Kent City Elementary School art teacher Sara Goodrich likes to quote a legendary Spanish painter. “I really believe ‘every child is an artist,’ just like Pablo Picasso said,” she explained, as her classroom of kindergartners painted big flowers with vivid colors.
Goodrich, who began teaching at Kent City Community Schools in the fall, has motivated her students to create pieces with all kinds of mediums from crayons to clay to jewelry. Five students created pieces recently selected for the Michigan Art Education Association Region 9 art show:
• second grader Madison Thompson
• kindergartner Leland Howen
• first-grader Mattie Kerwin
• second grader Grace Geldersma
• third grader Claire Snyder
Mattie’s and Leland’s work were selected for the state competition and recognized in the top 75.
Goodrich, who carries on the 26-year tradition of former art teacher Mary Clare Christiansen,
said she incorporates video, tutorials, three-dimensional pieces and lots of other creative ideas into her classroom.
“Kids like to make something they can hold in their hands,” said Goodrich, a Western Michigan
University graduate who previously taught art at Muskegon Public Schools.
Fourth-grade students Michael Tanis, Eli Senkowski and Janine DuBridge stopped into the classroom to independently work on self-portraits. Michael said Goodrich shows them proper techniques. “She teaches us step by step,” he said.