This document summarizes observations made during a creative expression activity with children. A facilitator named Nonso provided feedback to each child about what they noticed in their paintings. The children then explained what they were creating. Some common themes in the children's art included the sun, rain, ghosts, turtles, and sharks. The document also reflects on what was learned from this experience, such as the importance of appreciating the creative process over just the final product, guiding children along their developmental journey, and not underestimating children's intellect and innovation. It concludes by discussing ways to further encourage children's language, self-esteem, and artistic expression through additional art materials and workshops.

1. Creative Expression
Date: 11th December;2008

3. I started by becoming a
child first, then headed
along with my broken
blessed tools…

9. Nonso:
“I can see that you used lots of lines and
colors”
Angela:
“I use red and blue to make purple, and
that is the sky. And the black and brown
is the SUN”.

10. Nonso:
“I see a circle and lines in your painting,
Brianna”
Brianna:
“I’m making a mother, a rain and a Sun”

11. Nonso:
“Mr. Clayton, I see lots of dark colors and
tiny bits of light colors here. Someone is
making something here”
Clayton:
“I’m making a Circle”

12. Nonso:
“Hi Cody! I see thick strokes of lines and
lots of dark colors”.
Cody:
“I am making a Sun. Making a Snake”.

13. Nonso:
Hello Mr. Dyzen, I can see you’re making
different colors and shapes with this
Bubble Blower. Or what do you see?”
Dyzen:
“I see black, brown, red, blue and
maybe Sun”.

14. Nonso:
“I can see Mr. ‘J’ used his hands to paint
today, with lots of thick lines and darks
colors”.
Malachi - ‘J’:
“I am red and blue. Making Sun with my
hands. And making Rain”.

15. Nonso:
“I like the way you painted the blue and
I see many dark lines. And the black…”
Quentin:
“…the black is turtle and the blue is the
ocean. And this is the Shark”.

16. Nonso:
“I can see you used thick dark lines in
your beautiful painting, Tunishia”
Tunishia:
“I made a Ghost! I use brown, blue and
red”.

18. WHAT I
LEARNT…
•I learnt that the ‘process’ of observing
children’s artwork lies in the ‘developmental
journey’, whilst the final ‘product’ is the
‘destination’.
•The process of observing children’s artwork is
nothing but an ‘artful wonder’ to me.

19. WHAT I
LEARNT…
•I learnt that teaching is all about guiding and
learning, as we journey along with the children.
•I also learnt that teaching is about helping
children or any individual for that matter, to
become the best that they can be, through their
God given talents and what interest them

20. WHAT I
LEARNT…
•Never underestimate the unique intellect
and innovation of our little angels (children).
•I learnt that children can only be developed
through moment by moments of their
today, not yesterday or tomorrow and that
they are constantly on a developmental
transitory journey.

21. •Going full throttle by adding more
colorful paints and introducing more
unorthodox art materials into the
tool box.
• Take children’s language and self
esteem to the next gear, by doing art
workshops in every challenging
communities around the globe.