1. EDUC 349 Visual and Performing Arts
Chapter 2
Promoting Creativity

2. Objectives
To understand the key role play and exploration in developing creativity
To be able to discuss ways a teacher can transmit positive acceptance to a child
To explain how a curriculum can be modified to better encourage growth of creativity

3. Objectives (cont.)
To be able to list at least four beliefs associated with the philosophy of differentiated instruction in the early childhood curriculum
To understand the various ways of asking questions to encourage creative thinking
To comprehend how to encourage creativity in children at all age/grade levels

4. Key Terms and Concepts
Exploration—Experience with an object or idea that heads to an eventual realization of the specific use or purpose of the object or idea. A good example is the child’s first exposure to the computer. At first, the child engages in random punching of keys, exploring what the keys can do (pg. 20)

5. Key Terms and Concepts(cont.)
Left-brained thinker—a person whose learning preferences are based in the left hemisphere of the brain. The skills developed in this side of the brain are handwriting, understanding symbols, language, reading, and phonics. Other general skills best developed in this learner are locating details and facts, talking and reciting, following directions, listening, and auditory associations. All of these skills are most appropriate to what we expect all children to exercise in school(pg.19)

6. Key Terms and Concepts(cont.)
Right-brained thinker—A person who thinks from whole to part. This thinker doesn’t often sequence or put things in order. Instead, a right-brained thinker looks at things in an overall, or holistic way. Skills of a right-brained thinker lie in the ability to recognize, draw, and deal with shapes and patterns. Singing and music are right-brained activities, as is creative art(pg )

7. Key Terms and Concepts(cont.)
Differentiated instruction—a way of thinking about teaching and learning. Its aim is to maximize each child’s growth by meeting each child where he or she is at and helping the child to progress (pg. 23)
Positive acceptance—unquestionable acceptance of each child’s unique approach to the world (pg. 22).
Creative questioning—questions involving the imagination, senses, and divergent thinking(pg26)

8. Key Terms and Concepts(cont.)
Play—Equipped with the skills gained through exploration, the child begins to have fun and experiences with an object or idea. (pg. 21)
Integrated curriculum—A curriculum in which the artificial divisions among content areas are reduced. It is often designed around a unit of study, centered on a specific theme or project. An integrated curriculum is the most appropriate one for encouraging children’s creativity (pg. 22)

9. Chapter 3 The Concept of Aesthetics
There are three basic ways to provide young children developmentally appropriate aesthetic experiences in the early childhood program
Provide many opportunities to create art
Provide many opportunities to look at and talk about art
Help children become aware of art in their everyday lives
Activity—list 10 things in your environment that a child could view as art

10. Objectives To be able to define aesthetics
To understand the importance of developing aesthetic sensitivity in children
To come into touch with one’s own aesthetic sensibility
To describe specific things a teacher can do to help children develop their aesthetic sensitivity
To explain the elements of art that are appropriate to discuss with children

11. Key Terms and Concepts
Aesthetics—An appreciation for beauty and a feeling of wonder. It is a sensibility that uses imagination as well as the five senses (pg.36)
Aesthetic sensitivity—Using one’s own specific taste or preference (pg. 41)
Aesthetic experiences—Experiences involving an appreciation of the beauty of nature, the rhythm and imagery of music or poetry, or the qualities of works of art (pg. 42)

12. Key Terms and Concepts (cont.)
Art elements—Basic factors of art that can be used to describe art. These elements include color, line, form or shape, space, and design. See the section “Language for Talking about Art” in the text for more information on each element (pgs. 43, 45)
The language of art is an expansion of the language of preschool—color, shape, line, size, empty, full, lighter, darker. “The bright red dresses in that painting give the dancers a lively look.” (pg. 45)