My name is Saskia Hélène Menting. I teach Visual Arts in Primary, Visual Arts and Art History in Middle School, and in the Early Childhood classes, I lead atelier activities inspired by the Reggio Children approach, further I am their music teacher. I have been working at Viterbo International School since 2011, practically since its founding. I appreciate the positive and open atmosphere of this school and the respectful and trusting relationships that have been established between students, teachers, and parents. I was born in the Netherlands and raised in Switzerland, where I studied and completed my studies in pedagogy. Having spent my childhood in two different nations, it was natural for me to be open to different cultures and languages. I speak English, German, Dutch, French, and Italian. After graduating, I came to Italy to study painting and set design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. This marked the beginning of an interesting and wonderful period in which I led art workshops for children and adults in museums, public libraries, and schools throughout Italy.
In 2000, the Viterbo District Hospital, now called Ospedale Santa Rosa, asked me, along with two other artists, to design and create the interior decoration of the paediatric ward and, in collaboration with the head of paediatrics and the psychology department, to develop a daily program of art therapy activities, which I curated and directed from 2004 to 2014.
Teaching is a passion of mine, and CREATIVITY and CURIOSITY are key concepts in my teaching approach. Cultivating students’ creative potential fosters divergent thinking, an essential skill today, as it enables innovative problem-solving and the ability to adapt to the complex challenges of a rapidly evolving world. In the words of Loris Malaguzzi, founder of the Reggio Children Approach: “When curiosity is awakened, the joy of learning can blossom and express itself in a child’s hundred languages.”
I live with my family near the stunning Lake Bolsena. I love the beauty of Etruria, the art, and the nature that surrounds me. During long walks, I continually discover new wonders. I am aware that this land, so full of beauty, is fragile and that we have a duty to protect and care for it. I am fascinated by Etruscan culture and painted a copy of a fresco found in the Tarquinia necropolis on the outside wall of my house.