| parents directing
their valuable time and talents towards working with the children. It
is my experience that the more time spent in adult preparation, the
less there is for the child to do creatively.
We can teach our children problem solving through creative thinking.
Instead of presenting them with ‘make this’, let’s
get them thinking ‘what else can I do with this?’ I plan
to present simple arts projects. Too often children are hurried through
a specific number of steps so they can complete a product. That method
also implies a right and wrong. It is not just the product that is important.
It is also the presentation. This means you! With that in mind, I put
together the following tips for working with children and art.
• Hands off for the parents when dealing with the children’s
artwork. Never do their work for them. Hands off for the parents means
hands on for the children. This principle is easier when there is no
wrong way.
• The artwork is for the children, not for the needs or standards
of the adults.
• When a child needs motivation refer to observation of simple
shapes.
• Try one yourself.
• Do not compare their work to a model. Try copying a Rembrandt
and see how frustrating that is.
The following excerpts are from the book "Don't Move the Muffin
Tins" written by Bev Bos. It contains some excellent ideas
for presenting art. “If you could observe the joy of children
creating their own art, you’d never think craft again. Crafts
have a value of course. There comes a time when a child wants a very
specific object to take home – a soap dish, a trivet. But such
activities should not be called art and shouldn’t be substituted
for an art program. I make my own distinction between art and craft
by asking how much participation by an adult is needed once the materials
have been presented. When the activity is truly art and genuinely creative,
all I have to do is stand by and add supplies. When we think art for
children, we too often think of media and product first; and only then
the child. We need to be sensitive to the child first.”
My daughter and I were working on an art project. When we finished I
was not too happy with the results. She turned to me and said “This
looks gross, but we sure had fun doing it!” Hold that thought!
- Sharon Collins
About Lakeshore’s Studio Art Program
Lakeshore’s Studio Art Program (formally called the PTA Art Program)
is a PTA-funded, school-wide, longitudinal fine arts program1 which
provides professional art classes to all students in Grades K through
5. Lakeshore’s Studio Art Program is completely separate
from the PTA Consultant Pool Enrichment Program. The two programs function
independently and are structured distinctly.
Lakeshore’s Studio Art Program has a director who is a professional
artist. The director, currently Sharon Collins, is solely responsible
for the professional design and implementation of the Studio Art Program’s
longitudinal art curriculum which builds student art skills incrementally
throughout the grade levels.
Each Lakeshore student2 enjoys four forty-five minute (grades K-3) or
four one-hour (grades 4-5) professional art classes each year. Small
class size (only one-half of a classroom attends at a time) and parent
volunteers magnify the benefits to each student, all of whom receive
individualized instruction during each class.
The director ensures the quality of Lakeshore’s Studio Art Program
by:
• Planning and continually revising the program’s art curriculums
for all grade levels K through 5. The emphasis is on developmentally
appropriate hands-on, process-oriented art projects which allow all
students to feel successful while building art skills and working with
authentic artist’s tools in various mediums. The program is longitudinal;
projects from one grade level provide the foundation for the more sophisticated
projects of the ensuing grade levels.
• Recruiting, training, and supervising qualified assistants.
The director pre-plans all K-3 art classes then hires, extensively trains,
and closely supervises assistants to implement her fully developed curriculums.
The director also conducts K-3 classes directly as needed. Through this
ongoing supervision and participation, the director ensures that the
K through 3 classes are delivered in strict accordance with her intended
curriculums.
• Conducting personally all 4th and 5th grade art classes (48
one-hour classes).
• Recruiting and coordinating parent volunteers for all art classes.
• Presenting each year’s grade level art curriculums to
the classroom teachers and facilitating ongoing dialog with and feedback
from the teachers.
• Scheduling all art classes for all grade levels.
• Purchasing and maintaining all supplies. The program is cost
effective because consumable supplies are bought in bulk and durable
supplies, such as paintbrushes, are bought in limited quantities and
shared by all. Conducting all classes in the same designated art space,
Room 13, minimizes set up and clean up costs.
• Celebrating Lakeshore students’ art by coordinating the
laminating and hanging of student art throughout our school building.
• Sharing Lakeshore students’ art with the Bay Area community
by coordinating students’ participation in museum art shows and
competitions.
1Lakeshore’s Studio Art
Program is supplemental to the school district’s basic art curriculum
taught by the classroom teachers. Lakeshore’s Studio Art Program
enriches but does not replace the basic art curriculum.
2 Lakeshore’s Studio Art Program is funded
for every Lakeshore student. While the overwhelming majority of Lakeshore
classrooms participate in the program, a few teachers choose not to
have their students participate. If you wish to know whether your child
is participating, ask his or her classroom teacher.
PTA Consultants
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