completely.
To grow up with music is an adventure to discover oneself by exploring the world of sounds : to hear them, to feel them vibrate in our bodies and to dance to them, and also to use our voices (the first natural toy and musical instrument for a child), to say and to sing, with hands and feet, with objects and by exploring musical instruments (percussion, Montessori bells), advancing towards better knowledge and mastering of our own musical richness.
Musical Initiation is aimed to children from 3 to 7, divided in groups according to age. Here the first discoveries are enrich by educating the hand, the ear, the voice and the whole body into artistic movement. At the same time, children absorb the various components of music through play , practicing sound parameters (intensity, tone, height, length). They will develop and little by little refine their hearing, the command of their voices, their movements, and their instrument. Finally, the study of the sound symbols, as well as the use of original pedagogical material, will familiarize them with the conventional language of music.
The Kids’ choir is for children 6 and up. Teaching wise it is the continuation of the musical initiation workshop. Children will carry on learning to listen, adjust and master their voice through a diverse songbook, using round songs, canons, and rhythms from around the world, and songs created together. This workshop is a perfect supplement to the practice a musical instrument.
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