Creativity in the Classroom Pt 3

In developing a picture of how to deliver a quality arts program, I have had to revisit many of my assumptions and have questioned the merits of some practices prevalent in early education classrooms.

Although I recognize that formulaic crafts or “bunny bum art” doesn’t foster creativity I have had to question whether it has any merit because it continues to be a fixture in many school settings.

Some of the arguments in favour of cookie-cutter crafts suggest that they teach children to follow instructions, develop find motor skills and that they provide chances for children to create equally. It is also thought that these activities are useful for assessment. “If the teacher modeled a craft and then each child was required to participate, it was a quick and easy way to ensure that everyone had an opportunity to complete the same activity and be assessed.” (McLennon, 2001)

These justifications, however, do not stand up to scrutiny. Providing authentic, purposeful art activities where children can develop artistic technique while expressing themselves creatively also achieves the above mentioned objectives. “Focusing on the process still allows children an opportunity to use tools effectively, follow teacher instructions for the preparation and clean-up of materials, and practice fine motor control of materials.” (McLennon, 2001)

Given the crowded curriculum and increasing expectations on students and teachers, there simply isn’t any time to waste in the classroom. These activities take up valuable learning time from the students and in my experience, such activities involve more teacher preparation than a considered and worth while art lesson.

Unfortunately, there is outside pressure on teachers to include close ended crafts in their classrooms. Parents expect their children to bring home cute artifacts to put on the fridge. There are bulletin boards to decorate and classrooms to fill. I think that many people ironically believe that a teacher who includes a lot of crafts in their program is delivering a child centered approach to teaching.

I think the assumption is that kids love doing crafts and therefore are highly motivated at school when they are a regular fixture. My friend Erica’s daughter Bria recently refuted this presumption after her first day of Prep (Sr Kindergarten in Canada). Erica asked her how she liked it. Bria responded, “Dumb. We sit and do work like adults do but don't get any money.” The ‘work’ she was referring to was a paper plate frog.

It is important for me to consider the pro pro-forma craft arguments instead of dismissing them since I might have to justify the absence of bunny bums or paper plate frogs in my classroom to other teachers, administrators or parents. I will also have to keep in mind that I am a new teacher and that my methods might be confronting to others. I don’t want to offend other teachers who with the best of intentions have a rigorous crafts regime or parents who out of love want the best for their children and think kids want or need crafts in the classroom.

I therefore don’t want to concentrate on discrediting the craft enthusiasts. Instead, I will think of ways to defend my approach and if necessary, creatively adapt some craft activities so that the critics are satisfied but creativity prevails. For example, in a 2010 article for the Early Childhood Education Journal, Deanna McLennan suggests using techniques such as mosaic, beading and ceramics can be used as craft activities that provide open ended opportunities for children to be creative.

As for assessment and bulletin boards, I have discovered that pedagogical documentation offers a more authentic and purposeful alternative to bunny bum art. Collecting evidence of students' experiences and understandings during a unit of work and then showcasing them creates opportunities for discussion and collaboration with students, peers and parents. Teachers gain insight into what the student is actually experiencing. It can "build an exchange of ideas and theories to understand how children organise their own learning, their own remembering, and their own guessing and thinking." (Bryant and Gallan, 2003)

This act of co-construction can help students to develop metacognitive skills. They get the chance to see how they communicate, make meaning and participate in learning episodes. "By thinking about their thinking, children actually step outside their thinking process and take control." (Bryant and Gallan, 2003)

Pedagogical documentation is in essence a conversation and this dialogue between student and teacher can be shared with the wider school community by making it the subject of classroom displays and bulletin boards. This also provides more personal account of the classroom culture than a wall of paper plate frog clones.

I believe that giving children a chance to express themselves encourages them to take ownership of their learning. It enables teachers to have real conversations with students that are essential to fostering a community of caring in the classroom. By paying attention to what children are saying through their artwork, teachers can determine the interests and intellectual needs of students. This can inform purposeful planning which genuinely gives students what they want and need to learn. Students will ultimately go farther in their learning because they are more motivated, feel valued and time is spent on developing the specific skills and knowledge they need at that time to go forward.