There is always an opportunity in any difficult time, and it is people with a positive mindset who strive to do their best during challenging times.
The novel coronavirus pandemic may have forced people to stay home and observe social distancing. The crisis, however, carries many opportunities as well. Parents might be concerned about their kids staying away from regular school learning but they can lead the children to learn some novel and creative things while staying at home.
K V Noufal, an Indian expatriate from Kerala, is a water colour artist and art teacher. Associated with Shantiniketan Indian School (SIS), Noufal continues to teach his students through virtual classes as the schools in Doha are closed to avert further spread of the coronavirus outbreak. The talented art teacher runs a YouTube channel to show young children how to shade and draw while staying home.
“During these days of quarantine certain variations at home can be a motivation for the children to enhance their artistic abilities. Creating an art gallery could be an initial step to appreciate and animate their mood and prepare the children for drawing. Their artwork can be displayed in various angles in this art gallery which may be on any walls of the house that the parents presume to be ideal and appealing. Such exposure which exhibits their drawings can be a perfect appreciation for the children to try further for the better,” Noufal shared with Community while speaking about how to inculcate artistically creative skills among schoolchildren at home.
He added: “The children should have the essential drawing and colouring materials that can prompt them to involve in artworks. Promote children to indulge in varieties of artworks such as painting on different textures such as old plates, bottles, cups or to make a paper flowers and colour and design it into a more presentable manner.”
The artist underlines the need to seize the uninvited opportunity during the unusual times. “The homebound period can be transformed into a worthwhile moment if parents participate with children to watch and identify the widely available artworks on different media platforms. The parents also need to provide hands on experience by attempting to execute the artistic exercises at home.
“As a need of the hour, I have initiated a YouTube channel – Noufal’s art – with the prime focus to engage children in art activities during these days of lockdown. This channel is equipped with all the necessary materials required for children to learn shading and colouring based on a preplanned syllabus. The virtual classes initiated by SIS have also offered the remarkable opportunity for our students to learn and explore artworks through my YouTube channel. My experience of teaching and training students had helped me design a student-friendly platform realising the strength and need of the students leading it to be a successful channel for art education. This is creating interest and pushing students to sharpen their talent and skills.
“I believe that the crisis period that we are undergoing can be transformed into a productive and efficient structure by encouraging the children to engage in meaningful activities that can develop and sharpen their skills and talent in various co-scholastic areas such as visual arts and performing arts. With the generous and timely support, parents can convert this difficult time into a more worthwhile moment.”
Noufal further said: “Being an art teacher, I would suggest a joint endeavour and a planned schedule, which can transform these days of quarantine into an appreciative moment, so as to nurture original ideas and creativity in your child. It is recommended to provide reasonable freedom and time for your children and design a balanced home schedule ensuring wholesome development of the child. A prescheduled screen time for using Internet and watching television can be effective as well.”
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