Family

Remember let us remember one book, one pen, one child, one teacher can change the world. Malala Yousafzai

Posted on by Voicesoflighthouses

The famed Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

On my first visit to Paris, I stayed at the Hotel de la Tulipe, a wonderful inn located near the Eiffel Tower. I traveled with a group of artists headed to Monet ‘s Garden in Giverny, France.

Grab, your flip flops and imagination. Explore Miami Beach’s Art Deco District through the eyes of a child in this delightful coloring book.

During my stay at the hotel, I befriended the Inn Keeper who told me about his creative and compassionate 5 year old. It seems his son wanted to make signs so tourists would not get lost in Paris. He showed me photos of the drawings.

The next day, I gave the Inn Keeper a copy of my Art Deco coloring book, “Splash and Color,” for his son. The following day much to my surprise, he told me his son had almost finished the coloring book and was researching the Internet to see what the actual buildings looked like.

Children have an insatiable curiosity. I’m glad my coloring book inspired this young Parisian.

Explore my a new website to see this coloring book, creative lesson plans and art.

Splash and color.com

Alarm Over Black Home School Movement

Posted on by Voicesoflighthouses

There’s a rise in Black Home Schooling.

According to an article in the New York’s Times “Remote school may be attend to dropping out… “ The article lists a lot of data to discourage Black and Latino parents from homeschooling without addressing obvious reasons besides Covid that these parents are opting to home school.

After years of being ignored by school systems, these parents are tired of discriminatory tactics by the educational system. It’s a system that often degrades students of color and ignores parental concerns about racial insensitivity of teachers. School books and curriculum reinforce this narrative by routinely overlooking the contributions of non-whites.

All the data in the world will not convince parents whose children have faced bias treatment. This article in the New York Times proves that the educational experts are “tone death.”

The Atlantic

New York Times

A Splash of Color

Posted on by Voicesoflighthouses

A page from Splash and Color Art Deco Coloring Book. It features a drawing of the iconic Breakwater Hotel in Miami Beach. The front design of the hotel is inspired by a ship’s masthead.

A Splash of color.

A dash of fun.

People and dogs on the run.

Bikes to ride

Scooters to thrill.

Pirates on land,

Pirates on wheels. 

Skaters zooming by.

Parasails in the sky.

A beach to swim in

Or just to float

And those silly buildings

that look like boats.

Copyrighted by Elaine Marie Artist

Check out my website to purchase my limited edition Miami Beach Art Deco Coloring Book.

elainemarieartist.com

The Magic of Mangroves

Posted on by Voicesoflighthouses

“Mangroves are magical forests where we discover nature’s secrets. They straddle the connection between land and sea and nature and humans.”

I love manatees and manatees love mangroves. They provide food and a safe place for young manatees.

Mangroves help protect Florida’s coastline by preventing erosion and absorbing storm surge during hurricanes.

Sanibel Island is a place where humans and nature peaceably coexist.

They capture carbon monoxide and greenhouse gases. They serve as a habitat and refuge for Florida wildlife.

Mangroves provide a habitat for 80 percent of finfish and shellfish sought by commercial and sports fishermen.

Notifications to the city of Sanibel are always required before taking any action involving mangroves.

They improve water quality by filtering out harmful pollutants.

nature.org

mysanibel.org

worldwidlife.org

elainemarieartist.com

Literacy is one of the pillars of democracy

Posted on by Voicesoflighthouses

Parents are a child’s first teacher.

The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character- that is the goal of true education. Martin Luther King, Jr.

While schools traditionally played a key role in literacy, parents are a child’s first teacher and can inspire a love of reading.

Modern jobs demand a high level of literacy. I’m not talking about scanning or skimming an article on the internet.

According to the National Institute for Literacy, the ability to read, write and speak in English, compute and solve problems are the what literacy is about.

Literacy is the foundation of a democratic society and strong families are the foundation of any successful society. Without both we are in peril.

Time for success

Posted on by Voicesoflighthouses

Imagine what your child will know by sending 20 minutes each day with his or her face buried in a good book.

One of the truest predictors of future success is the amount of reading that children do at a young age. The amount of time children read and are read to predicts whether they will be successful.

Surprisingly, parents and children do not have to read for hours each day; they only need to read for 20 minutes each day. With 20 simple minutes of reading, students are exposed to over 1,000,000 words in the course of a school year. In comparison, children who read for five minutes per day are exposed to a paltry 8,000 words each year.

Imagine what your child will know by sending 20 minutes each day with his or her face buried in a good book.

Engage Youth

Posted on by Voicesoflighthouses

Now more than ever kids need our support.

I just discovered a great resource for youths. I was surprised that it also had information and a link that caters to military kids. As a former Navy spouse, I know that military kids face unique challenges.

This is a great site for the entire family. It has inspirational stories by youth, contests, and many worthwhile services. Be sure to check it out.

engage.youth.gov

Fragile Keepsakes

Posted on by Voicesoflighthouses

Studies show that there is a correlation between art and other achievements.

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once one grows up.” I love this quote by Picasso. It brings to mind the precious first drawings my three children created during childhood. I was distraught the other day when one of these fragile keepsakes began to tear inside of a frame. It seems the backing of the frame had come apart along with the drawing.

Society is often good at destroying creativity as well. As children grow up, creativity is often discouraged. Creativity while fragile is the backbone of society. When archeologists study past cultures they often gauge their development by the complexity of the art produced.

There is hope. Many schools have Science, Technology, Art and Math (STEAM) curricula. Creativity is a great way to keep students engaged especially now that so many students are studying online. 

Studies show that there is a correlation between art and other achievements. A report by Americans for the Arts states that young people who participate regularly in the arts (three hours a day each week through one full year) are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a math and science fair or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate.

Little Red Lighthouse Workshop

Posted on by Voicesoflighthouses

The iconic Jeffrey’s Hook lighthouse rose to fame due to the popularity of the book “The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge” by Hildegarde W. Swift and Lynd Ward. This story was so compelling that it inspired hundreds of children to write letters that saved lighthouse. I love books that inspire children to make a difference. Taking a clue from the book I included the bridge in my painting of the lighthouse.

Lesson Plan for Grades K-3 Social Science

 Created by Elaine Marie Austin 

elainemarieaustin@gmail.com

www.elainemarieartist.com

OVERVIEW & PURPOSE

This workshop engages children in an exciting exploration of art and social science. Children will learn about civic responsibility, the role of government and how they can make a difference. 

EDUCATION STANDARDS

SS.KA2.3 Listen to and retell stories about people in the past who have shown character ideals and principles including honesty, courage and responsibility.

SS.K.E.1.3 Describe different kinds of jobs that people do and tools or equipment used.

SS.1.A.2.2 Compare life now and in the past.

SS.1.C.1.2 Give examples of people who have the power and authority to make and enforce rules and laws in the community.

SS.2.E.1.3 Recognize that the United States trades with other nations to exchange goods and services.

VA.1.2.3.4.5 Develop the skill to use art to organize objects sequentially.

LAF.1.W.1.2 Write information in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic.

Length 1 ½ – 2 hours 

Topic: The Role of lighthouses and light keepers 

  1. Objective 

Children will learn how lightkeepers and lighthouses contribute to the welfare and economic well-being of the United States. Students will discover the function of lighthouses such as warning against visible shipping hazards. They will learn the role of government and how to impact their neighborhood and the world around them.