In the weeks leading up to Christmas, the Australian Embassy in Dili invited children of primary school age, in Timor-Leste, to design a Christmas card. The winning design would be used for the official Embassy card.
I saw this as an opportunity for the children to engage in a creative activity that introduced them to a Christmas tradition from other cultures – greeting cards.
In our village in Atabae, the children have little opportunity to access art activities. When this activity was offered there was no shortage of participants.
The testament to the need for creative activities for the children is reflected in the concentrated engagement of the children for no less than 2 hours. Then all children returned again the following week to put the finishing touches on their creations. We had no formal winners of the competition but all the children were winners on the day.
This activity highlights the need and desire for further opportunities for creative development in the village, something I will enjoy journeying the children through.
Heather Henderson is an experienced teacher from Kelvin Grove in Brisbane’s inner suburbs.
Building on the good work of Anne Chapman, she supports the ongoing professional development of 4 Assistant Teachers in planning, teaching and assessment as they implement their educational programs for the community of Atabae.
Her placement through the Atabae parish/FPA is supported by Friends and Partners with East Timor (FPET) – a longstanding contributor to sustainable development outcomes for the East Timorese in Atabae.