Hingham Extraordinary Teacher: Nancy Donovan

Name:             Nancy Donovan

School:            Derby Academy

Subject:           Art, Derby Summer Arts

Grades:           K-3, 7-8

“Everyone is interested in what everyone else is doing…people want to come back year after year,” said Nancy Donovan, who has been teaching summer arts for 20 years. ”It is a community learning experience, very cooperative.”

Having gone to art school for interior design, Donovan earned her teacher certification and M.Ed as a way to stay in sync with the school year after her own children were born.

Teaching traditional art/music/drama courses at Derby Academy for nine years, Donovan also leads art electives for seventh and eighth graders, including pottery and the wildly popular glass fusion.

 Students fuse glass in Derby’s new, computer-operated kiln, which also serves the school's five pottery wheels.

Five days a week, for five weeks each summer, Donovan is a big part of what she describes as a wonderful atmosphere.

Students want to be there because they get to design their days.

“They like the independence of choosing their own classes,” she said.

 Derby Summer Arts allows teachers to create new classes. This year, Donovan taught two beginner pottery classes, a jewelry class (using fused glass), and a quilting class, where student’s completed a quilt in five weeks.

 The collaborative environment allows students to learn what they would not learn anywhere else, she said.

In addition to being engaged and having fun, students learn creativity and problem-solving skills they carry into life.

“Art is all about presenting a problem that does not have one answer.”

Noting that kids feel the pressure of academics, getting good grades, being accepted into the best schools, one 15-year old told her, “summer arts changed everything.”

Donovan said teachers and students keep coming back because “you and your choices are respected.” Derby Summer Arts just feels good, with no pressure.