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Exploring The Aesthetic Experience
Exploring The Aesthetic Experience
EXPERIENCE
The following lecture notes primarily
reflect of an overview of chapters 3 & 4
of Mayesky, 2002.
Children are more tolerant because they learn that there are many
possible ways of doing things.
Consequently, they are also better able to deal with complexity because they
do not expect to find one best answer.
Children are more independent because they are more open to their own
thoughts. They are good questioners for the same reasons.
AESTHETIC EXPERIENCES
Aesthetic experiences for young children can
take many forms. They can involve
appreciation of
The Beauty Of Nature
The Rhythm
Imagery Of Music Or Poetry
The Quality Of Works Of Arts
PROMOTING AESTHETIC
EXPERIENCES
Resources may be personal (interpersonal problemsolving skills, senses, cognitive and motor
competencies)
2.
Hardware store.
3.
Choose materials that children can explore with their senses (touch, sight, smell).
2.
Choose materials that children can manipulate (twist, bend, cut, color, mark).
3.
Choose materials that can be used in different ways (thrown, bounced, built with, fastened, shaped).
Children develop aesthetic skills in sensing and exhibiting by helping build a beauty corner.
Older children enjoy the same experience of collecting materials, but can go further into associating
materials with the elements of art.
The process of making out stuff from materials and the childs personal involvement
in it are the keys here- not the finished product.
Children must have the opportunity not only to find materials but also to try them out.
Lots of experimenting with the materials is required to determine what the children
feel they need.
The process of exploring materials with older children usually involves the creation of
more complex works of art.
Older children pay greater attention to expressing specific ideas in their work and are
more intentional in their approach to using materials.
Adult guidance is vital but not to the detriment of the childs natural creativity
and curiosity. Guidance must be very gentle, supportive, and sensitive.
Asking questions aimed at helping the children reach out for and
get the payoff they are seeking.
1.
2.
Set up displays to show different ways the children have used a medium,
such as painting, collage, clay.
Let the room reflect the childrens diversity, their likes, their interest.
Take time at the end of the day to show artwork to the children, letting
them talk about each others work.
Send all artwork home in a way that shows your respect for the
artist and the art.