Q: Tell us a little about yourself! What is the inspiration behind your Instagram page?
I am a mother of two amazing children and a wife to an incredible husband. My family is my entire world!
I’m a Kindergarten Teacher in Alberta, Canada. I've taught grades 1-4 and High School Art. This is my 9th year teaching kindergarten; I absolutely love it!
I started my Instagram page during my second year of teaching kindergarten. I was about to be the only kindergarten teacher at my school, and I wanted to stay connected to my previous teaching partner. I suggested that we set up Instagram accounts so we could easily share our ideas/photos with one another. Little did I know that there was a whole community of vibrant and supportive early educators out there! I am so grateful for the relationships that I have developed through this platform. I have connected to many like-minded educators from across the globe. I am constantly inspired by the wonderful work that others are doing and like to give back my sharing some of the work that is happening in my classroom.
Q: We have loved seeing your page grow, and all the amazing projects and activities you share, and we learn so much as you incorporate Kwik Stix into your classroom! What inspired you to want to be a Brand Ambassador?
I am a firm believer in promoting what you LOVE, not what you Hate. Many of the products from The Pencil Grip Inc. have become staples in my classroom. If I love them and have had success using them in my classroom, I feel it’s important to share that with others. Also, my students absolutely love them!
Q: What is your favorite product of ours that you have tried so far? Can you tell us more about why you love this product, and if you have any tips or tricks when using it or favorite techniques? Is there anything in particular that has helped you blend creativity, play, and learning together with your projects?
My students and I LOVE Kwik Stix (tempera paint sticks). Hands down, they are my most favourite product! They are everything you want in an art medium. They're great quality, easy for little hands to control, mess-free, the colours are vibrant, the colours can be blended and layered, you can use them on many surfaces (eg. paper, wood, canvas, cardboard, paper plates), they have a paint-like finish and dry in 90 seconds. I also love the Wonder Stix. They are like a chalk crayon. We like to use them on wooden ornaments, blend the colours with our fingers and seal them with Mod Podge.
Q: We love that you incorporate photos and videos of your activities on your page! What is one of your favorite projects you have created using our products? There have been so many great posts you have made, and we want to know which stands out to you!
I love mixed medium art projects that allow the children to express their unique selves. I think my favourite project was the Blowing Kisses Art Magnets that we made. The children used the Kwik Stix to paint a rectangular wooden plaque. They were allowed to use any colours that they wanted and paint in any way that they liked. I took a black and white photo of them blowing a kiss and they glued it on their plaque. Next, they glued wooden hearts on their piece to represent the kisses that they were blowing. Finally, we added magnets to the back, so they could display their keepsake piece on their fridge or a magnetic surface in their home. I loved how each one was so unique and I loved contrast of the black and white photo on the brightly coloured Kwik Stix background.
Q: What’s next for you? Do you have any exciting crafts or activities planned for the Spring/Summer months ahead?!
Kindness is at the core of my kindergarten program and woven into many curricular outcomes. Being a giver of kindness can be a powerful mindfulness/self-regulation tool for all humans, including children. It is so important that our little ones not only have experiences receiving kindness, but also giving kindness towards others. When we spread kindness to others our body is filled with the hormones (serotonin, endorphins, oxytocin) that make you healthy, happy, and calm.
The students in my class our Kindness Ninjas. I am hoping that we can use our Kwik Stix to make some gifts for others or spread messages of love and positivity in our school and community.
