Capstone Research
My thesis explored how to create a community-based art education program that is accessible and developmentally appropriate for children ages 2 -4 years old. Using Lowenfeld’s stages of artistic development and Reggio Emilia practices, I invited the children to create using a process-based approach instead of product based. By focusing on the process instead of an end product, children are able to create freely and be in charge of their own learning.
Dr. Viktor Lowenfeld was an art education professor who introduced the idea that there are six stages of artistic development that can be witnessed in the artworks of children. As I observed the children working, I made notes on their developmental stages. This helped to provide invitations to create that would pique their curiosity and keep them engaged in art making. The two stages I observed in these sessions were the scribble phase and the pre-schematic phase.
Reggio Emilia is an educational philosophy that centers on the image of the child. What we see in the child is what we can expect from the child. Children have control over their learning and can direct themselves when given the appropriate guidance. There are infinite ways that children can learn and grow (100 languages), and artistic expression is one. I documented what children learned through observation and conversations.
Thank you all for your time and participation in this study. It has helped me develop a deeper understanding of what art education can look like for young children!
Invitations to create
Clay
Working with clay exposed the children to a very different material than they have used before. Many of them were familiar with playdough, but clay is not as squishy and does not move quite the same. For our first session, we began using clay with natural materials. I prepared clay spheres for the children to use along with sticks, leaves, and rocks. Children smushed, poked, squeezed, and discovered many ways that clay can be used.
The following session, clay was presented a little differently. Instead of dividing the clay up, I presented the clay in solid blocks straight out of the box. Clay tools were provided. The children worked together to get the clay off the block.
As children broke small pieces off, they began to create small sculptures.
In our final session, clay spheres were presented with wire and wooden beads. I noticed that the children were becoming more intentional with how they used the clay. Many children shaped the clay sphere into a base before attaching wire and beads to it. Some even added cut out clay shapes to the base.
Collaborative Drawing
Collaborative drawing was the way we began each art making session. Paper was rolled on the floor and children had the opportunity to learn important social skills like collaboration and communication. We also used the plexiglass easel! This was also a time for me to assess each child’s artistic development stage. Sometimes the paper had pre-drawn shapes or objects to engage curiosity and imagination, sometimes it was left empty for the children to start the drawing on their own. I observed when pre-drawn shapes were added before children drew, children who were in stage 2 tended to expand on the shapes drawn (either by coloring in or drawing more) and children who were in stage 1 tended to ignore the drawings, instead drawing directly on top of or on an empty area.
Collage
Children were interested in the brightly colored papers, tape, scissors, and glue. At first, many of them were not sure how to use the materials to create, but once they were shown how to use hole punchers and scissors, they went wild for expressing through collage. This was a favorite art invitation for many!
Painting/Drawing/Printmaking
Many different materials and methods for expressing with paint were introduced to the children. Inviting the children to paint on an unusual surface (aluminum foil/cloth) or use an unusual painting tool (pipette) engaged their fine motor skills, senses, and curiosity. As mentioned before, a key component to the Reggio Emilia approach is the fact that all children are capable. They can come up with ideas and create art that is uniquely their own. Some children stuck with a paintbrush while others enjoyed the sensorial experience of using their hands to paint. Some incorporated drawing or collage elements into their painting. Children also were able to experience painting vertically on an easel. Many interesting discoveries and ideas were created while the children painted.
Sculpture
Children worked on fine motor skills and concentration during our sculpture invitations. They were also exposed to new materials and problem solved ways to use them to create their art. I noticed many students would work on a sculpture for a short amount of time, leave it for another invitation, and then come back to it later in the session. This surprised me! I feel that children were demonstrating task persistence, which is such an important self-regulatory skill in early childhood. When things get tough or confusing or we lose interest, do we leave it alone or come back and try it again later? Maybe the children had time to reflect or watch others work, got an idea, and went to do that in the sculpture. Whatever the case, I loved to see the concentration and problem-solving skills children used while making sculptures!
