2. Nataniel West
“Art Is One if Life's Richest Offerings.
For those who have not the talent to
create, there is appreciation.”
3. Think
In their elementary years, children are being exposed to art for the first time and
this period can make or break their perception about art and themselves. The in the
part where adults had their perception of "I'm not an artist." "I'm not really meant
for drawing. "I really have no talent in this." Given this, it is really important that
children are taught how to appreciate art. In teaching elementary grades,
developing appreciation, respect, and love for their own work is crucial because this
will be the foundation of how they see, analyze, interpret, and judge the work of
others. In this lesson, we hope to empower future art teachers so that they will be
equipped to facilitate art appreciation in classes. In teaching elementary grades,
developing appreciation, respect, and love for their own work is crucial because this
will be the foundation of how they see, analyze, interpret, and judge the work of
others. The Feldman Approach begins with the teacher asking students about what
they see and eventually culminate in a comprehensive form of art criticism which
can be used in any order.
4. Description through Observation
To appreciate art, we must be able to look around and observe our
surroundings Understanding the elements of art and principles of
design will help children see them in their everyday life. To observe
thoroughly means to actively look for something that otherwise might
not be seen, taking time to identify details from the environment
through the five senses: seeing, hearing. feeling, smelling, and
touching. Great artists are great observers. They can see what others
cannot see. To observe is one of the studio habits of the mind, as
identified by Hetland et al (2007). It is learning to see things more
closely than ordinary "looking" requires. Observation can be done
before actually creating art.
5. Aesthetic Scanning
In order to see what is in a work of art, Broudy and Greer (Dobbs 1992, 77) developed this
method to describe the four properties and qualities of a work of art. This method includes:
1. Sensory properties are used to identify visual elements that can
be perceived through sensory contact with the work.
2. Formal properties refer to how the elements are organized.
This can be the principles of design but during this part, students
can just say what they see.
3. Technical properties describe the medium that the artist used.
This includes tools and techniques used to create the work.
4. Expressive properties describe the first impression or mood the
work conveys.
6. Analysis
One way to analyze a work of art is to interpret what the artist is trying to
express Visual literacy is as crucial as learning reading, writing, and
arithmetic, but instead of reading series of letters and computing numbers,
children learn to give meaning to images and understand their responses.
Children who are visually literate understand that pictures can mean a
thousand words, and the meaning can be influenced by many factors: their
own. experiences, the author's message, and the given context. Sometimes,
elementary teachers tend to assert their own meaning to an image or an
artwork neglecting the fact that it can mean differently from the
perspective of the child. This can crush their self-confidence and belief that
their opinions are valid. As educators of young minds, teachers should be
sensitive on how they react toward a child's artwork because for the child, it
is not just a mere object or a school requirement but a representation of
their worldview and culmination of experiences.
7. Visual Communication
and Visual Literacy
The Visual Thinking Strategies is a research-based teaching method used in preschool and elementary
classes for appreciating art. visual literacy, and communication skills. The visual thinking method asks the
three questions:
"What's going on in this picture?"
"What do you see that makes you say that?"
"What more can we find?“
Visual literacy is the ability to find meaning in an imagery (Yenawine 1997). In his article, Thoughts on
Visual Literacy, Yenawine (1997) discussed the different levels of visual literacy, a study conducted by
Abigail Housen. In the Stage I of visual literacy, people might be called "pre-literate and are more of
storytelling" (Housen 1992). Teachers should ask children to observe and think about what they see. Let
them listen to the ideas of their classmates and compare their responses. Through this practice, children as
young as five years old can learn how to accept and give criticisms and treat other's opinions respectfully.
8. As students grow older, around 8-12 years old, a more technical approach can be done to practice visual
literacy. Teachers can focus on the application and analysis of the elements of art and principles of design.
Examples of questions are:
"Can you tell me how you used balance in your composition? What kind of balance?"
"What color harmony did you use? Can you explain what are analogous colors?"
Aside from the elements of art and principles of design, students can also explain how the activity is
integrated in other disciplines. The teacher can discuss about Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math
(STEAM), Literature, and special events. Students can think deeper and be critical about how art is a
reflection of culture and vice versa. This is common in public schools which practice Discipline-Based Art
Education. Examples of questions are:
"What concepts and principles did you apply in creating this video animation?"
"Can you explain how your work is able to depict Philippine myths and legends?"
"Differentiate the textile traditions from the following countries: China, India, Japan, Indonesia, and the
Philippines."
This kind of discussion can also serve as assessment wherein teachers can see how well the students
understood the concepts applied in creating artwork.
9. Interpretation and Reflection
When the students are ready, they can collect their work and
begin a pair- share. In this way, everybody can have a
chance to talk. After talking about what is in the picture,
students can also share the reasons why it came to be
appreciation through reflection answers the questions
"WHY" and "HOW I FEEL This is the part where students
interpret their own work or other student's work. Asking
these questions can start a discussion about art in children.
If there is not enough time, the teacher can select certain
students and take turns over the course of the semester so
all can have their chance to share.
10. Talking Prompts
Sometimes, the teacher can also ask general questions
to the class. Here are sample questions from TAB by
Douglas and Jaquith (2018):
"Who made an amazing discovery today?"
"Who had a struggle today? Did you overcome your
problem? If not, can anyone suggest a strategy for the
artist?“
"Who learned something new from a classmate?"
"What else could you have done that you weren't able
to do?"
In some cases, when students are struggling to say or
find the word that they need to genuinely express
themselves, the teacher can help by rephrasing the
students' words in a statement that can be easily
understood by the class.
11. Giving Value and Remarks
In early childhood art education, appreciating children's
efforts and validating their feelings should be given more
importance than the output itself. Judging a work is part of art
criticism wherein the teacher or student can give their opinion
about how they feel toward an artwork. It is the duty of the
elementary art teacher to create an environment that is
encouraging and conducive for children to express without
inhibitions, take risks, and believe in their work. Teachers
and students should practice how to give comments and
criticisms with respect in the art room. Another indirect way of
giving remarks is to display their works on the table with a
paper beside it. The teacher has to explain how to give
comments and suggestions while still maintaining respect.
12. Below are some of the following guidelines that you can follow.
Always start with a positive statement. It is inevitable that sometimes we are presented with a work that does
not fit our taste. We end up speechless and our nonverbal expressions give it away, thus, hurting the child's
feelings. Warning: Do not overdo it. Also remember to state the child's name in the beginning to make it more
personal. Start with simple lines such as:
"Wow! Nice work, Marie!"
"Good job, Eric! I can see you put a lot of details.“
If you cannot find anything nice to say, you can describe the work by stating a fact or an obvious observation.
If you having a hard time to find the right words, describe the artwork by stating you see. Use neutral words to
describe size, quantity, and shade, such as clouds, big trees, small pond, a lot of hearts, bright sky, etc. Avoid
words that h negative connotation, such as ugly, messy, and dirty. Describing how they used the elements of
art and principles of design also count a lot. When you find yourself this situation, look for just one aspect of
the work to comment on. Example:
"Good, Carla I see you used red, blue, and yellow for the sea. May I know why you chose these colors?"
"I can see you used balance and contrast in your composition. Very good, Ryan!"
13. When giving remarks on report cards or works, you can say,
"Mark was able to draw circles and triangles. He can draw a squan but needs some practice in
making the lines the same length a possible. He can paint using a paintbrush but needs practice on
how to stroke gently."
Comment on the effort given by the child. A child's effort in the process creating should always be
taken into account when giving remarks or judging an artwork. Take note of the focus, time, and
dedication given by the child by praising them. Ask about their struggles and how they overcame it.
Children will continue to do better if their efforts and behavior are recognized. Some example remarks
are
"Wow, Serina, you really drew a lot of lines here! I can see so many patterns!"
"You really took your time doing this. I can see your hard work!“
When in doubt, ask first then listen. When you see a work that is questionable or makes you raise
your eyebrow, you can ask the student politely. If it is vague and confusing, it would be ideal to
confirm your assumptions first. Students thinking and understanding become evident when teachers
listen closely to them talking about their work (Douglas and Jaquith 2018). Children at a young age
are still struggling to draw exactly as they see it in their minds.
14. Turn negative comments and critiques as suggestions that are optional. Children can be very
sensitive when it comes to their work. This is the stage in Erik Erikson's theory wherein they develop
will, purpose, and competence. As teachers, it is our duty to empower them with our words of
encouragement. But children cannot grow without improving their weaknesses and this should be
dealt with tact and caution. One way to do this is to rephrase comments in a more constructive way.
Instead of using adjectives, state facts. Use positive statements. Here are some examples:
Bad: "Your coloring is so messy! It's like a work of a 2-year-old! I told you, don't color outside the
lines!"
Better. "Mark, I think your colors are going outside the lines. Can you try coloring within the shape?
Try holding the crayon near the tip. Can we do it again? Teacher will show you how."
The teacher can say this with a calm voice. Make sure to praise the student if he or she does it better
than the last time. It won't be perfect overnight. There is no early age to teach children how to make a
constructive criticism. This is a good practice of creating sentences and saying them with respect to
the receiver. Art is one of the subjects where there is no right or wrong so no opinion is superior to the
other.
