1. Chapter 11 Using Work Samples to Look at Creativity
“Writing meaningful observations as they are
occurring cannot happen in a teacher-directed classroom. The teacher is too busy.”
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WORK SAMPLES
Children’s drawings, writings, products, inventions
Media: Photos, video, audio tapes
Transcripts of conversations
Anecdotal records of dramatic play episodes
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3. Development Revealed in Work Samples
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Uses of Work Samples
Advantages
In natural setting, non-teacher directed
Compared over a period of time
Expression of child’s thoughts and feelings
Disadvantages
Children’s products are works in progress
May lead observer to draw wrong conclusions
Collection and storage
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What to Do with It
Depending on medium, it can be duplicated for child’s portfolio
Shared with child and family as a point of discussion and comparison to work over time
Displayed in classroom (without competition)
Used to explore children’s interests and extend with planned activities
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6. LOOKING AT CHILDREN’S CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
Stages of Children’s Art
Making marks – 0 to 2 years, experimentation
Scribbling – 2 to 4 years, exploration
Preschematic – 4 to 7 years, nonrepresentational
4. Schematic – 7 to 9 years, more realistic
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Early Stages of Drawing
Mandala – combination of a cross inside a circle
Suns – the circle with radiating lines
Radial – Straight lines radiate from a central point to form a circle-like shape
Tadpole Man – representing humans, combining the circles and lines into a head with features
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14. Observing Creativity in Infants and Toddlers
Learning how to create something from “raw” materials: they can draw w/ chubby crayons and markers; they can paint with non-toxic paint (pureed food like spinach, beets, peaches, or applesauce)
Exploring materials with their senses
Learning different ways to express thoughts and ideas
Learning to make decisions
Developing the ability to share materials and appreciate others’ work
Developing a positive self-concept
Developing and refining fine motor and cognitive activities
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Process vs. Product
Materials presented for exploration
Unique outcomes
Child has freedom to select materials and work
Only child’s hands and ideas in the work
Finished work shown as a model
All works look similar
Teacher/Adult gives directions
Adult “helps” child by contributing to the work or restricting the child’s ideas
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16. Blocks as a Creative Medium
Types of Blocks
Plastic interlocking
Unit blocks
Hollow blocks
Cardboard blocks
Foam blocks
Special building sets
Cube blocks
Stages in Block Play
Carry, fill, dump
Stacking, laying
Bridging
Attachments
Patterns
Naming, representing
Reproducing
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17. Creativity and Development
Cognitive – Problem solving, logico-mathematical skills
Social/Emotional – Expression, sharing, cooperation
Physical – Involves refinement of large and small muscles
Language – Expands descriptive vocabulary, symbolic representation
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18. Helping All Children with Creativity
Giftedness
Divergent Thinking
Cultural Diversity
Ability Diversity
Helping Professionals
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19. Talking with Children about Their Work
CONSIDER NOT…
Complimenting (Very nice. Beautiful)
Judging (Great. That’s wonderful)
Valuing (I love it)
Questioning (What is it?)
Analizing (Is this a car?)
Correcting (grass isn’t orange. Here is green crayon for grass)
Modeling (making a model for the child to follow)
PRACTICE
Describing
Color (you used a lot of red)
Patterns (You made a lot of blue and yellow lines)
Process (Can you tell me how you did it? What part did you do first?)
Attention (you worked a really long time at that)
Relationship to experiences
Concepts
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