Art in the Early Childhood Classroom Lindsay JacobyLindsay JacobyTTE321

My Thoughts before… Art is paint, crayons, paper, markers, and pencils. Children can express their ideas, thoughts, and emotions through visual art. All children are creative beings and can easily express themselves through visual art.

My Experiences and Observations At my placement: Not all children are interested in art (drawing, coloring, painting) Some children have difficulty expressing themselves through art Visual art is the only “art” explored Children are instructed on what to create Children must create things that are representative of the real world Hair is brown or blonde, skin is white/pink/brown, people do not float they have to be standing on the ground, animals are drawn a certain way, people are drawn as “mat man” Process vs Product Small group work (4 children at a time) No music, no free expression

My Experiences Informing Instruction I wanted to incorporate gross motor skills I wanted children to be able to play and learn as a whole group I value the arts as more than just visual I want children to explore their bodies through music and movement Occurred during my Caribbean unit using the Caribbean Story Box Lesson 1: Playing Islands Lesson 2: Mambo Dancing

Lesson 1: Playing Islands Planning: Introduction to Caribbean unit Whole group Gross motor Creative movement, dance with music Materials: 13 hula hoops = island 13 scarves = life line Ziggy Marley CD CD player

Lesson 1: Playing Islands continued Documentation Children holding out their scarf: “Grab my scarf!” “Here’s a life line!” “I’ll save you!” Children needing a life line: “Help!” “I need a life line!” “Give me your life line!” I encouraged creative movements and gross motor skills using the scarves by saying: “Move like a palm tree in the wind” “Move like a monkey” “Move like a wave in the ocean” “Jump like the coqui”

Lesson 2: Mambo Dancing Planning I wanted to allow the children to explore their bodies through music (Caribbean music) Gross motor skills Social skills Free expression Teaching myself the steps in order to teach the children. Prep and Practice! Materials Video of Mambo footwork Music video of Mambo I, I, I Teachable Moment After watching and dancing to the Mambo the children wanted to watch La Cucaracha from our Mexico unit The children created their own instruments after watching La Cucaracha

My Thoughts on the Arts Then… Art is paint, crayons, paper, markers, and pencils. Children can express their ideas, thoughts, and emotions through visual art. All children are creative beings and can easily express themselves through visual art. Now… Art is any expressive medium Children can express themselves, their ideas, thoughts, and emotions through any creative art discipline (music, movement, art) I can help children be successful, creative beings by exposing them to all kinds of art, music, and movement.