As the daughter of a librarian, Ms. Courtney often finds inspiration for her lessons through books. “The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds was the focus of her first art lesson of the school year. Her mother sent the book to her as a gift and she felt compelled to share it with her students.

“The Dot” is about a little girl named Vashti who believes that she is hopeless as an artist. But, through the ingenuity and kindness of her art teacher she has a complete turn around. By the end of the story, Vashti not only believes she is an artist but also that she is capable of empowering classmates to see themselves as artists as well.

Ms. Courtney is passionate about nurturing creativity in her students. “While the book The Dot is about art, it is really about the process— about ideas, creative thinking, bravery, expression, and original ideas. This part is really the most beautiful part, when students begin to build confidence in their art making abilities.”

Following the reading, students explored the concepts of line and color. Inspired by the story and fueled by the belief that they could create art, her students created wonderful expressions of self that are now proudly hanging in our school’s hallway.

“The Dot is about believing in yourself enough to get started— to “make your mark and see where it takes you”. It is also about creative teaching, about exploring an idea in many ways, and sharing our gifts with others.”