I am so fortunate to visit in and out of buildings, programs, schools, centers and libraries! [You know my motto, "Have guitar, will travel!"] There's always something new to see and with my blog(s) and Pinterest now, I have a platform for sharing what I observe on the road.
My recent article over at our collaborative blog, PreK+K Sharing, has stirred up a LOT of comments, feelings and insight regarding the creative process and children. For me to receive a dozen comments on a post is AMAZING!! But to be approaching two dozen lengthy responses in a couple days really turns my head around! To read the heart-felt expressions written in the comments department is incredible.
My recent article over at our collaborative blog, PreK+K Sharing, has stirred up a LOT of comments, feelings and insight regarding the creative process and children. For me to receive a dozen comments on a post is AMAZING!! But to be approaching two dozen lengthy responses in a couple days really turns my head around! To read the heart-felt expressions written in the comments department is incredible.
One teacher left this sentiment, "Great post on a very conversational topic! I got into trouble in the very first school I worked at because I put children's art into the take home folders that wasn't "perfect". Those pieces were removed and replaced with carbon copy art work."
I have a feeling that she's talking about this sort of snowman work, where the head is floating precariously away from its foundation. Perhaps this is the sort of project that would have been deemed unacceptable for the take-home folder in her first place of employment?
If you work with young children are you ever tempted to:
- "fix" a child's artwork to fit the parental or program's expectation?
- "tidy-up" a child's project to make it look more like the model?
- "fluff" a child's efforts to meet your own sensibilities?
- "wiggle" a child's wet project before it dries?
I think that the snowmen pictured above are an example of the middle ground of process vs. product..... perhaps more toward the product end of the continuum. The whole creation of the snowman is formulaic as a base foundation. There are precut pieces that require some 'assemblage.'
These were created by 3 year olds. The actual placement of noses and feeties et. al. were obviously child-directed. The snow fall of white paint is obviously open-ended and child directed and the one 'process' componant of the finished pieces. Does this please the parent need for refrigerator products and still give some room for each child's interpretation? What do you think?
Here's a heart-breaking response written from a parent's perspective:
"I love your article, process is the only way to recreate children who are courageous enough to be creative...when my daughters were in "middle" school they were in an art class and asked to create a certain type of picture, they both worked very hard and were very proud of their accomplishment....unfortunately their art teacher didn't view the art with the same lens...my girls never tried the creative process again, art needs to be a process of wonder not a grade to fit the criteria of someones agenda."
This response from a favorite Art teacher really concerns me dramatically:
"Kids don't like when their work looks DIFFERENT, and I swear it's this whole "teach to the test" mentality. Everyone needs to pass the test. There is a right answer and a wrong answer. If their artwork looks like the teacher's then they're doing the project right. If their work looks even a teensy-weensy bit "off", it's wrong. Kids are intimidated by Art---if they can't draw, they aren't good. That is why I make SURE that I do TONS of different media (weaving, clay, wire sculpture, collage, scribble, splatter, cute, glue, drawing, etc) so that the students see that they are successful in SOME SORT OF MEDIUM, not just drawing.
I understand their frustration, and I understand HOW they got to that point, unfortunately. I've seen a huge shift in creativity in the past few years, since the FCAT (in my state, fill-in-the-blank-with-your-state's-version-of-the-standardized-test-here) has pressured SO many students to come up with the RIGHT answer. Students don't think analytically anymore, they're totally product-oriented. It's a sad transition. (I edited here for brevity..... there's more to read in her original comment.)
I understand their frustration, and I understand HOW they got to that point, unfortunately. I've seen a huge shift in creativity in the past few years, since the FCAT (in my state, fill-in-the-blank-with-your-state's-version-of-the-standardized-test-here) has pressured SO many students to come up with the RIGHT answer. Students don't think analytically anymore, they're totally product-oriented. It's a sad transition. (I edited here for brevity..... there's more to read in her original comment.)
I knew that it was very different for 'me' to be expressing an opinion in my article, and I anticipated that there would be a variety of responses to the examples I shared, but I can promise you that I had no idea to anticipate the types of responses that have been shared to this point. I am so proud that Amy Ahola started my engine with her kick-off on her article, "We Love Paint" and then held my hand behind the scenes to help me step-up-to-the-plate on the issue. It seems there's plenty of room for conversation here.
AFTER DINNER UP-DATE!!!! I pinned the picture of the two stop-lights above on my Pinterest PreK board and asked a question in the description area. What I intended by that was to invite people here to answer. LOW + BEHOLD there are currently nine 'lengthy' comments over there! (In my Pinterest addiction, I've never seen nor instigated anything of the sort.)
Here's a whistle-blower's response from the Pinterest comments:
I'm sorry, but I'm a preschool aide, and I've worked with a lot of teachers that "fix" the kids projects to make them look "better". The teacher I am with now, and I, only help when necessary (like squeezing glue bottles, tearing tape, etc.) I find it somewhat unusual that none of the teachers or aides or parents that have commented have admitted to "fixing". I guess none of the guilty parties want to comment about it! But, there are teachers out there that do it!
Oh WOW! An insider's experience. A Preschool WHISTLE-BLOWER! She's seen it!
Originally I was going to write this post and tie together the white added snow flakes in the preschoolers Art to the white design elements in the elementary school Art below, but that whole concept got thrown out with the bath water. I had already made this collage. So enjoy it for what-its-worth. I'm am just 'whelmed' by all of this!
AFTER DINNER UP-DATE!!!! I pinned the picture of the two stop-lights above on my Pinterest PreK board and asked a question in the description area. What I intended by that was to invite people here to answer. LOW + BEHOLD there are currently nine 'lengthy' comments over there! (In my Pinterest addiction, I've never seen nor instigated anything of the sort.)
Here's a whistle-blower's response from the Pinterest comments:
I'm sorry, but I'm a preschool aide, and I've worked with a lot of teachers that "fix" the kids projects to make them look "better". The teacher I am with now, and I, only help when necessary (like squeezing glue bottles, tearing tape, etc.) I find it somewhat unusual that none of the teachers or aides or parents that have commented have admitted to "fixing". I guess none of the guilty parties want to comment about it! But, there are teachers out there that do it!
Oh WOW! An insider's experience. A Preschool WHISTLE-BLOWER! She's seen it!
Originally I was going to write this post and tie together the white added snow flakes in the preschoolers Art to the white design elements in the elementary school Art below, but that whole concept got thrown out with the bath water. I had already made this collage. So enjoy it for what-its-worth. I'm am just 'whelmed' by all of this!
What's your experience?
Where do you fall on the continuum?
Process?
Product?
Which prepares you most for 'the real' world'???
--Debbie --
I am so eager to hear your feedback!!!
And come back tomorrow -- I've got a big article to share on Fine Motor Development, with specific suggestions!
Article linked to Link & Learn Also lined to Kreative Resources.
I found this thru a tweet & went back to read the original article--but not all the comments. I'm pretty passionate about process over product and I try really hard to give all my kids, who range in age from 3 to 10, opportunity for that at home. The older kids aren't getting it in school, that's for sure. I recently finally found a preschool for my youngest that I am comfortable with. One of the first things the teacher said, while she was giving me a tour of the room, was, "All the art here is open-ended, not cookie cutter. I don't believe in cookie-cutter crafts, and I like to tell parents that right up front, because some parents really want that." For a confused few seconds I wondered if somehow she'd read my blog? How did she know?! I was so glad to hear her philosophies matched my own.
ReplyDeleteNot 'cookie-cutter' really says it all doesn't it. Tells you what you need to know. I'm so glad that you found a place that supports optimal growth. I'm also thrilled to hear that you can personally keep the passion alive for your older children. I think the comment I quoted above regarding the FOCUS on THE TEST has so many ramifications. Wow. We need to band together on this issue. Thanks for sharing your sentiments. I need to track down your blog!
DeleteAs a registered Early Childhood Educator and Developmental Specialist- I have to stifle a scream when I see teachers "fix" a child's work. By doing that you are communicating to the child that their effort wasn't good enough. It's no longer their work at that point. And that discourages children- it makes them refuse to try. Our current western education system was built and designed in the industrial revolution- when linear thinking was your ticket to the top. This isn't the case anymore- the ones who prosper are the ones who can think outside the box- the ones who can think divergently. So why are we still educating our children this way?! Especially when the current research on early development supports process-oriented education. We need to pull our heads out of the sand as an industry and stand up for what we know is right for the well-being and future prosperity of our children.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we need to quit stiffling our screams and scream indeed. This is so unlike me to get so personally opinionated here and obviously I'm long over due for doing so. Your questions are so critical. Why indeed? When our practice catches up to all of the current research we will have made progress indeed. STAND UP!!! Thanks Navan for your thoughts and insight.
DeleteHaving worked with the youngest children (2 through Kindergarten) I can undoubtedly attest to the fact that children hold their art SACRED. Every scribble, every cut of the scissor is an extension of themselves. The pride that shines on their faces when they bring me something as a teacher would never EVER allow me to ruin it by 'fixing' it. I share this with any adults that will listen, but oftentimes it's not a popular belief. The process is so crucial to their individuality as well as their development (pre-writing, etc.)...we should never value product over process. I think school districts AND daycares should require in-service training on this topic alone!
ReplyDeleteAlicia, your use of the word 'sacred' is so very brilliant. Indeed the work of young children is just a heartbeat away from their very souls. I'm beginning to rethink how I present my workshops and trainings based on this entire conversation and the many passionate opinions share here. Thank you for entering the conversation.
DeleteI'm not a preschool teacher, but I do homeschool, teach in Sunday school (craft table), direct a VBS class, and teach in a homeschool co-op. Pretty much, I leave artwork as is. The only thing I'll tweak is either for identification or for transport. What I mean by that is if there is so much paint on a piece that there's no way that mom/dad can transport it home, sometimes I'll blot some off to facilitate drying. If there are pieces that need a touch more glue so that our West Texas wind doesn't carry it off, I might touch those a tad. I won't move them--just help secure them. If the entire piece is covered so that I cannot add a name, I may peel reposition a piece by the corner or wipe off a small area of paint so that the name can fit. Otherwise, leave it as-is. That's the whole point! :-) And I try not to make my "model" perfect either.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your 'true-look-behind-the-scenes' and your experience in what it takes to get the work home in the first place. Your intent is completely different that what our 'whistle-blower' eludes to above, isn't it? Yup!! Leave it as-is: THAT'S THE WHOLE Point!
DeleteOh, and as a *parent,* if I see this cookie-cutter obviously-done-by-the-teacher stuff coming home, it goes straight in the trash the second my kid isn't looking. Either she flat-out didn't do it, or if she did do it, it was such a miserable, personality-less process that she hated it. :-) Thankfully, that RARELY happens.
DeleteKids have to stay in the box for the rest of thier subjects; art shouldn't be that way too.
ReplyDeleteI teach an art literacy program at my son's elementary school (as a volunteer). I do a short presentation to 1-2 parents from each classroom who then go back to the class and teach the children. It's generally a very short introduction to an artist (or movement, culture, etc) with most of the time dedicated to the children trying out art in a similar style to said artist. No matter how many times I stress that we are just exposing them to different styles and different media, and that yes, it should be about the process not the product, because our children don't get many opportunities to just express themselves and color outside the lines at our school -- somehow my son's class is the only one whose display looks like children actually did the work (He is in second grade this year; I've been doing this since his kinder year).
The sad thing is that this year I have had to work pretty hard to get even the kids on board with it. Some of them are totally lost and confused at the idea that there is no right way to do it and have a hard time producing ANYTHING without step by step instructions and samples to copy. I read "Beautiful Oops" to them the first session this year, and asked why they thought I did. The first response I got was "so we don't waste paper?". And most of these kids have been in class with my son for 3 years and have had me coming in once a month with the message that art is what we feel and there is no one way to complete any of the projects that I bring to them.
Interesting. As an academic university student who took a papermaking class for fun, I felt the same way as your students. The instructor said 50% of our grade would be on the final project, and I was desperate for him to give me parameters, but he just kept saying, "Experiment, do whatever you want." I must have been about a month from the end of the semester before I finally realized what he meant--that the end product of my experimentation didn't matter that much, what mattered was the experimenting. I ended up rejecting all the things I'd been considering as a project, and instead spent several weekend hours in the studio making paper from plants I'd picked in my own neighborhood (within one block of my house) just to see what the paper looked like. I blended most of them with abaca for body, and used two methods of fiber preparation. Some of the papers I ended up with were ugly...some wouldn't stick together. But Rudy was glad to see I finally got it!
DeleteMy Flying Pigs and mejaka..... so much to respond to in your piggy-back thoughts here. Me thinks that we've stumbled upon an amazing issue here, adults/teachers/parent-volunteers who are 'tinkering' with the art product projects for a more pleasing outcome for parents. YE GADS! Whole classes of children whose art work has been re-aligned?
DeleteExperimenting, being given a wide-open playing field to explore is a novel idea for many. There's so much of this 'cookie-cutter' mentality. Where does our innate creativity 'go' and when? Seven year olds who are perplexed as to where to begin? I can imagine adults stymied, but seven year olds? Sigh.
I teach per-k currently. I only do product art on an extremely limited basis. I prefer, as do my students, to do process art. I love seeing the unique work of each child. I try to expose my students, even when I taught toddlers, to different mediums.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for joining our conversation here. I am grateful for all of the experiences shared. My fave, "I love seeing the unique work of each child." I bet ya a nickel that they know that about you. Children have such a sense of truth about such feelings. They recognize love. Lucky kiddos!!
DeleteResponding here as requested, though I saw this on Pinterest. I worked for a year with my daughter's K teacher, a well-respected woman (she was the one that all the future K teachers wanted to student teach with). She did this all the time--fixed them, told kids to fix them. I often was assigned to run the art station, and it drove me nuts when she wandered by. She even FINISHED the art projects of kids who were absent for the second part or pulled out of the room during those stations (for computer time, for reading help, whatever). It made me want to scream. I have taken my own preschool-aged kids to the library and watched parents "fix" or direct in a very hands-on way the simple glue-and-color projects the library provides (one I remember in particular was simply gluing little vehicles, modes of transportation, to large squares cut from old maps--one of my twins stacked all the vehicles, the other glued them every-which-way, and right across the table from me a mother kept saying things like "Oh, honey, that's water! Buses don't drive on water. Where should the bus go?" I think she was trying to model her educational skills for me in hopes I would help my boys do it "right," but I wasn't impressed). I've sat by my preschool-age daughter at a paint-your-own ceramics studio, biting my tongue and sitting on my hands to be sure she gets to express her own creativity and not just bend to mine, and listened to other parents insist that their children paint just so, with just such colors. It kills me. Not every fridge-dwelling construction-paper creation is art, nor are they all intended to be--but if the teacher calls it art it had better include freedom of expression. Even if the bus ends up in the Atlantic Ocean and there's a bicycle flying on the wing of the airplane.
ReplyDeletemejaka, I really do appreciate your coming over here to leave your thoughts 'permanently' as they add so much to the conversation. I am sitting here in utter amazement that a teacher would 'complete' a project for an ABSENT child. Crummy buttons!!!! Where does this parental competition come from? Society? That learning to sit on your hands is a good skill to practice as you will need it through out your parenting chapters. Thanks again!
DeleteI JUST posted about this very thing! http://lookatmyhappyrainbow.com/product-vs-process/
ReplyDeleteWOWZERS!!! We people of the rainbow really do think alike. That's almost eerie cool! Always great to connect with you my rainbow-friend. I LUV knowing how clearly connected we are. Thanks so much for coming by and sharing the link!!!!
DeleteI took an art class with my niece a few years ago. All the parents were fixing their kid's work and it was a Picasso class! I thought perhaps it was because I wasn't a parent... that I didn't get it.
ReplyDeleteJust this week my daughter came home from school frustrated with an art project because it "wasn't right." Until I saw your post I actually didn't think much of it. THANK YOU for snapping me out of it. We obviously need to do more open projects at home.
Have you seen this video already?
http://letslassothemoon.com/2012/01/24/schools-kill-creativity/
Thanks again!
Can't wait to watch the TED video, Zina. I'm so grateful for your bringing it to my attention and to your leaving the link here in the 'archives' for others. I've been thinking about your daughter's feeling of her project that 'wasn't right' all night. It seems to me that the moment that happens is a crossroads of such a critical nature. KUDOS to your parenting to realize where to head next to reinforce her confidence!!! PROCESS!!
DeleteThe disconnect for children to 'suddenly' think they can't dance, can't draw, can't sing, can't, can't, can't is a reflection on all of the adults, media, the educational system -- who can we blame? When does it happen? How can we stem the tide?
I'm so grateful for your continuing the conversation and inviting others in.
This totally hit home...When I was a new first grade teacher, I was so shocked to see my classroom's artwork/projects compared to some of the other first grade classes. In one particular class, every single child's piece of art looked exactly the same, and was perfect. As a young, naive teacher, I first thought that she must be a much better art teacher than I was! As time went on, I finally understood that she must be doing much of their work herself or at least fixing it. With my room right across the hall, I actually felt pressure to get my student's stuff "just right". After much reflection, I realized that it was not about what I could do, it was the process of what the students were doing and learning along the way.
ReplyDeleteNow, as a parent, I am much more tempted to "fix" my child's projects and school work than I was with my students...I want her stuff to be perfect and have to stop myself from trying to make it my work and let it be hers.
Liz your honesty and insight are such a contribution to this 'conversation' and I thank you for "going there." This feeling of 'measuring-up' whether its the teacher comparing whole classrooms of work in the hallway or the parent wanting/needing the child's work to be PERFECT is so telling.
DeleteNow what? Now that we've identified what has perhaps been unspoken -- now what. You've given me so much to consider and I appreciate that, as I attempt to steer this conversation into the future.
Omgosh saw this post thanks to Zina posting on FB. Before I had to quit teaching I faced this every day in the classroom. My students knew they were free to create how their heart led them but it was the parents I had to educate as to the why. This is what made a difference: There are many, varied, and unusual ways to create any piece of artwork or solve a problem. Teaching kids early to think out of the box would give their creativity a solid foundation as they grow. Another way to reinforce this is to expose your kids to as much artwork from artists as possible. Let them build their own framework as to what a flower looks like in relation to abstract, realism, collage etc. As an artist now, I am grateful to have my "weird" work from my childhood. It has shown me my crestive path of being unique rather than ordinary.... thank goodness my parents weren't fixers!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness indeed. Ardith what a treasure to have work from your own childhood. Your parents not only weren't 'fixers' but they cared enough to keep your treasures alive: LITERALLY! How do you respond to the Art Teacher above as she laments over the wholesale loss of creativity in the children's she teaches?
DeleteArtists unite. Speak louder. We need to articulate these issues in more avenues. Beat the drum. The very creativity of our children-at-large is apparently at stake.
I never thought I "fixed" my students' artwork over the years, but I am certainly going to pay closer attention to NOT doing this from now on. I just hope I haven't inadvertently destroyed a child's creative process with a flippant remark or judgemental suggestion. Thanks for raising my awareness on my own practice. Process is DEFINITELY the way!
ReplyDeletegreenhouse: you are welcome indeed. The process of creating is indeed so very personal, that to have flippant response can indeed be devastating -- depending on how resilliant the child's spirit.
DeleteThank you so much for taking the time to connect here. Let's keep raising awareness for each other!! In that process children the world over will benefit.
I didn't comment on your original article, but I was really struck by it. I've come into a kindergarten classroom (not an art room, to be fair) where children spend a great deal of time coloring in duplicated coloring pages. When it's time for children to illustrate stories they've written, they don't see the point in art. One student asked me if they needed to draw a picture and I replied that they should illustrate what they’ve written. She then said, “Well, drawing isn’t that important.” I said everything I could in that moment to defend the value of the arts to a five-year-old, but there wasn’t much I could do.
ReplyDeleteAnd then, I've seen art teachers take the pencil out of a second grader's hand and erase their work because "trees don't look like that." I've watched these kids fall into despondency after the teacher walks off, and then get reprimanded for "not trying." As a lowly student teacher, there hasn't been much for me to do yet besides offering quiet encouragement and unconditional support for these children. I mean, I faced my fair share of product-oriented art projects growing up, and it didn't stop me from following my love for art (or, well, maybe it did. Come to think of it, I chose not to be an art teacher because it didn't seem like the best use of my skills. Hm...).
Thanks for writing these articles. It's nice to see so many people thinking critically about this concept.
CHEERS indeed! callenrogers, it is indeed amazing and encouraging to see such a response to these issues. It is a delight for me to have any sort of comment on a blog article, but these heart felt and passionate responses are amazing.
ReplyDeleteIt breaks my heart to hear the situations you have observed and the response from the children that has followed. You are new to the profession -- with so much to contribute. I am grateful for having stirred the pot for you to consider the ramifications of all of these issues. I can just envision your 'arguement' with the five year old. More sighs. We need to forge ahead doing what we "KNOW" is best practice even when we are sometimes in the minority --- or maybe even MORE so if we feel we are in the minority.
I think that there is a difference between ART and a directed listening activities and crafts. There were times in my kindergarten classroom that I would write instructions on how to create a craft of a duck for example with directions. 1. Cut a large yellow oval and a small yellow circle. 2. Put the small yellow circle on top of the large yellow oval... and the projects all turned out similar, but very different vs our weekly water color painting and writing activity where the students were free to process art. I think that parents appreciate both, but that many traditional teachers have one way for "projects" to look. I may have showed my example, then hid it. My students projects never looked the same, I would encourage them to add bows or bowties, necklaces... to give their projects personality and make them their own.
ReplyDeleteAmanda, it sounds like you have a very considered strategy for how you use your Art time and how you use 'crafts' -- each for their own learning goals, each with their own strategies. That sounds like the best of both worlds. I congratulate you for figuring out how to incorporate each.
DeleteI just advocate for MORE when it comes to the open ended Art experience -- in general. I'm glad that you have a strategy and that its obviously working for you. Thanks for stopping by to share your experience -- and how it works out in your classroom.
I work in a daycare setting, one of our 4 yr old teacher does most of all the art for her children. She even tells them what color of crayons they can use on certain projects, green for trees, orange for pumpkins. When I go in her room and do an art activity the children are afraid to make their own art choices. I have said many things to her about this. I am going to show her this article and hopefully it helps her understand the importance of process. She has even thrown away projects away that weren't perfect and made the kiddos do them again. Her art always looks like the cookie cutter version of the activity.
ReplyDeleteOh dear sweet anonymous-friend. My heart sank as I read your comment. The part that is particularly distressing to me is your observation that, "the children are 'AFRAID' to make their own art choice."
DeleteWe have so much room-for-growth in our profession if this is your experience on a regular basis. I hope that your teaching friend is open to a further discussion/introspection on ALL of these issues.... to me, they are the very CORE of what education is all about. Will we let them think for themselves? Will we let them explore their environment?
I hope that you also read my initial 'article' over at PreK+K Sharing, the one that launched all of this discussion in the first place. I just reread what I wrote there from the perspective of your comment -- I hope that it helps.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Best wishes as you support the growth of the adults in your midst, too.
Debbie
ReplyDeleteI wanted to know if I would be able to use some of your pictures. We are having our annual Pancake Dinner and Art Show next week. After reading this section of your blog we thought it would be great to have table tents to explain Process Art and Why we do it.
Thanks
Jannelle
PS When are you coming to AZ
I seriously need to have an invitation back to ARIZONA!!! It's been ages and ages. See what you can do about that, Jannelle. OK?
DeleteYou have my absolute permission to use the images here and those over at my PreK+K Sharing article in your efforts to help your parents grasp the importance of what you're doing from a process-Art foundation. I am honored and flattered that you would ask! Thank you for guiding the parents to understand this significant bedrock concept. I wish you well in your efforts. I'll be thrilled to hear how it goes!
As a parent of a young child with AWFUL fine motor skills, this is what I have to say on it. I love it when he brings home projects...whether accurate, perfect, or a total mess. From what I can tell, his teacher's don't "fix" his art...and for that I am thankful. I think if I ever found out that the projects and artwork I treasure so much were actually NOT created by my son, but instead micromanaged into a "perfect" finished product...I'd be heartbroken.
ReplyDeleteI am currently teaching preschool for my second year. We have changes Directors and with that philosophies. My first year teaching we followed a very product oriented day. Often encouraging more color or design. This year our director is quite different where process is key. The one difference I do notice is that the children are often quick to move away from the art table if there are not parameters defined of a completed project. I appreciate the pretty pictures but am much more in line with the process and creativity being encouraged. How do I encourage the process....I don't feel they are experiencing the full process when they are only at the art center for a minute or two.
ReplyDeleteCould we just stop calling crafts "art"? It's not art to glue down six little pieces of paper the teacher gave you so that they match the model she showed you. It's more like doing a little puzzle. My not-so-great-with-fine-motor-stuff child, just turned 4, is bringing those things home all the time, and I don't think they're teaching him a good lesson even if the teacher isn't interfering (and she doesn't seem to be).
ReplyDeleteBeyond not fixing the kids' work, maybe there should be a different approach entirely. If it's time to lean about ducks, show some pictures of in different media (photograph, construction paper craft, watercolor, chalk drawing, whatever) and let the children choose their own media and their own style. It means having more materials available for them, but it will get them doing REAL art... not assembling a puzzle.
I am a former 4 year old teacher... and now I am the director of a child care center that specializes in children with special needs, who comprise about 45% of our total enrollment. As a teacher, I was more about process... I occasionally did a combo work of process/product in the form of specifically working on skills of listening, and skill development. Those products were few and far between. I mostly enjoyed watching the children create... I never tweaked their art! Art materials were available all the time in my classroom, and the children regularly created their own works freely. It is the way art should be! Recently I accept the position as director and am now leading a large group of teachers, and I see too much of the combo process/product... I'm going to be using this article along with my own examples of children's work to share with my teaching staff the importance of process art for children!!!
ReplyDelete