Chapter 16: The Creative Arts Teaching Young Children Fifth Edition Michael L. Henniger Developed by: Dr. Smith

Goals: Chapter 16 Define creativity as it applies to young children Clarify the roles of art in early childhood settings Understand music and its importance in the creative arts curriculum Reflect on early drama, theater, and dance experiences TURN and TALK: How do you define creativity? What is something creative you have done or would like to do?

What is Creativity? Creativity is digging deeper. Creativity is looking twice. Creativity is crossing out mistakes. Creativity is talking/listening to a cat. Creativity is getting in deep water. Creativity is getting out from behind locked doors. Creativity is plugging in the sun. Creativity is wanting to know. Creativity is having a ball. Creativity is building sand castles. Creativity is singing in your own way. Creativity is shaking hands with the future. E. Paul Torrance

Creativity: Definition Novelty Adults - idea or product must be new, or novel Young children - consider “new” to the child who produced the idea/product Appropriateness Adults – acceptable and useful by some sort of criteria, variable by culture and group Children – when efforts are meaningful to them, they are appropriate

Creativity: Characteristics of Individuals Curiosity – consistently ask meaningful questions Flexibility – try new approaches to problems Sensitivity to problems – quickly identify problems Originality – unusual ideas/create original products Independence – comfortable working alone Redefinition – combine ideas/materials in new ways Penetration – spend time thinking deeply

Creativity: Assisting with Creative Process Adults who value creativity Value process and originality Low-risk early childhood settings Failure is acceptable and normal Freedom to explore Provide blocks of time and choice Open-ended materials

Creativity: Play Play and creativity closely linked Highly creative adults often describe their creative acts as “playing around” with ideas or materials A playful mindset is beneficial to productive thought Sheer pleasure, sheer fun

The Young Artist Why include the arts? To help children express feelings and ideas Adults can integrate academics though art, to help children see connections and find patterns The arts provide children with a universal language for communication

Young Artist: Misconceptions Art is a nonessential element of the curriculum Discovering talent is the goal You must have performance skills in art to teach it Creative art experiences are adult-centered The early childhood professional is uninvolved

Young Artist: Developmental Trends Birth-age 2: Scribbling and mark-making stage – random to controlled 2-4 yrs: Personal symbol and design – includes features important to child 4-7 yrs: Attempts at public representation – more recognizable to others, more detail Later primary and up: Realism – realistic details

Young Artist: Art Curriculum 4 central elements (Fox and Schirrmacher, 2012) Sensing and experiencing Making art Learning about art, artists, and their styles Aesthetics Discipline-based art education Deigned for primary grades and beyond

Young Artist: The Adult’s Role Provide a variety of appropriate materials Value creativity Describe and/or demonstrate appropriate uses for art tools and materials Avoid the use of models Emphasize process of art rather than product Talk about art with children Display children’s art

Young Artist: The Adult’s Role, cont. Talking about art – 6 questions to ask yourself as you prepare to talk with children What is it made of? (size, tools, medium) What do you see? (lines, angles, shapes, colors) What does it represent? (design, story, symbol) How is it organized? (perspective, composition, view) What is it about, what is the nature of involvement? (violence, peace, love, sadness) Where does the idea come from? (imagination, TV)

Young Artist: Art of Reggio Emilia In Reggio Emilia, adults consider art serious work 3 program principles Understanding cognitive theories of art Motivating children to produce art Selecting teaching strategies

Young Artist: Activities Infant/toddler activities Pudding, play dough, place artwork within view of children Preschool art ideas Mural/straw painting, crayon rubbings, clay, attend an art show Primary art suggestions Paper, glue, scissors, crayons, paint, chalk, pastels, drawing/sketching

Music and the Young Child The importance of music Benefits Psychomotor skills – large and small muscles Perceptual skills Affective development – express feelings Cognitive growth Social skills – participation, sharing, cooperation Cultural understandings

Music: Musical Development Infants – respond to loudness and softness of sounds Toddlers – discriminate/may try to approximate sounds 3 yrs – better voice control, master simple songs 4 yrs – learn pitch, duration, tempo, loudness, 5-note range 5 yrs – maturing sense of pitch, rhythm, and melody 6, 7, 8 yrs – 10-note range, sense of harmony, awareness of printed music, often have well-established preferences

Music: Movement and Music Movement + music = learning Include finger plays March to music Use rhythm instruments Provide space for movement and music

Music: Curriculum for Young Children 4 main elements of music curriculum Listening to music Responding to music through movement Children must have many opportunities to make music Help children begin to understand music and music-making

Music: Facilitating Musical Experiences Plan and prepare the environment Encourage creative expression Emphasize enjoyment Make music fun – demonstrate your own excitement Carefully observe

Music: Activities Infant/toddler music activities Playfully sing throughout the day Play background music Place rattles within reach of children Preschool music ideas Scarves/music CD, marching band, music appreciation Primary music activities Make music, sing, increase the variety of listening music, attend live concerts

Creative Dramatics, Theater, and Dance Dramatic play Provide opportunities to act out child-chosen themes Provide quality play props Facilitate this type of play Theater Primary children are ready for more structured activities Puppet stories Attend live performances Dance Adapt movement activities to develop early dance skills

Summary What is Creativity? The Young Artist Music and the Young Child Creative Dramatics, Theater, and Dance