This is an illustration by one of my students she is 11 years old. I have noticed that, since the children have been using charcoal, pastels,( basically all Artist professional materials) their work has improved so much(the children are 4 years up to 12 and they have never worked with these materials before). The children love working with these supplies, using their fingers to blend pastels and charcoal, they have opened an amount of new techniques available to them when they are creating art, and the new materials combined with instruction are responsible for this new creativity and skill level. The children are especially happy with being able and confident to realize their ideas on paper, they are happy with the work they are creating. This goes back to something that I am extremely interested in: the process of creating art, the materials used and rendering ideas from the mind on to paper, canvas etc......................................has anyone had a similar experience in that the tools the children use can have a massive and positive influence on the children, especially unlocking the images in their minds and putting them down on paper, the work on paper is as good as their images in the mind. I know it probably is an obvious thing to most of you better materials equals better work, but this is more than that, the materials have control of the outcome of the children's work, so much so that they are craving the use of these material all of them have asked their parents to get the new supplies, especially charcoal and pastels for Christmas! The children go to a rural primary school with about 200 or less kids in the school, they never get an opportunity to work with these materials in school nor do they get a small introduction to art history or the masters. I believe that the primary school curriculum should include art as a subject rather than a pastime. Do you agree? What about the larger schools closer to the capital and in larger cities around Ireland, do these schools have a better art program for primary school children?
6 comments:
Hi, You have lots of questions here!!, I find with first years that their level of art skills and enthusiasm often correlates to levels of art appreciation associated with their primary school teachers. If a student has been lucky enough to have an enthusiastic teacher WHO IS OPEN TO ART experiences they generally have a positive view of art, sometimes sadly this is not the case, colouring in between the lines is often their perception of what art practice entails. In Castlebar we have a vibrant art centre which serves as workshop spaces and has frequent exhibitions, many of the smaller rural schools would avail of this facility to allow their students to accces professional artists and materials on a regular basis. so even if a primary teacher isn't fully confident of their own art skills and knowledge it allows their students to have a positive experience. Thats probably what I mean by being OPEN to an ART experience. Overall the idea of ART as DOWN TIME ON FRIDAY evening.. FOR HALF AN HOUR once every 3/4 months is really the Big question.....
I think they should stop putting the emphasis on colouring between the lines!! If primary education recognised the benefits of problem solving and creativity that art as a subject can offer, we might have some chance at changing up the system. It is refreshing that you use the "adult" materials with the students and they are lucky to have you.
All so true.....I teach in Tulla which has a Steiner school as one of the feeder schools,the pupils who come to me from here are confident in their creativity, have great terminology and have had early introduction to a wide variety of materials.the same is not true of the conventional national schools,where sticking on pieces of pre cut paper,and as you say colouring between the lines seems to be the art curriculum.The one positive thing I will say is that the primary teachers I have met are aware that they are not always meeting the creative needs of their pupils and are open to transition year projects , artists in residence and such that open up possibilities.
I totally agree with what you are saying, I find like Mary and Jackie, first year students who come to me with some knowledge of art are way more creative and are more willing to try new ideas.
I have an art week every year in school, which is open to all kids, even the ones who (were not allowed to pick art) its so much fun to see students go crazy for what every workshop we run and become creative and arty, maybe for the first time.
Have you experienced a negative response to art? I have been asked on a number of open nights what will kids get out of art? As in they can only see their kids colouring in and cannot see the benefits that art brings to the table. How can we approach or change this negative attitude?
http://www.education.com/reference/article/value-art-preschool-children/
This is the link to the article I shared on google+ addressing and teasing out some of these thoughts by everyone here. Easy reading
Wow all of your responses come from the heart and solid experience!!! When you mention negative experiences and comments questioning the value of art education in a child's life, it brings me back to the days when I was an undergrad and I came home for hollidays people looked sincerely perplexed about my studying art and always asked "what can you do with that?"
Yes perceptions are changing but slowly, it needs to start at home and if parents see the value in art education they will push for more of it in their child's life. I have been fortunate to be in a suitation where I teach art in a community center and the parents have to take the steps to enrol their kids and pay for the classes and because of this most of the parents see the importance and value of art education in their child's life, but in a few cases it's the children that are born with a strong desire to create and they convince the parents to enroll them.
Well it is up to us to change this system for the better!!!
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