Comments on: Bitch bitch bitch

By: Veronica

Veronica — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 02:24:51 +0000

Thank you for posting this! I think prefab art projects ought to be BANNED outright, for all ages. It sets the kids up for failure and stifles creativity & exploration, just as you say. This is a huge issue for me (probably with roots in my past, when as a perfectionist, achievement-oriented child I was always crushed that my project never looked as nice as the teacher’s, but whatever). I’ve been touring preschools and instantly eliminate any facility with telltale cotton-ball sheep or the like on the walls…

My son is in early intervention programs, and while the teachers in his group child development class do start off art projects with some sort of cutout or outline or preconceived notion (which made me shudder at first and actually consider removing Max from the class), I must admit that they are WONDERFUL about discouraging parents from “helping” or “correcting” the kids, and they definitely emphasize the exploration of media rather than the production of finished products.

More Jackson Pollock and less Martha Stewart, I say! And thanks for the tip about the salt…

By: Bacchus2530

Bacchus2530 — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 05:51:52 +0000

I’m glad somebody else things this too. The hubby and I DESPISE, yes we used the big D word, coloring books. There is nothing worse for a kids ego than to feel they haven’t accomplished something right. We always give reams of paper and coloring implements as gifts. While the parents always look at us oddly that there is a stack of papers from the office supply store, the kids go crazy because you know once you color on one you need a new piece and they can go through and jut get carried away.

I taught art at summer camp and I was always amazed at how many kids were pre-programmed by such an early age. I liked to get them to deconstruct things rather than just recreate. Instead of drawing trees, animals, etc we would cut out the shapes that make up those things. we would then recreate other things with those shapes.

we would also do lots of modern, abstract things to get them out of the idea that they had to perfectly recreate an image in order for it to be art.

By: amy

amy — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 01:07:18 +0000

You’ve summed up all my frustrating libary storytime, preschool, and public school experiences w/my three kids in one post. sigh.

By: cheryl b.

cheryl b. — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 00:44:13 +0000

I ment to say, half of it stayed on the mat for him to keep shmooshing around.

By: cheryl b.

cheryl b. — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 00:41:03 +0000

After reading that we had to try it. You should have seen the way Xavier’s eyes lit up when I asked him if he just wanted to paint on the plastic mat instead of the paper. He had so much more fun. The paint smooshed and slid all over and I still got pictures to hang on the fridge. Plus, it actually used much less paint since half of it stayed on the mat.
A word on my fabulous painting mat. You know those Sesame Street books you can get (for $5 each, plus shipping) in the mail but they send you 2 free books first along with some flash cards and a plastic play mat to line the books on? That’s the mat I’m talking about. I of course didn’t get any more of the books because I’m poor but I have used that free mat more times then I can count. I love free stuff.