Teacher Spotlight Lynn Groothuis
“The world needs the beauty you create–whether it’s “I want to be an artist when I grow up!” one student cooking, gardening, painting, or sculpting. You were remarked to another. Their classmate, capturing created to create beautiful things.” the essence of Lynn’s heart and message for every student, replied, “But remember? You already are! These words of wisdom come straight from the Do you mean that you just want to go pro?” heart of Lynn Groothuis, ZCS Art Program pioneer. Lynn began teaching at Zeeland Christian straight Lynn thinks of creation as “God’s beautiful, artistic gift out of college in 1988, and she has shared her to us.” She loves to teach students that when they passion for creativity with countless students since. capture the essence of a part of creation on paper or When she started her career at ZCS, Lynn taught canvas, they are really giving love back to God. Lynn 4th and 5th grade for five years. Then in 1993, appreciates how art “keeps the flow of love moving.” Lynn developed the art program, aspiring to build A painting of a flower or a summer scene isn’t limited a rigorous curriculum designed to engage students to a season but is something everyone can enjoy all in experiences so they could express themselves winter long. visually. If you’ve walked the halls of ZCS at any point over the years, you’ve likely caught a glimpse When Lynn reflects on her choice to teach at Zeeland of Lynn’s vision coming alive–beautiful displays of Christian, she recalls, “I chose ZCS because in the student art grace the walls in nearly every hallway. interview we all laughed a lot, and I knew I was going to love teaching with that group of people.” Years Lynn looks forward to teaching students about later, Lynn still enjoys her role. Asked about her French painter Henri Matisse as part of her favorite tradition or celebration at Zeeland Christian, curriculum. “I love to tell how, even though he was Lynn thoughtfully replies, “It’s not a tradition, per se, called a beast for painting with such loud colors, but I love the culture of embracing failure at ZCS. he stayed true to his art and himself,” Lynn says. Within this mindset, the fertile soil of creativity gives “Matisse is considered the father of Fauvism (which way to enormous growth. I believe my students means beast in French). Later in life, Matisse could thrive because the message of taking a risk is not use his legs and was no longer able to paint. He consistent and celebrated.” reinvented himself as a cut paper artist and kept creating until his death. I love telling his inspirational “I look forward to the opportunity to engage students story and creating works in his style!” in creating every day,” Lynn shares. “I love making the content of learning rich with rigor and full of Lynn prioritizes her role to cultivate each child’s experience. It is such a joy to see students’ joy and identity as an artist. “Art class is simply training what watch them work to make something beautiful.” is already within every learner by our creator God,” Lynn enjoys collecting interesting driftwood as a fun she shares. With this in mind, Lynn recounts an art activity. She has made a rainbow trout, a heron, exchange between two lower-elementary students and a moose out of single pieces that just spoke to that she’d place “at the top of all teaching moments.” her–right off the beach. Lynn lives with her husband, John, and they have two grown sons and a daughterin-law. They are all avid golfers and love to hike and travel together.
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