Diversity at AFS is one of our deepest strengths and in the classroom our faculty are constantly hard at work lifting up every student. They’re committed to helping each child develop into their full selves, and have a positive sense of their identities. In the Lower School, one of the many ways they cultivate this concept is in Spanish class, with a project where they create an autorretrato (self-portrait).

Students are guided by Lower School Spanish Teacher Alicia E. Fernández and Lower School Art Teacher Amanda Milz on this project. The students were encouraged to focus on specific attributes such as hair color and texture, and eye color and shape as they explore the concept of self. Through this exercise, they are able to learn the ways that we are similar, and yet different, all while working to build their Spanish vocabulary. During art class, all lower school students mixed their very own tone of piel (skin) and painted their cabeza (head) and orejas (ears) onto a canvas. The students were taught some of the Spanish terminology and concepts associated with portrait painting, learned body parts with an emphasis on facial characteristics as well as colors and shapes. They also read books, sung songs and played games to support their learning.

Students from kindergarten through fourth grade have finished their autorretratos. Stop by the Lower School to witness the beautiful display that highlights los tonos de nosotros, the shades of us.