These are some of the wonderful children's art classes that the Schramer's have given in the past at public and private schools, children's museums and in our own art studio/gallery in Salt Lake City. They were working with the children in creating amazing little furniture from natural materials and they really loved it. Children love nature and to create art from the beautiful things in nature is very exciting and inspiring for them. It was really a wonderful experience for Mike and Debbie, too. They hope to be able to offer these classes and many, many others in the Creative Healing Center when it is established. If you're interested in helping The Robison Foundation establish our wonderful school of the arts for children, please contact us and we would be happy to send you more informaton about what we are doing. We would be grateful for any contributions or donations of support either in grants, financial support or gifts of items for our school. We want to make it a truely magical and wondrous place for children.
We just finished watching the incredible documentary "Waiting for Superman". A film about the massive problems in our country's public school system and the people who are working diligently to fix these unbelievable challenges. It is a very important film to see. The children in our country are being shortchanged in a terrible, shocking way. They have their futures before them but when entering the public school system, their potential is most often all but forgotten and their own opinion (which I feel matters more than anything!) is not even given a thought! This wonderful documentary confronts these major problems in a sensitive and personal way.
Every child should be given the opportunity to learn and to achieve the things that inspire them, that give them light and encouragement. If the education that is offered to them is lacking soul and sensitivity to the child's true interests and dreams, then it is not good enough. I have always felt that children don't need to be taught as much as they need to be heard. If we were to give children the opportunity to tell us what they want to learn, what things inspire them and move them, learning would be totally different! If we were to stand aside and let the incredible light that is shining so brightly within every child....lead us to facilitate their needs rather than force our "requirements" upon them, children and teachers and everyone involved in this "happy" learning project would be truely be HAPPY! Afterall, the education is for the children! It is supposed to be for them! They should have a say in what they want to learn, how they want to learn it....when, where, etc. When I think of this kind of learning, I see children so much more excited about school, so much more involved and especially.....I know they would have more fun! They are children! So they should be having fun....and so should the teachers and the principals and the cooks and the bus drivers; everyone involved should be able to have a happy, positive and inspiring experience in a school. School should not be something people think of as drudgery, unhappiness, a duty, a committment, a chore. Learning should be a wonderful and exciting thing when you are young and all throughout your life.
This documentary talks about the realities and disappointments and challenges in our educational system that totally seem unsurmountable, but it also gives hope and most importantly.....shows us what has to be done to help children and adults so that learning can be better for everyone. It is one of the most important documentaries on education! Truthful, heartwrenching and real....it will open your eyes and your heart....to think more about the life of a child!
