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Visual Art PD for ECE & Primary Teachers

Hands on Learning

Learning the Creative Process through direct experience

Building Skills

Building skills through experimentation that honours your uniqueness

Exploring Strategies

Strategies for Planning & Practicalities to make implementation easy

Collaborative & Fun

Expanding your ideas through rich group discussions
OUR COURSES
​There is a buzz in the room. The kind of buzz teachers recognise as golden moments of learning - children learning about themselves through visual art. It’s a delicious mix of empowerment and experimentation as children experience and ‘own’ their unique creative perspective.

They feel emotionally safe to think creatively and have the practical skills to express themselves. Teachers live for these moments. Did it happen by chance or by design? Definitely by design…

​The teacher equipped themselves with the skills they need to create these golden moments by training with Creative Matters. They are guided by the theory and hands-on experience of a rich Creative Process to plan and deliver visual art lessons.
The teacher feels skilled and confident - their students feel valued and proud of their unique work.
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And it’s not just between teacher and student. Children are delighting in showing parents their art projects and enthusiastically sharing the process it took to make it.

​The classroom and foyer is a visual feast – it’s a joy to walk through the ever-changing display of diverse work produced throughout The Creative Process.

Tania McCorkindale, Year 5/6 teacher Helensville Primary School

Denise Arnold, Year 2/3 teacher
​Waerenga School

Riejke Wilson, Special needs teacher
​Wairau Valley Special School
 FOUNDATION COURSE: Experiencing The Creative Process ​through Painting
This course for Primary and ECE teachers, shares the philosophies we believe in and base our programmes around, here at Creative Matters.

We have developed this training from what we have learnt supporting over 2000 children to explore their Creative Process in various mediums.

Teachers are guided through a rich Creative Process of Exploring, Experimenting, Creating, Reflecting and Sharing - allowing them to personally experience each part of this process and reflect on how it makes them feel and how it affects their approach, thinking, results and learning, giving them the tools and the motivation to take the ideas back to their classroom and implement them.

What you will be able to apply immediately...
  • Ways to quickly and easily set up for and manage painting in your classroom
  • Ideas for art lessons that value and develop every aspect of the Creative Process
  • Ideas for displaying work from each part of the Creative Process, not just the final product.
  • Strategies for scaffolding experimentation and individuality
  • Structuring and timing of lessons​
  • and so much more...​
Thank you Mandy for the wonderful art workshop you ran at our school recently.  The teachers were engaged and highly motivated as evidenced by the  way the majority of our staff utilised all they learnt with you  into their classroom programmes immediately. 

They enjoyed the way you delivered your programme, and also the freedom you gave them to be creative while also learning some basic paint techniques. All were impressed with how the session catered for all levels of expertise.  They are looking forward to having another session with you.
Denise Haven, Deputy Principal, Waitakere Primary School
I gained lots of practical ideas, the system to teach confidence - a fantastic course that gave us all valuable knowledge regardless of the age we teach or previous experience.
Wendy Kerrison, Glenavon School
I feel more like an artist now. So many practical ideas to use in a whole lot of art sessions. A really good base to apply for art lessons. It's not just art - it's self-awareness.
Tania McCorkindale from Helensville School​
Sharon Booth from Waitakere Primary, kindly shared these images that her year 5/6 class created during a full day of art.

Sharon guided them through the The Creative Process she had experienced during the Extension Course - Exploring the Creative Process: Using Artist's Work as Inspiration. Such wonderful, unique works showing the creative thinking involved.
 EXTENSION COURSES: Exploring the Creative Process
These courses are available for everyone who has attended the Foundation Course. 
The format and approach is the same, but with a different focus.
They can be taken in any order and new courses will be added over time. 
 All course content is designed to be implemented into your class or centre visual arts programme
​The perfect creative solution to 'Calendar Art' dilemmas!

​Exploring the Creative Process:
​Using Artist's Work as Inspiration

Have you ever used an artist's work as a starting point in an art lesson but found it difficult to guide children to be inspired and respond creatively in their own way? 
This hands on course will:
  • take you step by step  through a process of fully exploring and responding to one artist's work 

  • experiment with ideas and techniques, develop visual arts elements and language
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  • Teach you techniques in watercolour pencils and paint.

Exploring the Creative Process: Through Abstract Art

Do you wonder how to teach it in a creative way that allows for individuality and confidence building (for you and the children you work with) as well as the development of visual arts skills and understandings?
​This hands on course will:
  • explore a number of approaches and styles in abstract art
  • allow for experimentation with different abstract styles, techniques and media
  • support you to create some unique abstract works of your own
  • give you strategies for teaching abstract art to your children

Exploring the Creative Process: Through Collaboration

Can collaborative art be individual and still teach visual arts skills and understandings? With some creative thinking thrown in? Absolutely!
  • Discover and experience a creative approach to collaborative artworks
  • Encourage creativity, learning of new visual arts skills, exploration, experimentation, sharing and reflection through collaborative making
  • Develop skills and systems for creating amazing collaborative works for your centre, foyer or classroom.


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4 Learning Options to Fit into Your Busy Life
Foundation and/or Extension Courses

Over 2 staff meetings at your school or centre

Splitting the course over two consecutive sessions of two hours works brilliantly - giving us time to refine the learning to suit your needs, for an even richer learning experience on the second session.
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At a Teacher Only Day at your school

A 4 hour hands-on PD session is a great addition to a Teacher Only Day, encouraging communication and collaboration as well as the learning of new skills and approaches. You choose the time.

At Studio One Toi Tu in the holidays or on Saturdays

This is a good option if you are seeking individual or small group (discounted) PD rather than school wide, held on Saturdays or mid week during the holidays.

At Kohia Centre during the week, 10am - 3pm

Hosted at the University of Auckland - Gate 2, 76 Epsom Ave, Auckland.
Individual bookings - 
Morning tea and lunch provided.

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Services

Contact

Mandy Jakich CEO
​021 808 126