Visual arts: To display or to not display.. that is the question!

"How children learn and what they learn through art is largely influenced by the values of their surrounding culture: families, teachers and the local community" (Brown and Watkins, 2012, p. 111).

Visual art display at my son's preschool - spiders, caterpillars and butterflies!

My son's memories of his visit to the National Museum of Australia.

Research has highlighted that children feel a deep connection with their artwork, through the experience of creating it and the personal investment they made towards it. This connection is also linked to displaying the art. By treating the practice of displaying student’s artwork with less sensitivity (including consultation about whether or not a student wants to display their artwork) than the practice of making art, diminishes the emotional investment made by the student. Research shows that as adults we underestimate the significance of art experiences and the direct impact they have on young children, and we should be more sensitive about the entire art experience including displaying their artwork (Boone, 2008, p. 22- 40).

Displaying my children's artwork at home is something I have always done, albeit quite selectively and usually without much consultation. Here is what our family room looks like:

A selection of my kids art displayed at home.

More art on display at home.

From now on, not only will I plan to ensure I am sensitive to my future students about their art experiences, I will also consult with my children about which pieces of artwork they'd like to put on display at home!

Visual literacy (being able to read, understand and create visual texts) is a crucial skill in our increasingly complex visual, digital world, and picture books are a simple and effective way of cultivating such skills (Brown and Watkins, 2012, p. 123). Analysing illustrations in picture books using Bloom's Taxomony is a fantastic visual literacy resource for students of all ages. The following links provide some useful ideas for how to integrate picture books in to the curriculum:

• Ways of viewing and teaching picture books: Every picture tells a story
• Visual literacy through childrens picture books

References:

Boone, D. (2008). Young children's experience of visual displays of their artwork. Australian Art Education, 31(2), 22-45.

Brown, R., Macintyre, P. & Watkins, M. (2012). Learning in and through the visual arts. In C. Sinclair, N. Jeannert & J. O'Toole (Eds), Education in the arts. Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press.

Visual Art: 'Bubble and Squeak' or 'Five Star Feast'?

"Painting is just another way of keeping a diary."

- Pablo Picasso

In keeping with Speck's (1989) food analogy, Brown, Macintyre and Watkins (2012) suggest that children's earliest visual literacy can be nurtured through a 'diet' rich in picture books. In fact, it is the visual image as much as the written narrative that 'tells the story', often revealing a 'hidden text' such as poverty, otherwise difficult to explain to young children in words. A favourite illustrator in our family is Freya Blackwood, who is able to convey emotional situations with style and sensitivity:

From: L.Gleeson and F. Blackwood (2011). Look! A book. Richmond, VIC: Little Hare Books.

For older readers, an eerie lithograph by Lucy Boston is equally evocative:

From: L. Boston (1954). The Children of Green Knowe. London, England: Faber & Faber.

Powell (1997) includes connections between the Arts and ordinary life as a catalyst for learning: returning to our 'food' theme, it is neither "frosting" nor "cake" but a need to "be more" rather than "know more"; to find "the extraordinary in the ordinary" and cultivate our "capacity for delight and wonder" (p. 453). Art in the 'everyday' enables student and teacher to explore social and cultural themes fearless of judgement or failure. Nick Hobbs also highlights the connections between art, creative space and life: art is not only a reflection of the artist, but an ongoing conversation 'fed' by relationships, context and experience: http://arts.tas.gov.au/industry_development/air/air_2011

'Tree hugging: Art in the city', Melbourne, 2014. 

Spontaneous sculpting of miniature wiltjas in the Gibson Desert, Western Australia, 2014.

As Speck (1989) suggests, the relationship between our own response to art informs our ability to provide valuable experiences to students. She refers to the 'cafeteria' approach, essentially a 'smorgasbord' or 'tasting menu' combination of meaningless materials and mindless 'busywork'. While this would be unacceptable in other disciplines, focusing on readily assessable activities in Visual Arts limits both aesthetic appreciation and creative expression.

As evidenced in this kindergarten self-portrait, in most cases children start school already capable of representative drawing.

Boone (2008) explores the complexities of displaying children's art, particularly for public consumption. Despite some misgivings, children "tend to be proud of the artwork they create", she writes, "and are happy for others to see it because children's art makes viewers happy" (p. 34).

A sensitively orchestrated school art show can instil pride in students and inspire conversations with parents.

Further Notes: 

The National Gallery of Victoria operates a diverse program of activities and resources which can be further explored here: http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/education/

Vikki

References:

Boone, D. (2008). Young children's experience of visual displays of their artwork. Australian Art Education, 31(2), 22-45.

Boston, L. M. (1954). The children of Green Knowe. London, England: Faber & Faber.

Brown, R., Macintyre, P. & Watkins, M. (2012). Learning in and through the visual arts. In C. Sinclair, N. Jeannert & J. O'Toole (Eds), Education in the arts. Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press.

Gleeson, L. & Blackwood, F. (2011). Look! A book. Richmond, VIC: Little Hare Books.

Powell, M. C. (1997). The arts and inner lives of teachers. Phi Delta Kappan, 78(6), 450-453.

Speck, C. (1999). A depth art curriculum for the primary school (1989). Australian Art Education, 22(1), 71-85.

Drama in Learning...

And I thought my life was already full of drama!

From racing car drivers...

to a ballerina and a firefighter!

Drama is a powerful tool that should be used in everyday pedagogy and to enhance socio-cultural experiences (Bird, Donelan, Freebody, O'Toole and Sinclair, 2012, p. 67).

The importance of the element time in drama resonated with me this week. On the surface this seems like an element that may not be as critical as focus, mood and contrast. Time includes time spent ensuring students feel trust, confidence and mutual regard for each other, time for skills, techniques and understanding to develop, time spent establishing a safe environment for the activity to take place in, and time for the activity to take place without being rushed or sacrificing reflection (Bird et al., 2012. p. 49). Time is critical in drama for success!

In considering the use of drama strategies in everyday curriculum I thought of the picture book King Pig by Nick Bland which explores the themes of power, leadership, friendship and identity. 

Some of strategies I would like to use with King Pig include:

• conscience alley used to explore the dilemma for little sheep to remain loyal to King Pig,
• role play where the teacher and students could all 'step in to the role' to explore the moral issue of how King Pig treats the sheep,
• role on wall where the students write key words and phrases on to a large outline of a pig and sheep describing them, and
• hot seating where King Pig is questioned by the sheep about his behaviour towards them.

Drama strategies seem to lend themselves to literacy concepts and I can see a clear connection and relationship between them. Though I have been surprised (and delighted!) to also find some fantastic examples of how drama could be incorporated in other curriculum topics such as numeracy:

• The witch's hat maths lesson 
• Drama-based instruction 

In reading more about drama strategies I came across the Drama Resource website by David Farmer. I think this a really valuable resource for implementing drama strategies. 

References:

Bird, J., Donelan, K., Freebody, K., O'Toole, J. & Sinclair, C. (2012). Drama: Social dreaming in the 21st Century. In C. Sinclair, N. Jeannert & J. O'Toole (Eds), Education in the arts. Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press.

Bland, N. (2013). King Pig. Lindfield, NSW: Scholastic Press.

Farmer, D (n.d.). Drama Resource. Retrieved 22 July 2015 from http://dramaresource.com

Drama Dreamings...

"I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the heart's affections, and the truth of the imagination."  
-  John Keats

For me, this week highlighted the power of drama in education, both as a subject and a tool. As well as academic benefits, social implications include a heightened awareness of self and others. An extension of play, trusting relationships and a 'safe' atmosphere are essential to explore ideas, feelings and experiences, absorbed from the 'outside' and expressed from the 'inside'. As Bird et al. (2012) suggest, drama is an invitation to negotiate "meanings for the real world through the lens of the imagined world" (p. 67).

Costumes can be fun but a simple prop can equally transform either a person or a space.

A sixteenth-century cannon becomes a see-saw on the Island of Sark, reflecting the critical relationship between drama and play.

Such an example is the Fox workshop which raises issues surrounding trust, loyalty and betrayal. 'What is friendship?'; 'Who can be friends?' are questions that might intrigue a primary class.

www.readings.com.au

In the context of my own work with Ngaanyatjarra children from the Gibson Desert, this tale has features that resonate with local dreaming stories (tjukurrpa): reinforcing cultural connections, these tend not to end well either!

For younger grades, a less confronting text exploring unlikely friendships is Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood's Banjo and Ruby Red.

www.readings.com.au

Teaching strategies might include pre-text games, demarcating a 'safe' space to build trust between students (engaging), experimenting with dialogue, 'conscience' or 'decision alley' activities (making), sharing interpretations (presenting) and writing/drawing in role (responding), though boundaries are obviously blurred. I loved concepts like 'freeze frame', 'role on the wall' and 'hot seat', in particular their capacity to put participants 'at ease', engage different learning styles and 'recast' the teacher-student relationship. Such activities not only have the potential to actively include a range of abilities, but can also, as we saw in the class exploring The Green Children, reinforce the validity of various interpretations.

Engaging, inclusive and intrinsically motivating, drama enables students to actively construct learning in an innovative way that shifts classroom power relations and extends conceptual thinking.

Further Questions...

How to put the very shy at ease?
How to encourage the prosaic to 'suspend disbelief'?

Vikki

References:

Bird, J., Donelan, K., Freebody, K., O'Toole, J. & Sinclair, C. (2012). Drama: Social dreaming in the 21st Century. In C. Sinclair, N. Jeannert & J. O'Toole (Eds), Education in the arts. Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.

Blakemore, L. & Grainger, T., (n.d.). Drama in the classroom: Improving reading and writing through  the use of drama. Retrieved from http://www.creativeeducation.co.uk/video/525

Gleeson, L. & Blackwood, F. (2013). Banjo and Ruby Red. Richmond, Vic: Little Hare Books.

Wild, M. & Brooks, R. (2010). Fox. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin.

My School portrait

I was educated in Canberra from the mid 1980s...

Source: Torrens Primary School Band retrieved from www.torrensps.act.edu.au

Reflecting on my own primary school education I have realised that while creative arts may not have had the same importance placed on them as numeracy and literacy, they were considered more than just a rainy day activity. We had an active school band and a role could be found for anyone who was interested. Whole school productions were regularly organised and participation was encouraged. I also remember being given opportunities to try new things - I have a vivid memory of using a computer to create designs that could be printed, it was modern and amazing!

It was in secondary school that creative arts became more of a personal choice, though importantly we had several options to choose from. There were the usual electives of music and drama, and we also had the gender stereotyped electives of woodwork, metalwork, and humanities. I was a bit of a rebel, I chose technical design and loved it!

Whilst creative arts may not have been integrated across the curriculum, they were available, students were encouraged to try different things, and most importantly they were considered part of a good education. I still remember students’ achievements in those classes being publically celebrated. For me, experiences in creative arts is an expectation I have of education.

John O'Toole (2012) comments that play and art are natural motivators. This idea resonates with me when I think about the enthusiasm I felt for participating in these classes compared with my dry and at times confusing maths class. I am now trying to imagine how our education experiences may have varied if the creatives arts had been integrated with some of the more polarising, challenging, albeit important, curriculum topics... perhaps I wouldn't have struggled with maths?!

References:

O'Toole, J. (2012). Art, creativity and motivation. In C. Sinclair, N. Jeannert & J. O'Toole (Eds), Education in the arts. Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.

At School...

"All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." 

- Pablo Picasso

Throughout my primary schooling art was usually a treat, a 'time-filler', or a task for early finishers. Resources were generally limited to crayons, pencils and textas applied to butcher paper. (Charcoal was banned after some boys coloured their faces in!) And choir practice was the closest we ever came to a 'concert' performance, though I recall one or two comedic 'skits' in the final years. So, yes, as O'Toole (2012) argues, the creative arts were marginalised, though I expect our 'free play' was less prescribed and supervised than that of today's schoolchildren.

My younger son, James, has had a more diverse arts experience...

Not surprisingly, creative arts were considered a 'soft' elective at secondary school, though some teachers were inspired to integrate a more imaginative perspective into subjects such as History and English Literature. Drawing Chaucer's 'Wife of Bath' was a challenge, though reflections on the artistic merit of our attempts were shallow at best.

www.luminarium.org/medlit/wife.htm

Medieval English, not aesthetic literacy, was the main game after all!

Since then, thankfully, priorities have shifted to a more considered view of the role of the arts in school. Overall, my own arts experience reminds me of the 1978 song 'Flowers are Red' by Harry Chapin:

Ironically, I remember having to sing it at school!

Vikki

References:

O'Toole, J. (2012). Art, creativity and motivation. In C. Sinclair, N. Jeannert & J. O'Toole (Eds), Education in the arts. Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.

Introduction - Rachael

Rachael:

My nearly five year old son's portrait of his family

I took the plunge last year and made the decision to take a voluntary redundancy from my cushy public service job. I wanted more from my career, I want to be more involved with my community, challenged, fulfilled and have fun! So I decided to become a primary school teacher.

I will admit that some of the arts do not come naturally to me. I have never felt comfortable ‘performing’ in front of people, though I really enjoy creating and designing things. As a child I spent hours building crazy Lego constructions, decorating my bedroom, drawing and colouring. As an adolescent I discovered photography and seemed to have a natural eye for composition. I enjoyed photography so much that I later completed a TAFE course in SLR photography and loved it. I can see my 5 year old son has similar creative interests, however my daughter (two and half years) seems to love performing, she is ALWAYS singing (even when she's meant to be asleep!) and simply loves to dance.

Lego, Lego and more Lego!

Introduction - Vikki

Vikki:

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."

- Albert Einstein

As the mother of two messy, noisy and active young boys, I am constantly aware of the chasm between my childhood and theirs, more in terms of generational differences than gender expectations.

My sons Thomas and James 'expressing' themselves.

While my sons have been fortunate to attend schools that take the creative arts seriously, my most fondly remembered early arts encounters took place at home. These consisted of 'imagination' games with my brother; banging pots and pans for as long as our mother could stand the racket; and sculpting with home-made play dough until we forgot the 'rule' about not mixing colours! But, for me, the most formative experience of the arts came from picture books, both story and illustration. Particular favourites were those that were easy to hold, included engaging narratives and boasted bold, bright colours. Amongst them were Maria Bird's Andy Pandy and, of course, Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit.

www.readings.com.au

I still love picture books and so do my boys!