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Mead_L_s237572_Assignment 3_Semester 1_2014 Page 1

CONTRIBUTION 1: Module 6 - Reflection


Saturday, 17 May 2014
Reflection
Posted by LINNEA JANE MEAD at Saturday, 17 May 2014 5:23:00 PM CST
It is essential that teachers in the early years are attuned to the diverse needs of children.
How might The Arts assist you as a teacher with this?
And what would you need to consider when planning for The Arts?
How might you teach a program for diversity of children within The Arts?
I believe it is absolutely essential that teachers in the early years are attuned to the diverse
needs of children as these enable teachers to bring a greater level of relevance, vibrancy
and learning for all children and assists to develop an acceptance of all cultures within the
classroom and outside of the learning environment. When planning for diversity in The Arts,
it is essential to ensure cultural respect amongst the whole classroom is shown. Developing
knowledge of the differences in cultures; what is acceptable and what is seen as offensive is
a great way to encompass an understanding that can be addressed and followed within the
classroom. This also is a great way to engage people from other diverse areas in the
community that can create collaborative partnerships and relationships between the school,
students, community and the teacher.
When planning The Arts for the diverse needs of children it is necessary to consider the
cultures within the classroom, families and community; and to provide teaching and
learning that is relevant to cultures and students. Respecting the cultures and diversity is
essential. For example, it is important that I dont assume I know what there is to know
about dot painting, and need to work in collaboration with artists and cultures that already
have the prior knowledge. The learning environment needs to be welcoming, and again,
representing the cultures within the classroom. There are a number of ways a program for
diversity in The Arts can be taught, beginning with a story, music, dance, visit to a cultural
performance, exhibition or other activity, that progresses to make do sessions. It is
important to ensure the cultures and diverse needs of the students within the classroom are
supported through use of The Arts, as well as other cultures. It is surprising to see how
many young children are unable to recognise the diversity with their culture and family.
Incorporating The Arts to cater for the diverse needs of children, also assists in the
development of peer and self-acceptance. I would also obtain materials that are relevant to
cultures for students to experience hands on, creative learning


SADIE JAYNE SANDERY said
Mead_L_s237572_Assignment 3_Semester 1_2014 Page 2

New
Monday, 19 May 2014 1:55:38 PM CST
Hi Linnea and all

Linnea makes some excellent points (that I agree with) about why teachers need to be
attuned to the diverse needs of their students and how the arts assist teachers with respect
to creating relevant learning that is culturally inclusive and respective. I also would add that
the arts can bring a deep understanding of the needs of our students, especially special
needs students; for example by exploring different artistic mediums, music, drama etc., with
autistic spectrum disorder children, you will reveal information and develop knowledge of
their interests, enabling programming that creates experiences which develop ways of self-
expression and inclusion, rather than being stressful or overwhelming due to sensory
sensitivities (Ewing, 2013).

Like Linnea I also believe in creating welcoming culturally responsive environments and
material choices, when programming for diversity within the arts and would add that
environments need to also consider any special needs like lighting, visual cues for access to
materials, and careful consideration to visual stimulus. As highlighted by Linnea families and
the community are an important resource for culture and information in the creation of
these environments, as too I believe, is the importance of valuing the childrens work
through classroom displays, that they themselves have created and contributed to, how it is
displayed; Families see their childs art as precious, displays are a strong way to
communicate to families that you share this value (Ewing, 2013). Further to this I also feel it
is important not to hurry or interrupt (where possible) a childs creative inspiration when
they are deeply involved in the process, instead allowing extra time or a future opportunity
to continue. Finally I believe that in the creation of a positive environment that caters for
diversity, the goals or outcomes for the students need to be achievable for all, through
differentiation (decreasing /increasing complexities where appropriate), opportunities to
create something uniquely theirs and recognition of their accomplishments.

Cheers Sadie

Ewing, R. (2013). Creative arts in the lives of young children: play imagination and learning.
Victoria, South Australia: ACER Press


ANNA KATHERINE LATZ said
New
Friday, 23 May 2014 11:12:56 AM CST
I love your ideas Linnea and yours sounds like a classroom I would like my children to be in.
Involving community and family in teaching Arts is a great way to increase knowledge about
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other cultures and show the diversity in our community, while also demonstrating the
similarities between cultures.

CONTRIBUTION 2: Module 2: Part 2: Process vs Product Based
Original Post by Catherine WAY Posted Friday 4
th
April 2014
What was the scenario you encountered in your education; process or product based? Did
you encounter both styles but one dominated more?
My education included both process and product based art, but product based art was
probably more common. My main memory is of everyone making the same product but
with options in how projects were finished - we weren't being graded on how well we
copied a model, but on using the technique.
Did your arts education and its style help or hinder your creativity?
My arts education definitely did not make me think I was creative (if I thought about
creativity at all). By my later teens and early adulthood, I just couldn't see the value in doing
art - it didn't seem like something I could practise and get better at, or something that I
could do in my own style.
Do you feel confident in expressing yourself through arts media? Why? Are you more
confident in one area then another and why might this be?

I am starting to feel confident expressing myself in some arts media, mainly because when I
had children and started teaching children I developed an interest in doing art with them
and it gave me a renewed interest in doing creative things myself. As an adult learner I have
been able to learn about different art techniques that I am interested in to develop my level
of skill with different mediums. The arts media that I'm beginning to feel confident with -
photography, drawing and watercolour painting - are the ones that I am most interested in
and have devoted the most time to learning about.
I feel like before that adult interest I was not confident expressing myself with art, and I
think that was mainly because I did not have the skill level to express my ideas with a
particular art medium. My art experience had just been a series of novelties and trying lots
of different techniques.
Ask a few friends or relatives what they can recall about their visual arts experience. What
style did they encounter most?
The people that I asked had mostly experienced product-based art experiences. I was a bit
shocked to find out that my own experience was one of the most process based of the
people I spoke to. It would be an interesting question to ask someone who is a working
artist.
I know that my son's (5 and 8 years old) currently encounter a strongly product-based visual
arts experience at their school. They frequently look at an recreate work of famous artists
(eg. Da Vinci, Sunflowers). I like that they are learning about art history, but I would prefer
them to have a chance to freely create at school some of the time. I hope that I am
balancing this somewhat with what I am providing at home.
What do you see as the difference between Art and Craft?

I see craft as the techniques and procedure you need to produce a piece of work. Art is
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adding a creative interpretation to your work. So, there is a craft of painting that can be
learnt, but unless you are painting your own original work which expresses something of
meaning to you then it is not art. Or there is a craft of knitting - when you learn to knit you
may need to practise and follow other people's patterns, but if you are following a someone
else's pattern you are not creating art.
What suggestions could you make to encourage teachers who do more craft based
activites to make their ideas into more of an Art experience, you could use scenario 1 as
the base for suggestions?
I would suggest to the scenario 1 teacher that perhaps they could model how to make the
letter holder, but leave the paper plate undecorated and invite the children to create their
own decoration. I think that when you do craft activities it is helpful to think how can I add
an element of free choice into this project.
How do you think the arts is currently used in the education system?
I think currently in the education system, the arts is often seen as a fun way for children to
learn about or show what they know about other curriculum areas. For example, we are
learning about weather, so we will make an umbrella - then the teacher can talk about rain,
the purpose of umbrellas, maybe the materials used to make umbrellas and so on. But that
is science content and does not teach the child anything about art.
How would like to see the arts used in the schools and services?
I can think of two things that I would love to see more of in schools
- art used as a choice for children when they want or need to show their ideas about a
curriculum topic (with children having full choice of the media they want to use)
- children being taught art skills, for example, drawing techniques, so that they can develop
the skill level to represent their thinking through the arts
What do you see as your role as an educator in encouraging creativity?

I see the educator as a facilitator of the child's creativity. If we take an individual child, that
might look like an educator observing that they like to draw and seeing some areas in which
they could benefit from some mini-lessons on technique, or providing some inspiration by
showing the work of other artists who draw, or just trying to prompt some new directions
by providing new types of drawing materials.
My response posted Friday April 4
th
2014.
Hi Catherine,

I like your idea re seeing the arts in schools etc., where it is offered two ways - as a choice
for students, and specific art skills. I think offering the specifics in arts such as you have
indicated with drawing, is important. If someone feels they can't draw, it could be simply
because they haven't been taught how/what to look for such as perspective in landscape
drawing. Learning these new skills, can lead students into territories previously unknown, or
not considered before.
CONTRIBUTION 3: Module 2: Part 2: Process vs Product Based
Original Post by Jade April SUTCLIFFE Posted Sunday 2
nd
March 2014
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I believe my primary education experiences in relation to the visual arts would definitely be
defined as product based. As in the first video, I can recall the teacher demonstrating a
process at the front of the room while we sat at our desks and copied- basically following a
step-by-step process which did not focus on the journey taken or the skills
learnt/developed, but rather producing an end product exactly the same as our peers. There
were rare times in primary school where I can recall a more process-oriented approach (like
in the second video) taking place, but we were still restricted in what we could use and how
we could use it. In these instances, what we were learning and the skills we were developing
were discussed and pointed out to us explicitly so that we were aware of how and what we
were producing (i.e. for what purpose). Overall, these experiences at school did not really
hinder my creativity- as there were no specific opportunities provided to us to allow us to
create something unique and imaginative. Through my own exploration of the visual arts at
home, I built confidence and creative skills expressing myself through a variety of mediums-
making graffiti art, pop-up books, a robot with left over materials in my dads shed, and
many other things that I was interested in experimenting with/making, but would never be
able to do at school.
Similarly, I asked a friend earlier today (who is also studying Early Childhood Teaching) what
her experiences with visual arts were in school. Her stories were very similar to mine, and
she shared with me a story she heard on prac about a practice implemented in the Reggio
Emilia approach for babies- where their bodies are covered in paint, and they allow the
babies to roll around, crawl, etc. on a large sheet of paper attached to the floor. We began
discussing other ideas of process rather than product examples we had heard of/seen, and
compared them to the very different experiences we had as children in formal schooling.
In relation to the definition of Art and Craft, I believe that art has more of a self-expression
and creative component, rather than of craft where a product based approach is the main
driving force. Using the first video as an example, an educator could first show the child a
letter holder (if the main purpose of the activity was to create a letter holder) or
watermelon (if the purpose was to produce something that looks like a watermelon). Using
a range of materials, the educator could step back and allow the child to experiment with
different resources in order to produce the end product- discussing how they are doing it
and how they are feeling about their work during creation.
Currently I see I a mix of both process and product approaches in arts education. In the
school I work in currently, I attend an hour art lesson each week to assist an Autistic
student. In some activities the teacher will hold up a famous painting and the children are
asked to re-create it step-by-step as the teacher shows them at the front of the room. In
other lessons, the teacher allows children to explore and manipulate materials with
frequent discussions around the room to share what they have found/how they did it. This
is definitely what I would like to see more of in education, and what I hope to achieve in my
teaching career. In encouraging creativity, I believe that my role is to help children look
outside the average or norm to think of new ways to do something. In my discussion with
my friend earlier today, she mentioned that on the first day of her Teaching the Arts unit at
her university, the lecturer asked all students to draw a tree. After this she asked if all had
used green and brown for their picture- to which all students replied yes. She then showed
the class a PowerPoint of photographs of different trees in nature in a range of colours- red,
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pink, blue (a tree that had been painted). I found this to be a great of example of an
educator inspiring creativity in her students- something that young children should be
provided in their education.


JACQUELINE NICHOLE LEMON said
Sunday, 9 March 2014 11:04:33 AM CST
'Inspiring creativity', you are right this is exactly what we need to be doing Jade. Finding the
confidence and knowledge on how to do this is something I need to discover and I look
forward to reading everyone's ideas as this subject progresses.
My Response Posted Friday 14
th
March 2014
Hi Jade,
I found your post really interesting and I liked the thinking behind your friends idea on her
first day of her arts unit, and the concepts of drawing a tree. Often we tend to think of the
obvious, but need to provide those opportunities and creative thinking skills in ourselves,
and our students, to think "outside the square", of things that may not be so obvious - like
you have mentioned with photographs of different trees/colours.
Maybe as adults, if we haven't necessarily had those experiences to extend our knowledge
as children, we can become set in our thinking - we need to ensure children have these
multiple experiences through art, play and real life, as indicated in the reading by Bhroin, to
help them view their world in different ways.
Best regards...
CONTRIBUTION 4: Module 3: Part 1
Original Post by Rebecca Ann EVANS-Posted Monday 7
th
April, 2014.
Songs are something I love and have loved since I was a kid. I think songs that appeal to you
are songs that connect to you whether it is through lyrics, beat, tempo etc. Music can be
used in a variety of ways, ie to relax you, to stimulate you. I know that music is the first
thing that goes on when I work out, when I am getting ready to head out for the night and
when I am having a bad day. But depending on my mood depends on what songs I will play.
I was a 90s girl when I got my first taste of music, so back then Spice Girls and Backstreet
Boys had a huge influence in the music world. There were also the likes of Britney Spears
and Beyonce who were both entering their musical careers with popular hits. Listening to
music is about as far as I stem. I did the normal recorder lessons in Primary School and
guitar in grade 8, but never felt a passion to further learn an instrument.
I am in a Transition class and first term we had a focus on Nursery Rhymes. It is amazing to
see that kids still have the same love for classics that I was brought up with and I think this is
important as rhyme is so important in early years. I do believe though that kids are highly
influenced by what they see through television and movies. Ie wiggles and Hi-5. At the
moment with Frozen being a popular movie hit, all I hear my girls singing in class is Let it
go. I think kids also like to play with music that they can make noise!!! We were doing
letter x the other day so I put out xylophones for my kids to play with in their groups and
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surprisingly it left them busy for the entire 15min rotation and then didnt want to move on.
It was great, although I feel for the other classes that had to listen to the noise!
I do believe what children like today has changed slightly because kids are listening and
seeing top 40 music constantly from an early age as technology has advanced. I have my 4
year olds dancing and singing Gangnam Style. However, the elements in music are still the
same as each song requires tempo and beat etc.
My response Posted Monday 7
th
April 2014
Hi Rebecca,

You have made an absolutely valid point - that is: - songs that appeal to us, are songs that
we have develop some connection with, whether it be the sounds, rhythm, lyrics etc.

Your point too re music in children's movies, also has an impact on children. I guess this also
further extends as a marketing tool, in games and within television ads.

I agree that children like to make music that creates a lot of noise - I did "I'm a little teapot"
in my story time sessions, and we had actions to the song, and also when it came to the bit
"when I get all steamed up then I SHOUT"..... I got the children to actually SHOUT the word
as they said it - some grandparents in particular were horrified in the beginning, but soon
joined in too :-)


REBECCA ANN EVANS said
Monday, 21 April 2014 12:29:01 PM CST
Hi Linnea,

Thanks for your comment. It is funny how people look at you when you have a bit of fun
with the kids and make noise. I dont think people do it enough these days with their classes.
I am always putting on music and yes my kids get silly and sing and dance all over the place,
but it is part of being a kid and seing their faces is priceless. There is such an expectation on
everything we teach, we sometimes forget the essence of kids being kids! :)


LINNEA JANE MEAD said
Friday, 25 April 2014 6:53:43 PM CST
:-) and big kids being "kids" again too :-)
CONTRIBUTION 5: Module 4: Part 1
Posted by LINNEA JANE MEAD at Monday, 14 April 2014 10:58:34 AM CST
How The Arts could be the focus of curriculum integration and why that might be important
instead of always being linked to through other curriculum focuses.
Providing The Arts as a focus for teaching and learning experiences allows students to
develop their own creativeness and discover themselves - what they can do, what is
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important to them and their interests, and enables creative and critical thinkers in deciding
what mediums to use, how they want to represent what they want to say and
show. Although the focus is on process based learning, I believe there needs to be an
element of product based learning so students can develop new ideas, build on old ideas
and talents that they may not have developed without this knowledge.
The Arts automatically incorporates a variety of other curriculum areas, such as design and
technology; science; English; geography; history; PE and maths, as students learn the history
of certain arts; creating, measuring and making their designs; learning where art comes
from e.g. learning about an artist and their styles of painting, or why they use certain styles;
and English through nonverbal and verbal communication e.g. feelings, moods and thoughts
about certain arts/language.
The Arts as essentially important as a curriculum focus, is demonstrated in the following
YouTube presentation, which discusses the benefits of the arts on a students learning,
whether it be music, visual arts, drama etc. While involving high school students, one
student states art "makes the whole high school experience easier because you are learning
and also doing what you like".
This is another essential reason for providing The Arts as a main curriculum subject, to
support all students.
Oops - here is the YouTube link if you wish to view the discussion above.....
http://www.edutopia.org/music-art-curriculum-integration-video


JOCELYN ELIZABETH UIBO said
Tuesday, 22 April 2014 7:38:07 PM CST
Hi Linnea,

I watched the YouTube video what an amazing example of how art and curriculum integrate
to create an environment that thrives on the passions of those young people. I think that
the same principles can be applied in the early years but in a different way.


TRACY ANN RANDALL said
Thursday, 24 April 2014 11:25:08 AM CST
Hi Linnea
As I mentioned in my post, I have just rearranged my art area to make it more about self
selection and exploration of materials. But it's hard to go past integration with other
curriculum areas. I have done some wonderful projects with my children over the years
combining art with other areas. Thank you for the YouTube link.

Tracy


ALISON MARY O'LOUGHLIN said
Tuesday, 29 April 2014 11:58:32 AM CST
Thanks for the YouTube clip Linnea, that was fantastic to watch.
it makes you realise that society needs artists as much as it does mathematicians, literary
scholars and scientists.
Can you imagine a world without the Arts??....
Mead_L_s237572_Assignment 3_Semester 1_2014 Page 9


Alison


CATHERINE WAY said
New
Sunday, 4 May 2014 8:46:57 AM CST
It is easy to overlook how much learning children are doing in the other curriculum areas,
and in the EsseNTial Learning skill areas, when they are doing work in the arts.
CONTRIBUTION 6: Module 5
Module 5
Posted by LINNEA JANE MEAD at Monday, 14 April 2014 7:01:02 PM CST
Discuss how we as educators can encourage imagination
and dramatic play in children
As educators, we can encourage imagination and dramatic play by providing resources and
materials that are changeable, and either based on experiences that children have engaged
in, or that provide for free creativity. Such examples include a visit to childrens learning
environments from the police, or children visiting a fire station, then materials provided
such as hats, boxes, paints- any resource that could develop creative imagination-and
pretend play.
We can also encourage imagination and dramatic play in children, by showing that we can
be a kid within show that we are prepared to lead by example, with our own imagination,
play and self-expression, providing visual, aural and tactile environments.
The range of ways to encourage imagination and dramatic play are really limited by our
imagination, and the imagination of the children in play. It is also possible to scaffold both,
by building on to what we see in the play children engage in.
Further, we can provide environments that encourage imagination and dramatic play with
drama, music, stories, songs, finger play, rhythm and rhyme to extend a childs skill
development and knowledge.


JACQUELINE NICHOLE LEMON said
Friday, 18 April 2014 12:26:05 PM CST
You are right Linnea, what we can do to encourage dramatic play is only limited by our
imagination. Thinking outside the square and taking cues from the imagination of the
children around us will assist us as educators to provide the resources and encouragement
to let their imaginational dramatic play soar.

Jackie


NATALIE KAHLERT said
New
Sunday, 18 May 2014 11:36:15 AM CST
Hi,

Mead_L_s237572_Assignment 3_Semester 1_2014 Page 10

I love what you have both written. Thinking outside of the square and actually listening to
the children/ taking cues from them will certainly assist us. Linnea, you mentioned about
the police coming to visit then providing the relevant props for the children. We had a visit
from Hector the Road Safety Cat. Not sure if you know of him but he is a big yellow and blue
cat that visits centres/schools teaching the children about road safety. After he left the
children's imagination went wild. They were out in the yard pretending to cross the road but
making sure they were looking, listening and making sure it was safe to cross the road. They
also made sure that they put on their seat belts before they "drove" their cars. This was so
wonderful to see the children's imagination at it's best!! I just love being with the children:)

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