Visual and Performing Arts

CHAPTER 2 Visual and Performing Arts 39 VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS he visual and performing arts are as natural to young children’s lives as language and play are. The arts Tbuild skills such as problem solving and critical thinking; they bring parallel opportunities for the development of language/communication, mathematics, and the development of social and interpersonal skills. The following activities are often referred to as children’s play: scribbling with a crayon, pretending to be a pirate or a bird, humming bits of a tune, banging on a drum, or swaying to music. But, as the California Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 2 clearly points out, these behaviors in fact show elements of artistic expression and creation that support continuous development of artistic skills. They also show the hallmarks of children’s abilities to express them- selves through symbols and aesthetic images. Such a developmental perspective and social–emotional development occurs supports this curriculum framework for as children progress from ages three to the visual and performing arts. Making five. At the same time, their drawings simple and repetitive marks on paper are become more mature and expressive, a foundation for visual art; the simplest their pretend characters and settings melodies and rhythms support learn- become more complex and social, their ing in music; engaging in dramatic play musical expression skills grow with their by pretending to be another character, muscular coordination and abilities to perhaps in a make-believe land, is essen- discern beat, tone, and melody, and the tial to drama; and moving even slightly movements they coordinate with music to the beat or mood of music becomes or simply orchestrate in silence gain in dance. This chapter of Volume 2 points to surety and expressive complexity. environments, materials, and practices A primary responsibility of the pre- that can help children progress in their school teacher is to let such natural artistic skills and knowledge during the developments occur. Child-initiated artis- preschool years. tic activity is valuable not only because Much of children’s development in the it is so enmeshed with a host of devel- visual and performing arts during the opments for children, but also because preschool years proceeds naturally and children cherish ownership of much of needs only fertile soil, along with time, to what they do. Children follow their hearts grow. Children initiate many behaviors and minds to what interests them and to and routines when they simply go about areas where they experience increasing their play. They practice many skills mastery. They draw as they will and may along the way, and supportive physical not be interested in exactly what thing, 40 VISUAL ART VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS animal, or person the creation represents. organic development presenting itself no They may hold firm to their idea of how matter how it came about. to draw a tree, behave like a bear, or sing Two sections describe a productive like a bird; it often becomes important for context in which the visual and perform- teachers and other adults to avoid cri- ing arts can be brought to the preschool. tiquing such expressions (except where As with other chapters in this publica- the child may solicit advice). Teachers tion, this chapter describes what are would do well to let the child experiment considered guiding principles that apply with, and perhaps revise, her expressions to teaching preschool-age children and as the need occurs or as maturing views learning in the visual and performing of the world and its possible representa- arts. Some principles are drawn from tions take hold. knowledge of teaching and learning; oth- Along with child-initiated art, a com- ers are directed specifically to instruction plementary perspective needs reinforce- and learning in the arts. Guidance is pro- ment. This perspective recognizes the vided about materials and environments ways that teachers can and should sup- that serve to support development in the port young learners in their development. arts in preschools. Clearly, the environ- An element of this scaffolding is creating ments and materials should support the conditions in the preschool program in choices children typically make to pur- which interesting and important connec- sue visual art, music, drama, and dance. tions between the arts and other devel- Environmental conditions and material opments can take place. Capitalizing on provisions also need to support what language and communication opportuni- teachers wish to bring to artistic activities ties is another example; placing children in their classrooms. in settings where cooperation is impor- Finally, each of the four strands tant and where cooperative dispositions features discussions. A research high- and skills may grow is yet another. Some light brings to life an area or topic in art activities can help children become the research literature relevant to the aware of and reflect on differences among strand—visual art, music, drama, or people, become exposed to diverse art dance. A sample developmental sequence forms from different cultures, and cre- in children’s drawing also illustrates the ate a common platform of learning for strand. Notes about encouraging family children between home and school. These involvement in the arts with children and considerations will set the stage for chil- some questions for reader reflection close dren’s growth and interest in the arts. the sections. Many vignettes in this chapter pre- sent examples of situations where child- initiated activities unfold and how teachers can best take advantage of them. Other situations involve teacher-planned actions for important purposes—to spark actions and reactions on the part of children, to ensure full inclusion of children in the early childhood setting, to bring about specific language learning in a for- mal, planned way, or to capitalize on an VISUAL ART 41 VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS mathematics, and the development of Guiding Principles social and interpersonal skills. In the same vein, the arts have applications to learning in many disciplines and to This section describes general prin- aspects of social–emotional development. ciples for preschool teaching and learning Observant teachers can capitalize on the in the visual and performing arts. Each is arts to foster such development. applicable in some way to learning in any The arts can be pursued even with of the arts disciplines. Some principles are meager budgets and free materials. Chil- derived directly from contemporary theo- dren benefit from high-quality learning ries of learning and child development. experiences and high-quality materials— These include the importance of teachers both as vehicles to encourage exploration “knowing” their children and providing and as symbols that demonstrate adult instructional activities that tap into their caring for children’s welfare. prior levels of knowledge and preparation for those activities. Some principles, such The arts are inclusive of all children. as the first one below, point out general The arts allow all children to partici- attributes of children as learners, particu- pate in a meaningful and significant larly their keen, almost innate, enthusi- way and can help in developing a asm for the arts. collaborative preschool environment. The principles also include statements All individuals, including children with about the importance of exploration in disabilities or other special needs, can pursuing the arts; after all, children’s find the arts satisfying and enjoyable. creative expression will be more authentic Accomplished artists with disabilities— when it is not dictated by adult rules or Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Chuck standards. When allowed this freedom, Close (Wylie Coyote), Frida Kahlo, and children will pursue not so much quests Itzhak Perlman, among others—can for right answers in art, but rather for serve as inspiration to all child artists, expressions that are right for them or especially those with a shared experi- pleasing. This principle certainly does ence of a disability. not suggest that teachers, parents, and The arts are a language that is caregivers are not valuable participants in common to all. the creative process. Their role is to scaf- Arts education is an opportunity to fold learning; they do this by providing improve communication and embrace structure to activities, mediating potential understanding between children of problems, and inspiring and encourag- different linguistic, cultural, and ing children’s progress. In this manner, socioeconomic backgrounds, and be- adults can make the arts rewarding to tween children with different abilities. all children, including those with special Children will flourish from using the needs. arts as a means of self-expression. Beyond helping to build artistic skills, Additionally, arts education may serve reflection and modification are important as a scaffold to help children build to the creative process. These opportuni- verbal language skills. A prop and ties in the arts also build skills such as shared experience can create a point problem solving and critical thinking; the of shared meaning among children arts bring parallel opportunities for the and in teacher–child interactions. development of language/communication, 42 VISUAL ART VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS The arts promote dispositions reinforce, promote, extend, or redirect for learning. learning. When provided with time for Most young children enter preschool exploration, an appropriate environ- with a love of drawing, pretending, ment, modeling, and encouragement, listening to music, humming and sing- children will grow to value their own ing, and moving. They have a natural expressions and interpretations. curiosity about the arts and a desire Children are capable of creating to be involved with and play through original art in all its forms. the arts. Daily time devoted to learning Preschool children have an impressive in the arts, the learning environment, capacity to be inventive and skillful in adult–child interactions, and the cur- their creations. Often this is observed riculum design support and develop at play.

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