PROCESS over Product!
The
Importance of Process Art with Young Children
by Miss Jess Lam-Chan, 11 January 2016
Confidence and Self-Efficacy
“I can do it!”
Children are in control of their own experiences;
they learn that they have the ability to take direction, make decisions and
that their opinions and ideas matter.
As they are not expected to create a
pre-determined product, they can experience success and feel pride in their own
creations.
Creativity
Children are free to explore materials at
their own pace, discover different ways in which they can use the materials,
combine materials and take them apart in infinite ways. The more time children
have with a particular material, the more confident they will be in their use
of it and may discover new ways to create with it.
Communication
Children are actively making sense of the
world around them and can express their thoughts, feelings and experiences
through art.
Children may also use their art as a starting
point for further communication.
Cognitive
Children are not following a set of
instructions or a finished sample. As such, they may need to observe, predict,
plan, problem solve and make decisions. They develop flexibility in their
thinking as they discover multiple ways of using materials.
Sensory
Giving children the space to put their hands
into paint, glue, clay etc stimulates their senses and this “contributes in crucial
ways to brain development. Think of it as “food for the brain”. Stimulating the
senses sends signals to children’s brains that help to strengthen neural
pathways important for all types of learning”, (S. Gainsley, 2011, Highscope
Extensions, Vol.25, No.5, Pg 2)
Physical
Both small and large muscles get a work out
through various art experiences. For example, manipulating play dough or clay
helps with the development of fine motor skills needed for writing.
 |
| Isaac observes a friend squeezing paint from a squeeze bottle (which had been independently retrieved fr om our art shelf). Isaac explores this technique on two different surfaces- paper and mirror. |
 |
| Gabby combined different materials and media to create this piece of work. |
 |
| Andrew pours coloured glue onto a piece of paper and feels the glue with his hands. |
Process-Focused
Art VS Product-Focused Art
An extract from:
http://www.naeyc.org/tyc/article/process-art-experiences
Characteristics
of process-focused art experiences
•
There are no step-by-step instructions
•
There is no sample for children to follow
•
There is no right or wrong way to explore and create
•
The art is focused on the experience and on exploration of techniques, tools,
and materials
•
The art is unique and original
•
The experience is relaxing or calming
•
The art is entirely the children’s own
•
The art experience is a child’s choice
•
Ideas are not readily available online
What
children might say
“Look
what I made!”
“I’m
going to do another!”
“Can
I have more time?”
Characteristics
of product-focused art experiences
•
Children have instructions to follow
•
The teacher created a sample for children to copy
•
There’s a right and a wrong way to proceed
•
There’s a finished product in mind
•
The children’s finished art all looks the same
•
The children experience frustration
•
The teacher might “fix mistakes”
•
The whole class took part in an art project at the same time
•
Patterns and examples are readily available online
What
children might say
“Can
I be done now?”
“Is
this right?”
“I
can’t do it.”
“Mine doesn’t
look like yours.”
Three Simple Steps to Provide and Encourage Process-focused Art Experiences:
-Offer TIME and
SPACE for free, child-directed exploration of art materials
-Appreciate what
your child has created e.g. displaying their work in a frame
-Comment, non-judgmentally,
about what you see e.g. “There are so many yellow dots!”, "That's a long line you drew!"
ENJOY THE PROCESS! :)
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