Letters in Clay Learning Through Creating

The celebration of Saint Sava, the school patron saint, at Savremena was marked by respect for tradition, a strong sense of community, and a rich cultural and artistic programme prepared by the students. This day held special significance for the entire school community, as it brought together knowledge, values, and creativity through various forms of expression, highlighting the importance of Saint Sava as an educator, spiritual guide, and symbol of education.

The programme featured the active participation of students of different ages, who demonstrated not only their talents but also responsibility, dedication, and commitment to a shared goal — honouring the school patron saint in a meaningful and dignified way.

From Shape to Meaning

Working with hands wasn’t just fun – it was an essential part of learning. When a child shapes a letter with their fingers, they don’t just see it – they feel it. When they color it, they think about how it looks. When they add texture, they experiment with expression. This process activates different parts of the brain, strengthening the connection between visual recognition, motor control, and memory. Students who worked on letters this way recognize and reproduce them much more easily later.

During the class, classrooms were filled with concentration, but also with freedom. Mistakes weren’t a problem – if clay fell apart, it could be reassembled. If the color wasn’t as imagined, it could be changed. It was precisely this freedom to experiment that allowed students to feel confident in the learning process. They worked at their own pace, choosing colors and techniques that suited them, creating letters as unique as themselves.

Learning Through Creating

This class demonstrated how powerful visual arts and Serbian language can be when working together. Cyrillic isn’t just a system of symbols – it’s cultural heritage, visual identity, a tool of communication. And when learned through art, it becomes something much more – it becomes personal creation. Students understood that letters aren’t just something you write, but something you build, shape, and experience.

The finished works – letters in clay, colored, decorated, different – testify to engagement, attention, and the joy of creation. Each work bears the trace of a process that’s far more important than the final product. It’s a process where one learns through patience, attempt, and correction. Where literacy is learned not just with the mind, but with the hands. And where every child finds their own way to connect with the language that surrounds them.

It’s precisely these kinds of classes that make Savremena Primary School a place where learning isn’t just knowledge transfer, but a space where every child can explore, experiment, and grow – through form, color, and letters that become part of them.