Don't mess with school!!

I could write a book or two about my teaching career, but let's leave the long stories for some other time… That's in the past; some memories are good, some not so good, but here I am - alive!!

Instead, let's travel further into the past and explore how it was in school back then. I have some 'fresh' pictures from my Austrian trip to share with you, and first day of school (in Slovenia) is a perfect day to show you pictures of an old Austrian school (pictures taken in ethno museum) and doing some research what has changed over the years…
In what kind of school would you rather be/learn/teach: this one on the pictures or the one we have today? Eh??

A nice welcome to the school...:

...and a teacher, little blackboards, a tired classroom and the walls, full of interesting learning materials, waiting for you:

...you hang your stuff here:

...and the lesson begins:

(isn't this a practical math 'helper', eh?!)

...it's very easy to learn about numbers, because you learn from the every-day life and nature:

...and that's the answer to our big problem of our times - how to use your pen correctly.

(that's a really big problem in our schools lately. Children don't learn it and hold their pens the wrong way a lot!)

...and now, the best part! Rules, discipline, order! Something to think about! It's not about 'just anything', it's about respect, ethics, relationships. Isn't this the biggest problem of our time?? For example: what are hyperactive kids? They are the kids without limits, they don't know/feel the border lines, they go over them. So, who will teach them how to create their own limits, if not we, the adults?? Ok, ok, this is not a topic for today. We'll talk about that some other time in the future, some day, on a nice school-day, ok?

So, what do you say - is this a school of your dreams? ; )

Every year - Austria

I'm going to Austria again. My plans: hunting for inspiration, exploring places and try-to-have active vacation-ogh-would-be-great-too! More about that, in words and pictures, when I come back.
For now, enjoy the last-year's wonderful picture of creative Hallstatt (a must to see!):

Have a beautiful creative summer - there are still some days left of it!

Something's cooking...! - Lunch, dinner?

So, what's cooking at your place? We're going to be creative together, so you better have your creative materials ready!
Show us what you had for your lunch or dinner - in colours!! No photographs of your real lunch, only colours. You should organise them according to the portions you had.

You need:

• something to paint/draw on (you'll put only colours on, no shapes, so it's an easy task, isn't it?!)
• painting or drawing material
• good memory to remember what you had for your main meal ; )

I painted my lunch. In colours, it doesn't look anything special, but it was mmmmmmmmm yummmmmy! See:

How about yours?
Enjoy creative process, and I hope to see your creations soon! (You can share them directly or send us a link). And by the way, enjoy your meal!

Something's cooking...!

More about that soon!
Get your pencils, pens, paints, paper etc. ready for a creative process!

Going to: Dolenjska region

I went on a day-trip to Dolenjska region. Dolenjska is in the SE part of Slovenia.

Come with me and see what you can see : ) !

Let's go and see Forma Viva in Kostanjevica na Krki first. Do you know what Forma Viva is?

Oh, well. I'm not a big fan of wooden sculptures. I prefer 'real' trees instead.
So, I focus on interesting architecture, walls, stone... Many details get stuck in my digi-camera! See!

But the best part is the church! Such a superb architecture!!
In the church there's an exhibition of the artist Mojca Zlokarnik. Oh, I wish to have an exhibition in this gorgeous place as well! Wouldn't you?

There are other exhibitions over there, in the old ex-monastery (a gallery now). Some remind me of:

mosquitoes and aboriginal art

and seals:

But the best art works are created by the artist Janez Boljka. Many details, tiny little pieces, so many things to explore!

(If I was a male artist, I would look like the man on the picture on the right ; ) .)

Aren't they gorgeous?!

OK, let's go now to Pleterje. It used to be a castle ages ago, but now it's a monastery. The most interesting part for me is the church. It is very acustic. Every singer or a musician should go there and try it out!

The church is modest and 'warm'.

Finally, let's go to Novo mesto.

There's an international festival Fotopub 2009 there - a festival of documentary photography. I love pictures by Abbie Trayler-Smith, but the group exhibition in Narodni dom has some great pictures as well. You'll find some interesting, unique pictures everywhere! Excellent! You can read about the festival and see some pictures on the Fotopub site.

So, that was a short trip to Dolenjska region. More maybe next time. I hope you liked the places and the pictures. Maybe they are going to inspire you!