John Post on sun 20 dec 09
Little kids and art.
Kids draw all the time. It=3D92s natural for them. There is an =3D20
interesting book called Analyzing Children=3D92s Art by Rhoda Kellogg. It =
=3D
=3D20
shows the natural progression and stages of development that kids go =3D20
through as they begin making images. This progression and the images =3D20=
=3D
are universal across all cultures across the globe.
Little kids always work with subject matter in their art. This is my =3D20=
=3D
mom, this is my dad, this is a ninja, a car, a rocket, a house, a =3D20
flower, etc. When elementary art teachers try to teach kids about =3D20
abstraction by having them make =3D91designs=3D92 the do a disservice to th=
e =3D
=3D20
kids. Kids want to learn how to make things look real. Kids could =3D20
care less about any abstract Kandisnky inspired watercolor painting =3D20
they might make, but they can easily recognize who draws the best =3D20
people, cars, animals in their class.
Whenever someone speaks about an abstract artwork and says =3D93My kid =3D2=
0
could paint that=3D94 it just shows that they don=3D92t understand how =3D
little =3D20
kids draw. Little kids make wonderful marks that have an abstract =3D20
beauty to them, but they are not trying to make abstract art. They =3D20
are trying to get their ideas down on paper the best they can. They =3D20
aren=3D92t all anal retentive and judgmental about every little mark they =
=3D20=3D
make. They just draw it and then move on.
If I drop a little kid=3D92s sculpture while unloading a kiln, there are =
=3D20=3D
no tears. I tell them what happened, tell them they can make another =3D20=
=3D
one and then the rest of the class is jealous that little Joey gets to =3D2=
0=3D
work in clay again. For kids, it is the process. They are happy to =3D20
create and then give it away. They don=3D92t fear running out of ideas, =
=3D20=3D
they are just happy to be creating. They say stuff like =3D93I just love =
=3D20=3D
to paint, or Yayyyyy!!!=3D94 when it=3D92s a clay day.
School are always rushing little kids. Schools want them to think =3D20
abstractly, when their brains are wired up for concrete learning. =3D20
Little kids go outside and pick up bugs to look at them because they =3D20
are cool. They see beauty in the little things. When they are =3D20
working in watercolors, sometimes they get distracted by how beautiful =3D2=
0=3D
the water looks in the water bowl once they have cleaned the brush a =3D20
few times. They love the swirling and marbling of the colors mixing.
Little kids have the enthusiasm for drawing and making things. It=3D92s a =
=3D
=3D20
weird irony that as the abstract concepts become more difficult as a =3D20
child progresses through school, that there is less and less drawing =3D20
taking place. Only those kids who learn best by listening are served =3D20=
=3D
at school.
Here is an observation about the national spelling bee. I am a better =3D2=
0=3D
speller when I write the word out. I can tell when it looks right or =3D20=
=3D
wrong visually. You often see the finalists writing the word out in =3D20
the palm of their hand trying to =3D93see=3D94 the word. Why not just let =
=3D20=3D
them write it down on a scrap of paper? I always think of having to =3D20
spell the word aloud as discriminating against the visual learners. =3D20
If you are an auditory learner, spelling bees favor your learning =3D20
style, just like the rest of the school day does.
John Post
Sterling Heights, Michigan
:: cone 6 glaze website :: http://www.johnpost.us
:: elementary art website :: http://www.wemakeart.org
tony clennell on sun 20 dec 09
John: Dang it now I have another book to buy and read over the
holidays. I still think you are one of the best elementary art
teachers out there. Keep doing such a fine job! Teaching is the most
important job in the world.
Happy Holidays.
Tony
P>S The book is outta print.
On Sun, Dec 20, 2009 at 10:52 AM, John Post wro=
=3D
te:
> Little kids and art.
>
> Kids draw all the time. It=3D92s natural for them. There is an interest=
in=3D
g
> book called Analyzing Children=3D92s Art by Rhoda Kellogg. It shows the =
na=3D
tural
> progression and stages of development that kids go through as they begin
> making images. This progression and the images are universal across all
> cultures across the globe.
>
> Little kids always work with subject matter in their art. This is my mom=
=3D
,
> this is my dad, this is a ninja, a car, a rocket, a house, a flower, etc.
> When elementary art teachers try to teach kids about abstraction by havi=
=3D
ng
> them make =3D91designs=3D92 the do a disservice to the kids. Kids want t=
o le=3D
arn how
> to make things look real. Kids could care less about any abstract Kandis=
=3D
nky
> inspired watercolor painting they might make, but they can easily recogni=
=3D
ze
> who draws the best people, cars, animals in their class.
>
> Whenever someone speaks about an abstract artwork and says =3D93My kid co=
ul=3D
d
> paint that=3D94 it just shows that they don=3D92t understand how little k=
ids =3D
draw.
> Little kids make wonderful marks that have an abstract beauty to them, b=
=3D
ut
> they are not trying to make abstract art. They are trying to get their
> ideas down on paper the best they can. They aren=3D92t all anal retentiv=
e =3D
and
> judgmental about every little mark they make. They just draw it and then
> move on.
>
> If I drop a little kid=3D92s sculpture while unloading a kiln, there are =
no
> tears. I tell them what happened, tell them they can make another one an=
=3D
d
> then the rest of the class is jealous that little Joey gets to work in cl=
=3D
ay
> again. For kids, it is the process. They are happy to create and then g=
=3D
ive
> it away. They don=3D92t fear running out of ideas, they are just happy t=
o =3D
be
> creating. They say stuff like =3D93I just love to paint, or Yayyyyy!!!=
=3D94 =3D
when
> it=3D92s a clay day.
>
> School are always rushing little kids. Schools want them to think
> abstractly, when their brains are wired up for concrete learning. Little
> kids go outside and pick up bugs to look at them because they are cool.
> They see beauty in the little things. When they are working in
> watercolors, sometimes they get distracted by how beautiful the water loo=
=3D
ks
> in the water bowl once they have cleaned the brush a few times. They lov=
=3D
e
> the swirling and marbling of the colors mixing.
>
> Little kids have the enthusiasm for drawing and making things. It=3D92s =
a =3D
weird
> irony that as the abstract concepts become more difficult as a child
> progresses through school, that there is less and less drawing taking pla=
=3D
ce.
> Only those kids who learn best by listening are served at school.
>
> Here is an observation about the national spelling bee. I am a better
> speller when I write the word out. I can tell when it looks right or wro=
=3D
ng
> visually. You often see the finalists writing the word out in the palm o=
=3D
f
> their hand trying to =3D93see=3D94 the word. Why not just let them write=
it =3D
down on
> a scrap of paper? I always think of having to spell the word aloud as
> discriminating against the visual learners. If you are an auditory learn=
=3D
er,
> spelling bees favor your learning style, just like the rest of the school
> day does.
>
> John Post
> Sterling Heights, Michigan
>
> :: cone 6 glaze website :: http://www.johnpost.us
> :: elementary art website :: http://www.wemakeart.org
>
--=3D20
http://sourcherrypottery.com
http://smokieclennell.blogspot.com
Workshop Feb 5,6,7 Mudbucket Pottery
Myrtle Beach, SC
info@mudbucketpottery.com
Workshop Feb 13th
Tucker's Pottery Supply-Lies, lies and more lies
info@tuckerspottery.com
Philip Poburka on mon 21 dec 09
Hi John,
You'd mentioned Spelling Bees...visual thinkers...
Anyway, I remembered this Video I saw recently -
It shows an interesting relation/comparison between an ingenuous child, and=
,
a cloying trained-monkey of a talking head media type.
Oye...it says so much about all this
Phil
Lv
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Post"
Little kids and art.
Kids draw all the time. It=92s natural for them. There is an
interesting book called Analyzing Children=92s Art by Rhoda Kellogg. It
shows the natural progression and stages of development that kids go
through as they begin making images. This progression and the images
are universal across all cultures across the globe.
Little kids always work with subject matter in their art. This is my
mom, this is my dad, this is a ninja, a car, a rocket, a house, a
flower, etc. When elementary art teachers try to teach kids about
abstraction by having them make =91designs=92 the do a disservice to the
kids. Kids want to learn how to make things look real. Kids could
care less about any abstract Kandisnky inspired watercolor painting
they might make, but they can easily recognize who draws the best
people, cars, animals in their class.
Whenever someone speaks about an abstract artwork and says =93My kid
could paint that=94 it just shows that they don=92t understand how little
kids draw. Little kids make wonderful marks that have an abstract
beauty to them, but they are not trying to make abstract art. They
are trying to get their ideas down on paper the best they can. They
aren=92t all anal retentive and judgmental about every little mark they
make. They just draw it and then move on.
If I drop a little kid=92s sculpture while unloading a kiln, there are
no tears. I tell them what happened, tell them they can make another
one and then the rest of the class is jealous that little Joey gets to
work in clay again. For kids, it is the process. They are happy to
create and then give it away. They don=92t fear running out of ideas,
they are just happy to be creating. They say stuff like =93I just love
to paint, or Yayyyyy!!!=94 when it=92s a clay day.
School are always rushing little kids. Schools want them to think
abstractly, when their brains are wired up for concrete learning.
Little kids go outside and pick up bugs to look at them because they
are cool. They see beauty in the little things. When they are
working in watercolors, sometimes they get distracted by how beautiful
the water looks in the water bowl once they have cleaned the brush a
few times. They love the swirling and marbling of the colors mixing.
Little kids have the enthusiasm for drawing and making things. It=92s a
weird irony that as the abstract concepts become more difficult as a
child progresses through school, that there is less and less drawing
taking place. Only those kids who learn best by listening are served
at school.
Here is an observation about the national spelling bee. I am a better
speller when I write the word out. I can tell when it looks right or
wrong visually. You often see the finalists writing the word out in
the palm of their hand trying to =93see=94 the word. Why not just let
them write it down on a scrap of paper? I always think of having to
spell the word aloud as discriminating against the visual learners.
If you are an auditory learner, spelling bees favor your learning
style, just like the rest of the school day does.
John Post
Sterling Heights, Michigan
:: cone 6 glaze website :: http://www.johnpost.us
:: elementary art website :: http://www.wemakeart.org
Philip Poburka on mon 21 dec 09
Oh for Pete's sake...I'd forgot to include the Video link -
http://www.spike.com/video/spelling-bee-winner/2862093
Phil
Lv
----- Original Message -----
From: "Philip Poburka"
> Hi John,
>
>
>
> You'd mentioned Spelling Bees...visual thinkers...
>
>
> Anyway, I remembered this Video I saw recently -
>
>
> It shows an interesting relation/comparison between an ingenuous child,
> and,
> a cloying trained-monkey of a talking head media type.
>
>
> Oye...it says so much about all this
>
>
> Phil
> Lv
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Post"
>
>
> Little kids and art.
>
> Kids draw all the time. It=92s natural for them. There is an
> interesting book called Analyzing Children=92s Art by Rhoda Kellogg. It
> shows the natural progression and stages of development that kids go
> through as they begin making images. This progression and the images
> are universal across all cultures across the globe.
>
> Little kids always work with subject matter in their art. This is my
> mom, this is my dad, this is a ninja, a car, a rocket, a house, a
> flower, etc. When elementary art teachers try to teach kids about
> abstraction by having them make =91designs=92 the do a disservice to the
> kids. Kids want to learn how to make things look real. Kids could
> care less about any abstract Kandisnky inspired watercolor painting
> they might make, but they can easily recognize who draws the best
> people, cars, animals in their class.
>
> Whenever someone speaks about an abstract artwork and says =93My kid
> could paint that=94 it just shows that they don=92t understand how little
> kids draw. Little kids make wonderful marks that have an abstract
> beauty to them, but they are not trying to make abstract art. They
> are trying to get their ideas down on paper the best they can. They
> aren=92t all anal retentive and judgmental about every little mark they
> make. They just draw it and then move on.
>
> If I drop a little kid=92s sculpture while unloading a kiln, there are
> no tears. I tell them what happened, tell them they can make another
> one and then the rest of the class is jealous that little Joey gets to
> work in clay again. For kids, it is the process. They are happy to
> create and then give it away. They don=92t fear running out of ideas,
> they are just happy to be creating. They say stuff like =93I just love
> to paint, or Yayyyyy!!!=94 when it=92s a clay day.
>
> School are always rushing little kids. Schools want them to think
> abstractly, when their brains are wired up for concrete learning.
> Little kids go outside and pick up bugs to look at them because they
> are cool. They see beauty in the little things. When they are
> working in watercolors, sometimes they get distracted by how beautiful
> the water looks in the water bowl once they have cleaned the brush a
> few times. They love the swirling and marbling of the colors mixing.
>
> Little kids have the enthusiasm for drawing and making things. It=92s a
> weird irony that as the abstract concepts become more difficult as a
> child progresses through school, that there is less and less drawing
> taking place. Only those kids who learn best by listening are served
> at school.
>
> Here is an observation about the national spelling bee. I am a better
> speller when I write the word out. I can tell when it looks right or
> wrong visually. You often see the finalists writing the word out in
> the palm of their hand trying to =93see=94 the word. Why not just let
> them write it down on a scrap of paper? I always think of having to
> spell the word aloud as discriminating against the visual learners.
> If you are an auditory learner, spelling bees favor your learning
> style, just like the rest of the school day does.
>
> John Post
> Sterling Heights, Michigan
>
> :: cone 6 glaze website :: http://www.johnpost.us
> :: elementary art website :: http://www.wemakeart.org
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