As a mother and teacher, I now truly understand that each child goes through certain stages of artistic development. Now, I know why my three year old son is still doing scribbling and draw the same figures over and over. Using the stages of artistic development by Lowenfeld and Brittain, I know I can make art activities which are age appropriate and according to my students’ developmental stage. It will also serve as a guide to observation and evaluation of a child’s artistic work. I can make a framework of goals and objective as a guide to my curriculum. Art as part of a curriculum is I think more significant. Adding art activities to different subject matters will make learning meaningful and interactive.
I also value this passage from Pratt(1993, p.28) “Children need the names of the visual-graphic elements, their particular characteristics and ways of organizing them. The children should be able to create different phrases as “straight, curved, wiggling lines, light and dark colors, round etc.….such terms give children the vocabulary to identify what they have done to communicate with the teacher and each other”. Identifying with descriptive words will enable the child to remember the patterns and figures they have used. They can produce new visual-graphic elements if they can combine the descriptive words. Teachers will understand what the children are trying to convey if they can name or identify the figures they have made.
Children have definite ways or manners whenever they draw or paint. If we observe a beginner painter, the child is doing the same routines in his brush strokes even in drawing. According to Matthews (2003), “It appears that drawing and painting actions are discovered from the actions previously explored.” (p.75). Children can associate their actions from what they seem to do everyday with their gross and fine motor skills. For instance the actions the swiping motion, which children apply to their everyday lives can be used in drawing and painting. Circular motion, maybe they do this in wiping the floor or playing with water then they can also do this in drawing and painting. Teachers should encourage the children to make use of their muscles and give instructions that will lead to using previously explored actions in doing art activities.
The association of emergent literacy is also important in creating meaningful art activity, “Children’s picture books are important in as basis for emergent literacy, and thus should be read daily, whether or not the children want to follow the art extension activities you or they propose” Beaty and Pratt (2006, p.193). Where do the children get his visuals or imaginations to create such an artwork? They all get it from readings. Reading can encourage a child to draw more figures, shapes, lines, and colors. His imagination will be rich in characters, places, and situations to draw. Whenever I read new book with my three-year-old son, whatever we discussed in our readings he draws it on his paper. For example, we read a about “Bath Time”, in our drawing time he told me he draw the shower, the towel, and the soap. I’m amazed; I didn’t know he’ll remember all of them. Well yes, his drawings don’t look like all of them, they’re all random lines but the thing is he told me they are all from “Bath Time” book. I see the connection of emergent literacy as an important element in the art process of children. Reading them everyday books will enhance in encourage them to be imaginative and creative.
Art is not merely about the product, but more of the process as a meaningful experience to a child. “Young children are not trying to get anything right or impress anyone. Their drawings reflect their authentic experience, devoid of social norms about how things should be represented” (Kimsky, 1999, p.7). There is a strong emotional feeling when a child draws a certain object. Every time he imagines that object, he will remember the feeling of being there, holding it and watching it. Even recalling the story of it will let him imagine how he wants to draw it. His imagination will guide him to draw. Of course, the end product may not be as pleasant as the adults expected it to be. For 4-7 years old to express his ideas and feelings over a drawing, the process of making it is remarkable. Adults should step away on the norms of what is beautiful and not in a child’s art. Instead, adults should talk to the child about his creations. Through this, the adult will simply understand what was the meaning conveyed behind his work. Adult responses should be carefully observed. It could encourage or inhibit a child from doing art.
The importance of documentation and assessing a child’s art process and product is one of the most important skills a teacher should learn. Through this, a teacher can identify how the child developed in the process of art making. Discover the skills a child must learn, and what else can be added to make the learning meaningful. The importance of documenting helps the teacher learns about how they apply, learn and develop. “The reasons for studying individual children include the following: to understand children, to document a problem, to develop a comprehensive assessment, to plan a program that is developmentally appropriate, and to communicate with families” Schirrmacher (1998, p.348). It is not merely the end product that adults should assess in an art activity but most importantly how the children created such an artwork. Teachers can only assess a child’s creativity by proper documentation and interpretation
of process. Genishi (1993 cited in Schirrmacher, 1998) believes that children’s artistic progress may be documented and saved in portfolios which contain not necessarily the best of children’s art, but instead samples that indicate children’s abilities and preferences at specific points in time. These signed and dated pieces comprise the child’s personal art museum. A teacher has many roles in doing an art activity, an observer, recorder, evaluator and it could be more. There are many ways of observing a child’s artwork but achieving the proper assessment lies on the authenticity of the documentation. The challenge of mastering the art of documenting is still important in teaching practice. Especially interpreting them is a crucial part in assessing the child’s development. To be able to achieve this, thorough practice of the process and patience will allow a teacher to master the skills.
Creativity flourishes when children are enjoying the art process. The amount of joy in the process is remarkable than the product itself. This will stimulate the children to do more creative activities because they are happy with what they are doing. When parents are supportive of their children’s interest, then we will discover the different natural talents of each child. This will lead to mastering the skills and when they become adults. They will use these skills in personal and professional life ( Daniel, Kaufman, Michael, 1992).
In developing creativity, parents and teachers must take the first step in doing this. It lies in our hands how are we going to bring out the best in a child. Restricting them to rules and time will lessen their interest in doing art. Thus, give children the freedom to have their own time to explore on many materials. Give them the chance to go against the norms, let them play, get dirty and wet. Bring out the best in them by encouraging activities that they like to do best. By doing so, they will learn to trust themselves, solve problems, be flexible and more experiences that they will use when they become adults.
References:
Beaty J. & L. Pratt (2006). Early literacy in preschool and kindergarten: a multicultural perspective (2nd ed.). New York. Pearson
Goleman D; Kauffman, P; Ray, M. (1992). The art of creativity. Psychology Today 25 (2):40-47
Matthews J. (2003). Drawing and painting: children and visual representation (2nd ed.). London. Paul Chapman Publishing
Krimsky C (1999). The creativity handbook: a visual arts guide for parents and teachers, Illinois. Charles C. Thomas Publisher
Schirrmacher R.(1998). Arts and creative development for young children (3rd edition). New York. Delmar Publishing
Smith N. (1993). Experience and art: teaching young children to paint. N.Y. Teachers College
