a place for expression
An atelier is a dedicated creative studio / space in the classroom, where children explore ideas, materials, and learning through hands-on artistic investigation as a core part of thinking. Children are given time and space to freely learn about materials as well as receive direct instruction on ways to work with materials such as clay, paint, wire, light, and natural objects. These spaces are not about making “art projects,” but about experimenting, problem-solving, and expressing ideas. At SSOCC, these ateliers change over time, based on child interests and teacher-determined learning goals. Some of our past and current atelier spaces include:
Drawing Atelier
Storytelling Atelier
Sculpture Atelier
Mixed Media Atelier
Photography Atelier
Fibre Arts Atelier
Garden Atelier
Engineering Atelier
Tasting Atelier
Music Atelier
The Paint Atelier
(puts her hands in the paint, and looks up at the teacher)
“Blue.”
(rubs the paint on her arms)
“All Blue.”
(holds her arms out to the teacher)
“Share? You Blue?”
— age 2, in the paint atelier
The tasting atelier
“When you cut up the herbs from the garden with scissors, they go one way. But if you use to mortar and pestle, they go another way. And if you use a spoon, well that’s just silly. You can’t use a spoon to cut herbs!”
— age 4, in the tasting atelier
Sculpture Atelier
“My best part of the clay is making miniature things. Teeny Tiny little miniature things. It’s just the best”
— age 6, in the sculpture atelier
Engineering Atelier
“I can build a tower that is so high. It’s because I’m 3 now but it’s because also I learned a triangle is the strongest shape so I used all the triangles. Except for Sabine’s triangle because Sabine’s not done yet. But she said she’ll give it to me when she’s done.”
— age 3, in the construction atelier
Garden Atelier
“The garden grows the things we plant in it. How do the seeds know? They go to sleep and I tuck them in to bed. And then they have a dream and the dream tells them what to grow to. It says “Hello seedy seed mcseedy head sleepy head! It’s time to grow into Kale now.” And then it does.
— age 3, in the garden atelier
