EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SERIES Leslie R. Williams, Editor ADVISORY BOARD: Barbara T. Bowman, Harriet K. Cuffaro, Stephanie Feeney, Doris Pronin Fromberg, Celia Genishi, Stacie G. Goffin, Dominic F. Gullo, Alice Sterling Honig, Elizabeth Jones, Gwen Morgan, David Weikart The Colors of Learning: Integrating the Visual Arts The Early Childhood Curriculum: into the Early Childhood Curriculum A Review of Current Research, 3rd Edition ROSEMARY ALTHOUSE, MARGARET H. JOHNSON, CAROL SEEFELDT, Ed. & SHARON T. MITCHELL Leadership in Early Childhood, 2nd Ed.: A Matter of Trust: Connecting Teachers and Learners The Pathway to Professionalism in the Early Childhood Classroom JILLIAN RODD CAROLLEE HOWES & SHARON RITCHIE Inside a Head Start Center: Bringing Learning to Life: Developing Policies from Practice The Reggio Approach to Early Childhood Education DEBORAH CEGLOWSKI LOUISE BOYD CADWELL Uncommon Caring: The Power of Projects: Learning from Men Who Teach Young Children Meeting Contemporary Challenges in Early JAMES R. KING Childhood Classrooms—Strategies and Solutions Teaching and Learning in a Diverse World: JUDY HARRIS HELM & SALLEE BENEKE, Eds. Multicultural Education for Young Children, 2nd Ed. Widening the Circle: Including Children with PATRICIA G. RAMSEY Disabilities in Preschool Programs Windows on Learning: SAMUEL L. ODOM, Ed. Documenting Young Children’s Work Children with Special Needs: JUDY HARRIS HELM, SALLEE BENEKE, Lessons for Early Childhood Professionals & KATHY STEINHEIMER MARJORIE J. KOSTELNIK, ESTHER ETSUKO ONAGA, Bringing Reggio Emilia Home: An Innovative BARBARA ROHDE, & ALICE PHIPPS WHIREN Approach to Early Childhood Education Developing Constructivist Early Childhood LOUISE BOYD CADWELL Curriculum: Practical Principles and Activities RHETA DeVRIES, BETTY ZAN, CAROLYN HILDEBRANDT, Major Trends and Issues in Early Childhood REBECCA EDMIASTON, & CHRISTINA SALES Education: Challenges Controversies, and Insights Outdoor Play: JOAN P. ISENBERG & MARY RENCK JALONGO, Eds. Teaching Strategies with Young Children Master Players: Learning from Children at Play JANE PERRY GRETCHEN REYNOLDS & ELIZABETH JONES Embracing Identities in Early Childhood Education: Understanding Young Children’s Behavior: Diversity and Possibilities A Guide for Early Childhood Professionals SUSAN GRIESHABER & GAILE S. CANNELLA, Eds. JILLIAN RODD Bambini: The Italian Approach to Infant/Toddler Care Understanding Quantitative and Qualitative Research LELLA GANDINI & CAROLYN POPE EDWARDS, Eds. in Early Childhood Education Educating and Caring for Very Young Children: WILLIAM L. GOODWIN & LAURA D. GOODWIN The Infant/Toddler Curriculum Diversity in the Classroom: New Approaches to the DORIS BERGEN, REBECCA REID, & LOUIS TORELLI Education of Young Children, 2nd Ed. Young Investigators: FRANCES E. KENDALL The Project Approach in the Early Years Developmentally Appropriate Practice in “Real Life” JUDY HARRIS HELM & LILIAN G. KATZ CAROL ANNE WIEN Serious Players in the Primary Classroom: Quality in Family Child Care and Relative Care Empowering Children Through Active Learning SUSAN KONTOS, CAROLLEE HOWES, Experiences, 2nd Edition MARYBETH SHINN, & ELLEN GALINSKY SELMA WASSERMAN Using the Supportive Play Model: Telling a Different Story: Individualized Intervention in Early Childhood Practice Teaching and Literacy in an Urban Public School MARGARET K. SHERIDAN, CATHERINE WILSON GILBERT M. FOLEY, & SARA H. RADLINSKI Young Children Reinvent Arithmetic: The Full-Day Kindergarten: Implications of Piaget’s Theory, 2nd Edition A Dynamic Themes Curriculum, 2nd Ed. CONSTANCE KAMII DORIS PRONIN FROMBERG Supervision in Early Childhood Education, 2nd Ed.: Experimenting with the World: A Developmental Perspective John Dewey and the Early Childhood Classroom JOSEPH J. CARUSO & M. TEMPLE FAWCETT HARRIET K. CUFFARO (Continued) Early Childhood Education Series titles, continued New Perspectives in Early Childhood Teacher Raised in East Urban Education: Bringing Practitioners into the Debate CAROLINE ZINSSER STACIE G. GOFFIN & DAVID E. DAY, Eds. Play and the Social Context of Development in Early Assessment Methods for Infants and Toddlers: Care and Education Transdisciplinary Team Approaches BARBARA SCALES, MILLIE ALMY, AGELIKI NICOLOPOULOU, DORIS BERGEN & SUSAN ERVIN-TRIPP, Eds. The Emotional Development of Young Children: The Whole Language Kindergarten Building an Emotion-Centered Curriculum SHIRLEY RAINES & ROBERT CANADY MARION C. HYSON Children’s Play and Learning Moral Classrooms, Moral Children: Creating a EDGAR KLUGMAN & Constructivist Atmosphere in Early Education SARA SMILANSKY RHETA DeVRIES & BETTY ZAN Serious Players in the Primary Classroom Diversity and Developmentally Appropriate Practices SELMA WASSERMANN BRUCE L. MALLORY & REBECCA S. NEW, Eds. Young Children Continue to Reinvent Arithmetic— Understanding Assessment and Evaluation in Early 2nd Grade Childhood Education CONSTANCE KAMII DOMINIC F. GULLO The Good Preschool Teacher Changing Teaching, Changing Schools: WILLIAM AYERS Bringing Early Childhood Practice into Public A Child’s Play Life: An Ethnographic Study Education—Case Studies from the Kindergarten DIANA KELLY-BYRNE FRANCES O’CONNELL RUST The War Play Dilemma Physical Knowledge in Preschool Education: NANCY CARLSSON-PAIGE & Implications of Piaget’s Theory DIANE E. LEVIN CONSTANCE KAMII & RHETA DeVRIES The Piaget Handbook for Teachers and Parents Caring for Other People’s Children: ROSEMARY PETERSON & A Complete Guide to Family Day Care VICTORIA FELTON-COLLINS FRANCES KEMPER ALSTON Promoting Social and Moral Development in Young Family Day Care: Children Current Research for Informed Public Policy CAROLYN POPE EDWARDS DONALD L. PETERS & ALAN R. PENCE, Eds. Today’s Kindergarten Reconceptualizing the Early Childhood Curriculum: BERNARD SPODEK, Ed. Beginning the Dialogue Visions of Childhood SHIRLEY A. KESSLER & BETH BLUE SWADENER, Eds. JOHN CLEVERLEY & D. C. PHILLIPS Ways of Assessing Children and Curriculum: Stories of Early Childhood Practice Starting School CELIA GENISHI, Ed. NANCY BALABAN The Play’s the Thing: Teachers’ Roles in Children’s Play Ideas Influencing Early Childhood Education ELIZABETH JONES & GRETCHEN REYNOLDS EVELYN WEBER Scenes from Day Care The Joy of Movement in Early Childhood ELIZABETH BALLIETT PLATT SANDRA R. CURTIS The Colors of Learning INTEGRATING THE VISUAL ARTS INTO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD CURRICULUM Rosemary AIthouse Margaret H. Johnson Sharon T. Mitchell Foreword by Carol Seefeldt Teachers College Columbia University New York and London Published by Teachers College Press, 1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027 Copyright © 2003 by Teachers College, Columbia University All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Althouse, Rosemary, 1932– The colors of learning : integrating the visual arts into the early childhood curriculum / Rosemary Althouse, Margaret H. Johnson, Sharon T. Mitchell. p. cm. — (Early childhood education series) ISBN 0-8077-4274-0 (pbk.) 1. Art—Study and teaching (Early childhood) I. Johnson, Margaret H. II. Mitchell, Sharon T. III. Title. IV. Early childhood education series (Teachers College Press) LB1139.5.A78 A48 2002 372.5'044—dc21 2002072232 ISBN 0-8077-4274-0 (paper) Printed on acid-free paper Manufactured in the United States of America 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 In memory of Julia Schwartz and Nancy Douglas, whose joint influence brought us together In honor of Marguerite (Peg) Cowan, Louise Beltramo, and Betty Lou Land, whose teaching inspired us In recognition of the children and teachers who continue to be our instructors Contents Foreword by Carol Seefeldt ix Preface xi Acknowledgments xiii Chapter 1 Integrating Art into the Early Childhood Curriculum 1 Relevancy of Vygotsky’s Theories of Language and Social Interaction 3 Balancing the Visual Art Disciplines with Contemporary Concerns 8 Creative Art Expression: The Reggio Emilia Approach 9 Back to the Future: John Dewey and the Arts in Education 10 Chapter 2 Creating an Inviting Environment for Art Expression 12 An Aesthetically Pleasing and Functional Environment 13 Stationary Properties of the Room 17 Arrangement of Learning Areas 18 Conclusion 23 Chapter 3 Art Media, Tools, and Technological Resources That Foster Language Expression in Art 25 Materials and Tools for Art Expression 25 Acquiring Materials 31 Organizing and Presenting Art Materials 31 Using Technology 37 Conclusion 40 Chapter 4 Beginning Investigations in Art 41 Getting Started at the Discovery Table 41 Observing and Reflecting 43 Guiding Children to Explore and Create 46 Making Connections Across Subjects 49 Conclusion 52 Chapter 5 Guiding Children’s Art Through Language 54 Asking Convergent and Divergent Questions 54 Art Talk 55 Using the ZPD and Dynamic Assessment 56 Developing Curriculum Based on Children’s Knowledge and Interests 57 Using the Immediate Environment to Motivate Art Expression 59 Providing In-Depth Experiences with Natural Materials 61 Building Conceptual Knowledge While Enhancing Art Expression: The City 64 Documenting Children’s Learning 72 vii viii Contents Using Portfolios for Assessment 76 Conclusion 79 Chapter 6 Children Learn About Artists and Themselves as Artists 81 Painting in Jackson Pollock’s Style 81 Introducing Art Reproductions to Children 83 Children Identify with Art