Artistic Development

Chapter 4 Reflection

In chapter four, the authors start discussing the connection between visual culture and identity and how learning about it can be helpful to the cognitive development of children. The authors begin by giving some historical context for the separation of emotions from learning. A lot of these beliefs were also very misogynistic with scholars like Jean-Jacques Rousseau even claiming it was “dangerous for emotion to be part of schooling for boys but use of emotions acceptable in girls’ education” (Freedman & Boughton, 2023, ch.4 pg.3). The authors state the reason for this suppression of emotion was due to how it was viewed. People would categorize emotions into such a narrow box and that if they were too strong, they could have dire consequences. They valued having control over them instead of emotional expression. However, the authors make a good point in stating “When an emotion is not in place ---when we do not care about learning --- constructing knowledge is difficult” (Freedman & Boughton, 2023, ch.4 pg.4). This ties into the section where it is mentioned that motivation comes from emotion. If students are not allowed and encouraged to connect with their emotions, that motivation to learn is not there and their cognitive development is compromised. As we go on, the textbooks next section talks about how students learn to respond to what they are being taught. They give us a chart that groups kids into three different age ranges and lists out the patterns of what each age group ends to demonstrate when they are responding to visual culture. Moving along, we get to a section that discusses art production at different age levels. The three main ones are the scribbling stage for the youngest kids, the figurative stage for in the middle, and the artistic decision stage for older kids with two of them also having sub-categories. This is only one of the models used to model the development of children, but the textbook gives a lot of examples on what would fall into each of these stages. In the last few sections, the authors talk about creativity and how it is not a fixed trait and must be developed through a collaboration of teacher and student. Also discussed is the topic of students with special needs ranging from physical to mental disabilities. We finish up by reading about the development of identity and how art education can play an important part in a student’s construction of it.

The part I really found helpful to read in this section is on page 28 in the section that discusses students with special needs. There is a part in this section where the authors included advice given by Doris Guay relating to how to help students with different types of disabilities. She gives advice for how to deal with issues ranging from cognitive to visual, hearing, and orthopedic. Each of them contains advice for how to set up the classroom to help them navigate better and she even lists out some alternate equipment they might find useful. Another helpful point she includes is how a teacher can behave or alter their modes of teaching to help their students. For example, in the section regarding visual disabilities, she mentions “The position of the teacher in relation to their line of sight is important” (Freedman & Boughton, 2023, ch.4 pg.29). Also, in the section talking about cognitive learning differences she states, “A positive attitude is helpful to students with mild cognitive learning differences” (Freedman & Boughton, 2023, ch.4 pg.28). I think all the advice she gave was very helpful and I’m glad it was included in the textbook.

In terms of my own actions as an art educator, I think it will be a great benefit to keep in mind the advice provided here for helping out students with different disabilities. I feel like this is the type of scenario that can be daunting if one is not sufficiently prepared for it yet some of the solutions can be as simple as adjusting the room layout or the equipment used in the classroom. Apart from taking in this advice, I also want to be open with my students with special needs. I want to establish a line of communication with them so they can convey to me what I could do as a teacher to better help them succeed in class.

specialedresource.com

References:

Dalien, S. (2022, November 8). What exactly is art therapy and how can it possibly help? Special Ed Resource. Retrieved February 2, 2023.

Freedman, K. & Boughton, D. (2023). Elementary Art Education: A Practical Approach to Teaching Visual Culture [Unpublished manuscript]. Art and Design Education, Northern Illinois University.