According to author Dorothy P. McKinley, our schools have taken away the spirit of our children by treating them as Xerox copies, focusing on duplication of a single ideal.
Instead, we should focus on helping individuals to discover and love their own uniqueness.
Inspired by Henry David Thoreau's wisdom about the power of natural encounters, the author's visionary educational method seeks to transform the planet by teaching individuals to reach inside of themselves to better see the world around them.
And in Mirror the World Through the Arts: Joyful Learning Through Creativity, she illustrates the philosophy of the InterArts method and provides a practical guide that teachers, parents, and life-long learners will treasure-as both a reference and a work of art.
In-depth discussions and concrete examples from years of experience in the educational world are enhanced by inspirational quotes, poetry, first-person narrative, and guided imagery, making the presentation of this innovative program a reflection of the central concept of art as an interactive mirror of the world. By learning to be aware of every magnificent detail around us, and mirroring back our unique impressions, we grow in consciousness-and positively impact the world.
About the Author: After achieving a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Texas in Austin, Dorothy P. McKinley gained forty-five years of teaching experience.
In 1985, inspired by the teachings of Henry David Thoreau, she founded Walden Pond InterArts Learning Center in San Antonio, Texas, where she passionately practiced her innovative philosophy of creative education until 2012. At the center, children and adults are guided to become in touch with their inner selves and their unique core of creativity, expanding on their strengths to manifest their dreams and become conscientious, aware, and engaged citizens of the world.
Now, she is disseminating her educational philosophy to a wider audience with her artful and inspiring book Mirror the World Through the Arts: Joyful Learning Through Creativity.
