EDU 361 Art in ECE Chapters 2,3, & 15 “Creative Thinking” “Creative Experiences” “Responding to Children’s Art” 1Laura

Chapter 2 Creative Thinking… Modes of creativity include play (Example: art, music, movement, dance, drama, mime, thought, and language) What is creative thinking? It is a cognitive process that inculdes two types of thinking vertical and lateral. Vertical thinking involves learning more about something or arriving at a conventional, accepted, convergent answer. 2Laura Merrill

Lateral thinking is the way of using one’s mind or mental processes for the development of unusual, divergent, creative solutions for problems. State two forms of expressing creative thinking. Through Music, Dance, Mime, Art and more. 3Laura Merrill

The left brain hemisphere houses the thinking abilities traditionally associated with school. (reading, writing, math, and rational/logical thinking) The right brain hemisphere specializes in non-rational, intuitive thinking and spatial relations. (creative ways of processing information) 4Laura Merrill

What can early childhood educators do to foster creativity of the brain of young children? Through planning experiences that engage both left and right brain functioning. T/F? True The left hemisphere controls the right side of the body. T/F? True The right hemisphere controls the left side of the body. 5Laura Merrill

(See Tables 2-1 & 2-2 pp. 25) Our educational goals, curriculum, and practices should exercise many modes of learning and different styles of processing information. Since creative thinking can be equated with divergent thinking, what is divergent thinking? They are fluent with many ideas/solution, flexible with different ideas that go out side the box, and elaborate with detail ideas. 6Laura Merrill

Chapter 3 Creative Experiences… How does creativity enhance children’s development? It helps develop the child as a whole including their physical, social-emotional cognitive and creative domains. For example children learn problem solving techniques, practice language skills, and build self esteem. Modes of creative expression: –Play –Language –Music and Movement 7Laura Merrill

What is play? See p. 38 Play is pleasurable and enjoyable, it has no extrinsic goals, is spontaneous and voluntary, it involves some active engagement on the part of the player, and is linked with non-play areas. T/F? True Play is process oriented. T/F? True Work is product oriented. State the types of play. (physical play, constructive play, dramatic play, play with natural materials, and games) (See p. 40) State some informal creative language activities. –Provide oral language props including puppets or walkie-talkies –Invite children to tell you stories or “read” picture books. –Have storytelling props available like felt for children to use. – 8Laura Merrill

Chapter 15 Roles & Strategies for Artistic Expression… A teacher’s smile in response to an art activity conveys approval. A teacher’s frown in response to an art activity conveys disapproval. Can posture and overall body language convey a message also? Yes 9Laura Merrill

Hands on hips or crossed arms while staring down at a child conveys a cold, aloof message. Stooping down to eye level or sitting close to a child conveys warmth, respect, and acceptance. State some positive appreciative comments adults should make in response to children’s art. –“What a nice painting! Let’s hang it up where we can enjoy it.” –“How interesting. How long did it take to paint?” –“I really like your painting.” 10Laura Merrill

(See p. 320 for “Learning How to Really Look at Children’s Art) State the six approaches teachers traditionally make concerning children’s art. (see p. 320) –Complementary, Judgmental, Valuing, Questioning, Probing, and Correcting. (See p. 322 for Art Vocabulary on the Artistic Elements) –Color, shape, line, space, mass or volume, texture, pattern, balance, overall design, and time and effort 11Laura Merrill

Teacher can be a troubleshooter who gives subtle guidance and direction in making art. By identifying children who are artistically or creatively blocked and use an appropriate intervention strategy. What can a teacher do when: –A child criticizes art of another child Let the child know it is not ok that the other child worked hard and that a picture can be anything and any color and does not need to look like anything. –A child copies/imitates another child Tell the children to come up with their own ideas, that the art is to be a way to express themselves and is their very own picture. –A child avoids art Help them get started but have them finish on their own. Or have all the students rotate through an art center. –A child does not know what to make Divert the question back to them and ask them what they think they should make. 12Laura Merrill