Elementary Art at ISP

At the International School of Prague, Elementary Art is taught as a dynamic, inquiry-driven experience where creativity becomes a language for thinking, exploring, and understanding the world. Rooted in the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), Art is not approached as a standalone subject, but as an integral part of a child’s overall learning journey, deeply connected to curiosity, identity, and expression.

A defining feature of Art instruction at ISP is its strong connection to inquiry-based learning. Art is often integrated with classroom Units of Inquiry, enabling students to explore concepts across subjects and deepen their understanding through creative expression. In this way, Art becomes a powerful tool for making meaning, helping students connect ideas, ask questions, and communicate their learning in personal and imaginative ways.

“After 27 years at ISP and teaching more than 2,000 students, I continue to be inspired by the creativity and imagination children bring to Art every day. Art provides a space where students can take risks, ask questions, and express ideas in ways that words alone often cannot. By giving students the freedom to explore materials, make choices, and connect their learning to the world around them, we help them develop not only artistic skills, but also confidence, curiosity, and a deeper understanding of themselves.” 
Chip Doehring, Elementary Art Teacher

 

Equally important is the emphasis on student agency. Learners are encouraged to make choices in their artistic process, from selecting materials to developing their own interpretations of a concept. This fosters a sense of ownership and confidence, empowering students to take risks and develop their unique artistic voice. At ISP, the process of creating is valued just as much as the final product, reinforcing a growth mindset and a love of learning.

“Teaching Art and Visual Communication to children in the Elementary School is becoming an evermore critical necessity in today’s fast changing and growing digital/AI world. In order to help maintain our humanness, I believe the Arts in general need to be the one safe-haven where tangible, tactile, physical non-digital tools and techniques are maintained and used in order for children to strongly continue to develop critical hand skills, observation skills and cognitive control processes. In this light, I view my job as a mission...in helping children to hold on to their humanness!”
Chip Doehring, Elementary Art Teacher

Through creative exploration, students develop empathy, resilience, and self-awareness, while gaining insight into diverse perspectives and cultures. The Arts are seen as a vital part of a holistic education, supporting not only artistic growth, but also emotional and social development.

Elementary Art at ISP is about more than learning how to draw or paint, it is about learning how to see, think, and express. Through a thoughtful blend of structure and freedom, guidance and independence, students are supported in becoming confident, curious, and capable creators.