Before the option arises of choosing subjects, the Grade 9 learners have on their timetables something called Art & Culture, a number of short practical projects. As Viloshni’s replacement it was my job to “teach” one of these: making shadow puppets, and demonstrating them in a short shadow play.
Difficulty number one: I am no Art teacher. Number two: the lessons took place in an ordinary, but particularly small, classroom, further compounded by the fact that half the desks had been removed to the exam hall. Number three: a total lack of any resources – no card, no scissors.
Amazingly, we managed. We broke up some boxes, though the material was too thick for anything approaching detail with the learners’ child’s safety scissors. But constraint breeds ingenuity: the more detailed work was cut out of paper, and stiffened with card. I bought some split-pin type paper clips for hinges, and some bamboo braai sticks, and we used blu-tack to hold them on. Some of the results were a little rudimentary, but some were marvellous.
We were to see (and assess) the plays today… and the bulb in the projector blew. Ah well. To get the picture, we went outside, and used the sun.
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