June 17, 2016 to October 29, 2016
The Sketchbook Project is an opportunity for students to participate in daily drawing, inspire confidence in drawing skills and learn ways to talk about art. Students from Sir Alexander Mackenzie Elementary, Queen Mary Elementary and General Wolfe Elementary in Vancouver participated in this year's Sketchbook Project. This project is a joint venture between ArtStarts, the University of British Columbia (Community Field Experience Teacher Candidates) and the Vancouver School Board (Peggy Bochun, District Fine Arts Coordinator and Phyllis Schwartz, Artist in Residence).
"Daily drawing is critical to helping students acquire literacy skills," says Peggy Bochun. She credits UBC Professor Emeritus Bob Steele for decades of work inspiring art teachers and students about the long-term benefits of drawing projects. Steele says that the importance of drawing at an early age cannot be underestimated. The Sketchbook Project extends the research of Bob Steele, who continues to promote the importance of daily drawing and links it profoundly to the development of literacy skills. "When drawing is nurtured," says Steele, "the benefits flow: intellectual development, mental health, mental healing, more effective learning, empathy for others and bonding with caring adults."
Read more about The Sketchbook Project on the Vancouver School Board website.