EDAR104 Semester Two 2016 Assignment

ONE
Assessment Task ONE
Please upload this sheet to LEO by the due time and date 2016
Your Name:
Tutor:
Time: 9am

Annabelle Head

Day: Monday

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URL for your blog/webpage or other format:
Annabelle Head
S00202290
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Additional Support Notes or Materials:
ARTS ASSESSMENT ONE

Hello everyone and welcome. My name is Annabelle Head and today I will be discussing the importance of
childrens involvement in arts and the vital role that teachers play in this. Firstly I will discuss the way in
which children experience arts, and the development of their artistic skills. I will also discuss childrens
abilities to demonstrate art based competencies in their lives, whether it is in their home, educational or
community settings. It is also vital for teachers to recognise the importance of art and its inclusion in
childrens learning and the school curriculum, as it is a fundamental element of childrens overall
development.

The study of arts covers many subjects such as music, dance, drama, visual and media arts. It is important
to look at young childrens early art experiences, as it enables us to see the many benefits of inclusion of
art in childrens education. Including artistic practices in the classroom assists in the development of
childrens motor skills. Holding and using paintbrushes, pens, crayons and scissors all assist in the
development of childrens fine motor skills. Additionally artistic practices benefit childrens visual learning.
According to Grace Hwang Lynch Drawing, sculpting with clay and threading beads on a string all develop
visual-spatial skills ("The Importance of Art in Child Development", 2012). Furthermore, art education is
seen to increase childrens problem solving and critical thinking skills ("The Importance of Art in Child
Development", 2012). It is clear that artistic practices and education are extremely beneficial for childrens
development in a range of areas.

Firstly, we must ask ourselves the question, how do children experience arts? Obtaining early artistic
experiences for children is important as it develops their awareness of aesthetic qualities in the world
around them and significantly contributes to their learning. There are some beliefs that children develop
their artistic skills naturally, with natural artistic creativeness (Richards, 2003). Contrastingly the nurture
approach is one in which the childs artistic skills are fostered and aided by the teacher or mentor
(Richards, 2003). These are both clear extremes in terms of nature versus nurture, however a medium

between the two is evident in most children. Majority of children are visually aware and show aesthetic
preferences from an early age (Richards, 2016).
When children first begin to make marks with pens and pencils, or use their fingers to paint they are
exploring their artistic behaviours. It is stated that when children deliberately begin to make marks this is
the beginning of their visual arts making development (Richards, 2016).According to Victor Lowenfield
children undertake a series of stages in their artistic development. This includes the scribble stage at age 2,
the pre-schematic stage at ages 3 and 4, the schematic stage at age 6 and the gang stage, drawing
realism at ages 8 to 10 (Richards 2016). Children do not move from one stage to the next at exactly the
same times, but instead expand certain repertoires of art making approaches as appropriate to their needs
and circumstances (Richards, 2016.) Children are experiencing arts in there every day encounters and
experiences. This is evident in both their home and community settings. Within their home lives children are
immediately introduced to elements of media, such as music, television and phones/ipads. Playing video
games and watching television programmes at home broadens childrens cognitive development however a
balance with other activities is important. Additionally, children experiment with sounds in their home
environment in a variety of ways such as hearing their families talk and make noises, playing with
interactive toys, and general sounds within the family home. Drama is also experimented in childrens early
lives through interactions with their family members and school or kinder friends. These experiences allow
children to build up confidence and develop sufficient social skills.
Childrens behaviours in their home lifestyle may be different to their behaviours in a school environment for
example. This is evident in Dr Rosemary Richards study of a 5 year old boy Lee. Through her studies she
discovers that Lee the son, is a different person to Lee the preschool boy(Richards 2010). One of Lees
teachers notices thetransformation that occurs when Lee draws, as he initiates clear conversations about
his drawings and when doing so often adds more details and ideas(Richards 2010). Lees behaviour
reveals to us that students do benefit from having a communicative relationship with teachers and in doing
so can develop their artistic skills in not just their home life but also their schooling life. According to the
early years learning framework children should be confident and involved learners ("The Early Years
Learning Framework for Australia", 2009). Artistic studies allows students to be extremely involved in their
learning in that they are creating their work from their own imaginations. Additionally the Early Years
learning framework states the importance of children having a strong sense of identity ("The Early Years
Learning Framework for Australia", 2009). This is evident when children openly express their feelings and
ideas ("The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia", 2009). Art allows children to express these
feelings and ideas through their creations.

Early childhood educators have an important role in assisting children in their exposure to art and different
art forms as well as assisting in their development of artistic skills. It is important that early childhood
educators are aware of their important role. Teachers are able to guide the children to be able to make
meaning of their artwork and express their thoughts and feelings within their art. Asking children open
ended questions about their works allows children to really think through and develop their thought
processes, whilst avoiding simple and hasty answers. Additionally, teachers can introduce children to
different art forms and mediums they may not have previously been exposed too such as sand, clay,
blocks, paint and photography. Teachers can also develop childrens awareness of aesthetic qualities
allowing them to identify the different aesthetics in their surrounding world. Dr Rosemary Richards (2003)
states that the role of the teacher in a child centred curriculum is to encourage self expression, rather than
teach art processes. This tells us that a teachers position is as much about sitting back and observing the
childs natural artistic behaviours as it is about teaching artistic skills to the students. Richards also states
that researchers and educators should tap into the rich source of insights that dialoguing with children
around their self-initiated home-based art can provide (Richards,2010). Having this communicative
relationship with the child about their creations and the thought process they have undertaken is extremely
beneficial in giving an insight into the childs thinking. A study undertaken by Trish Lewis on a group of
teachers revealed that when planning for art experiences the teachers considered the childrens needs,
interests and strengths in everything they did (Richards, 2003). These are important factors to consider
when teachers are planning to develop childrens artistic behaviours as it is crucial for the students needs,

strengths and interests to be adhered too, however it is also important to ensure that teachers are not
becoming too involved in influencing the childs artistic behaviours and are letting their natural skills and
ideas take hold. Cheryl Mconnell states that If we provide models for children to imitate we immediately
limit the childs own creativity (Richards 2010). This is an important notion for teachers to be aware of in
the classroom. By demonstrating the artistic activity prior to the children doing so, may set a standard of
what they should create, and restrict their own imaginations by replicating the teachers work.

Children aged three and four are at the preschematic stage of artistic development according to Victor
Lowenfeld. During this stage the first conscious creation of form begins to occur (Richards 2016) with the
first representational attempt usually being a person. Although the childrens creations may not be an
accurate representation of the subject they are drawing, it is important as teachers not to negatively criticise
their work, and instead encouraging children of this age, allowing them to build up confidence and a
creative mind to develop their artistic skills. Teachers should have positive interactions with the children,
encouraging them to explore artistically. A child aged around three or four could experience many elements
of art in their lives such as dance and drama or music and media. According to musical rhythms, chants
and gestures mediate childrens communication and connectedness with each other and the world (Alcock,
Cullen, & St George, 2008).The inclusion of dance drama and music is beneficial in a classroom setting,
and it is important that teachers acknowledge that these activities come under the broad topic of art and are
relevant in developing childrens artistic skills.

It is clear that the involvement of art in childrens learning is vital in their development as it influences so
many other areas in their lives, such as their motor skills, visual-spatial skills, problem solving skills as well
as critical thinking. Children begin to develop their artistic skills early in life within their home lives and then
develop this even further in their pre schooling and schooling within their communities. Their artistic skills
develop in a series of stages beginning with simple scribbling and basic use of writing implements.
Additionally, teachers and other mentors play an important role in the development of childrens artistic
skills in that they have a responsibility to expose their students to different art forms and mediums, which in
turn would promote cognitive thinking skills. It is vital that we as teachers realise the importance of our role
in the development of childrens arts in enabling and encouraging them to competently enhance their
overall artistic skills and intelligence.

REFERENCE

Hwang Lynch, G. (2012). The Importance of Art in Child Development. Education. Retrieved 4 October
2016, from http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/the-importance-of-art-in-child-development/

Richards, R. (2016). Young children and the visual arts. Presentation, Australian Catholic University.

Richards, R. (2003). Understanding children's art experiences. Early Education, 33.

Richards, R. D. (2010). Narratives within narratives: One young Chinese-Australian

boys exploration of ideas of difference, identity, and friendship through his drawings.
Current Narratives, 1(2), 84-103.

The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. (2009). Belonging Being And Becoming.

Alcock, S., Cullen, J., & St George, A. (2008). Australian Journal Of Early Childhood, 33(2).

Rubric ASSIGNMENT ONE

Recognizing and Supporting Young
Childrens Creative Arts Experiences

50%

Childrens artistic experiences, growth and

development
Demonstrated understanding and awareness of

a range of young childrens authentic arts experiences

across multiple contexts

young childrens growth and development in the arts

The social nature of young childrens learning

Early childhood arts teaching and learning

Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of

the implications for early childhood teaching and learning,

with specific reference to unit readings and texts

the importance of interacting with young children through

the arts in order to co-construct understandings
Supporting and extending young childrens arts
experiences
Demonstrated a range of art-based competencies in
relation to

supporting and extending infants or toddlers in two

arts disciplines

demonstrating the values, knowledge, skills and

attitudes appropriate to the arts in early childhood
for the specified age group

demonstrating appropriate use of art-based

language
Academic structure and presentation

Demonstrated appropriate presentation, academic literacy

and references as consistent with Undergraduate and APA
Referencing.

Comments

Consistent evidence of
comprehensive understanding of
the unit content; demonstration of
an extremely high level of
interpretive and analytical ability
and intellectual initiative;
substantial originality and insight
in identifying, creating and
developing arguments,
perspectives and critical
evaluation of problems; and
communication and application
appropriate to the discipline.

Consistent evidence of very

high level of understanding
of unit content; development
of relevant skills to a high
level; evidence of creative
insight and ability to apply
relevant skills and theories
as well as interpretive and
analytical ability; and
demonstration of
appropriate and highly
effective communication.

HD

DI

Evidence of a good
level of
understanding,
knowledge and skill
development in
relation to unit
content; and
demonstration of
high level of
interpretive and
analytical ability.

CR