“The memory of the senses can be evoked in different situations, guiding the person to follow his intuition and thereby influencing decisions,” says Tamer Badr, SEKEM’s Art Teacher for more than 20 years. Under his supervision, the senior students of the SEKEM School engage themselves every year in creating their own copybooks.
First, each student chooses his favorite colors to paint the book cover. “Already the chosen colors reveal something about the characteristics of the students,” states Tamer Badr, referring to Rudolf Steiner’s education approach by which the SEKEM School is inspired. “Feisty students, for instance, choose most probably a fiery red for their picture. This observation helps also us as teachers to understand our students more deeply and support them in maintaining their inner-balance, and position them in the right roles in class,” he explains.
Out of white papers, carton cards and different colors, the students are able to express their talents and tempers. “In the same time they should also practice their accuracy and carefulness,” explains Tamer Badr. The teacher encourages them to put every millimeter into their consideration while setting and measuring the dimensions. “Finding a balance between detailed planning and free, artistic design is an important learning process that can also be applied to life,” says the dedicated art teacher. Besides, the provided blank papers without lines, which the students are using for the bookbinding, shall also inspire their creativity later when using the books for writing or drawing. Tamer Badr: “One of the students once told me that he will keep his handmade book as a memento, to reflect his nice school days after joining university. I’m glad that we can create nostalgic memories with the students that enable them also later to express their senses.”
New artworks by the painter Gerlinde Wendland in SEKEM
News from SEKEM’s Wood Workshop: Three Carpenters in an Interview