How Art Promotes Learning

01/18/2007

You can't depend on your judgment when your imagination is out of focus.
Mark Twain in Notebook

In our new Beginnings Workshops Book #5 — Curriculum: Art, Music, Movement, Drama, Patricia Pinciotti makes the case for the value of art as an integral part of children's learning. She observes, for example...

"We know from research on the brain that the search for meaning is innate and this searching occurs through patterning. The arts offer a direct path to seeking patterns, layering experiences, and making meaning. Meaningful learning engages feelings, experiences, relationships, and the ability to see clearly with our eyes, hands, and bodies.

"Children become problem posers in art-rich environments. They call on their personal life of images and experiences to solve problems. The answer to the question, “What color is this?” or “How does this animal move?” is not moment specific, but tied to their whole life as a learner in the world. Ask someone who has experimented with color, who knows how color mixes and interacts with other colors, someone who has multiple images for the color “orange.” Check with someone who has watched ants at work for a long time, or has been caught off guard by a cat leaping from the floor to a table, someone who has run or spun around really, really fast. Becoming better readers and writers, understanding numbers, forming successful personal relationships involves putting many things together, layering experiences to solve word, number, or people problems. So maybe it’s all about art?"

Children’s Art Gallery in Exchange

We at Exchange magazine feel that art expression plays a vital role in every child's development. Children develop their own personal creativity, imagination, and expression by creating art using everyday products. In the May/June issue of Exchange we will be showcasing art projects made by children using everyday products. Please submit your art project to us - SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS

In the May/June issue of Exchange we will be showcasing art projects made by children using everyday products. Please submit your art project to us at [email protected] including the name of your Center, what materials were used and a short title description of the art project itself. Please limit your description to 50 – 60 words. Please submit one or two photos that best showcase the completed art in JPEG or TIFF format. The resolution of the photo should be at least 400 pixels wide and tall. Higher resolution photos are preferred.

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.