Fables: An original Story and fables as a tool in Language Arts Classes.
“The fables are short, contain characters that are instantly understood by even the very young, and are fantastic opportunities to practice everything from reading comprehension and retention to vocabulary words. ”
Our blogger this week is Jason A. Lien. Jason is a professional Artist, a teacher at Yellow Wood Academy, and an all-round creative person. Jason has been writing fables this year with and for his students. Below he shares one of his fables and talks about how and why he uses fables with his students. We are also including a worksheet to guide conversation with your students or children. Learn more about Jason below.
Aesop's tales date back to 570 BC (c) Greece. Aesop may not have been an actual person, but many fables are attributed to him and, surprisingly, have not really gone through many changes over the last 2K years. Studying Aesop has been an activity of MANY young students over the years, and I find most of my students have heard multiple Aesop fables before we read them. "The Boy Who Cried Wolf", "The Tortoise and the Hare", "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse" and many others have made their way into popular culture, and continue to, even now. Aesop's tales haven't aged much because they deal with so many common ideals that translate over time, culture, and geography. As a fable, each story has a "Moral" or "Meaning". Because the concepts are often very basic statements about self-worth, morality, and being wiser, they continue to be popular with students, even as times change. The fables are short, contain characters that are instantly understood by even the very young, and are fantastic opportunities to practice everything from reading comprehension and retention to vocabulary words.
The Artist and the Painting: A Fable
By: Jason A. Lien
Once upon a time, a talented young artist was invited to the home of an established collector for a small party. This was a great opportunity for the young artist, as he felt by befriending the aficionado, he would most certainly be asked to complete a commission for the well-known collector. If this went well, the man would hopefully become a patron of the artist’s work for years to come. This would certainly help his budding career.
On the day of the party, the young artist (dressed in his finest outfit) arrived a half-hour after the appointed time (he wanted to be “casually late”, as was the custom) to find the party in full-swing. He wandered through the collector’s home, marvelling at the exquisite collection on display. Each painting and sculpture was even more interesting than the last.
The young artist was taken aback by one piece, however. Hung with great importance above the fireplace in the main room was a painting which lacked the vision and execution of the other pieces in the home. The color was poor, the composition awkward. Even the subject matter was patently trite. While he was viewing the painting, the collector came up and introduced himself to the young artist. They exchanged pleasantries, and the artist eventually asked, “Tell me, please, why is this piece even here? It is clearly a painting inferior to the rest on display this evening. In fact, it seems laughable you would exhibit it with such esteem, at all.”
The Collector answered, sourly, “Well, that painting was the last completed by my deceased wife. It is, for me, the most wonderful piece of art ever made. Good day, sir.”
The young artist left the party in embarrassment, never to be invited back.
The only value of art is in its perception.
Before Yellow Wood I: grew up in a tiny, farming town in Indiana. I finished my Undergraduate studies at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia, and stayed to finish my MFA degree at SCAD, as well. From there, I taught a variety of Art classes at the Southern Vermont Art Center and the Vermont Arts Exchange. In 1999, I came to Seattle and started teaching at PRATT Fine Arts Center and in private Ateliers. In 2013, I started teaching at the Preschool level, rocketing my love for teaching into the stratosphere! During the past 25 years, I have also worked as a Gallery Director and a professional Artist, exhibiting my work in many contemporary galleries. My paintings are included in public and private collections throughout the United States.
I Love Yellow Wood Because: working with students one-on-one and customizing classes for each individual student is, in my opinion, the most effective and dynamic teaching model. Yellow Wood is full of some of the most amazing teachers I've ever met, who embrace the challenges of our trade with immense caring, support, and professionalism. YWA is the "real deal"!
Outside of work, I am energized by: painting, hiking, training Service Dogs, gaming, writing novels and bad poetry, watching terrible sci-fi movies, spending time with my lovely wife, and playing with my amazing "Superdog", Simon.
My favorite childhood memory is: a cross-country trip my family made to the PNW when I was in 2nd grade. It made such an impression on me, I moved here as an adult. As the saying goes: "I wasn't born in WA, but I got here as quickly as I could".
