Brighten Up an Art Classroom in the Bronx With a Colorful Rug
Kendra Brown understands the power of art. As a teacher in the South Bronx, Ms. Brown uses art projects to bring creativity and color into her students’ lives. “Young students have such a passion for art and get so excited about exploring art materials and seeing new artworks,” she told TakePart.
Brown teaches at P.S. 154 Jonathan D. Hyatt, a high-poverty elementary school in New York. Living in a difficult area, many students not only struggle with basic subjects such as English and math but often have problems outside of school.
By offering students a safe and colorful outlet, Brown hopes to make everyone comfortable. But to make it happen, Brown needs some additional help. She’s looking for a colorful rug and large comfy pillows, to furnish the art room. With DonorsChoose, you can make this possible:
MORE CLASSROOM PROJECTS THAT NEED YOUR SUPPORT!
As Ms. Brown explained, “Most of my students come from poverty and difficult home circumstances."
"Often the best thing to do," Ms. Brown said, "is to give them a quick break and some space to think for a minute...By making my room a fun, creative, and clean space I show them it is a place to learn and take some time for them to relax.”
She recounted one particular moment with a former student, who needed help focusing and controlling outbursts during class. He often dropped in to draw and visit Ms. Brown, who observed his talents and calm demeanor when working on art.
“I made sure he knew that art was something that could help him in life and he should use it as a tool to help him focus,” Ms. Brown said. “The arts teach our students to be creative, self-motivated, and critical thinkers.”
To support her visual arts instruction, Brown spends about $100 of her own money every month on classroom materials, an expense that quickly adds up over the course of a school year. She starts each class with a brief lesson on the classroom rug, where students share their ideas and discuss the art topic for the day. But the worn rug is old and too small, so Brown is hoping to replace it and brighten the environment.
“I want better for my students. They deserve a clean, colorful place to learn,” Brown said.
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Kelly Zhou hails from the Bay Area and is currently a student in Los Angeles. She has written on a variety of topics, predominantly focusing on politics and education. Email Kelly | @kelllyzhou | TakePart.com
