Hi Jenny
I totally agree with you about the value of children making marks and of
drawing in the early years curriculum. One aspect I shall have to beg to
differ is of the value of textbooks to colour in and for dot-to- dot and so
on. What we have foudn is that interms of chidren's learning, they only
support superficial thinking. I'm concerned with really engaging children
at a deep level and our research has shown that this happens when children
make choices and decisions about the ways in which they represent their
thinking -and that their own graphics really support and extend their
mathemaital thinking.
Sadly you're right in your observation of the current emphasis in the
English curriculum (it's different in Scotland and Wales) on numeracy and
literacy. I've taught in the Early Years (3 - 8 year olds) for over 25
years and continue to fight to make things better - and to be an advocate
for the 'voice' (and the marks) of the child!
Maulfry
Original Message:
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From: jenny soep [log in to unmask]
Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2005 11:04:35 +0100
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Drawing as Mathematical Language.
Hi Maulfry
In reply to your last 2 emails which I found very interesting; also Graham
Brown's.
While I was teaching English as a foreign language to kindergarten children
in Taiwan, I relied heavily on mr drawing skills to convey the meanings of
English words. My drawing helped me to create educational games, provided
humerous pictures for the children to engage with by also drawing, and
helped illustrate concepts to them.
I did use a variety of methods with which to teach, including drama, dance,
roleplay, games, and singing to mention a few, and drawing remained an
invaluable teaching tool. All the children enjoyed making their marks,
even those that weren't artistically inclined, and a much more direct way
of learning and communicating, especially when they found they could talk
about their pictures.
Pictionary would probably be one of our favourite games!
Also we really enjoyed learning Maths as we used very visually enticing
textbooks that they could colour in, join up dots, lines, patterns. They
would have been using mathematics in their compositions as well. I have
kept some of their drawings intrigued to see the development as they begin
to use spacial awareness and perspective.
Our language and current ways of being taught in Britain do not seem to
currently support drawing as a valid teaching tool as much as the numeracy
and writing and I feel that we could be missing out on a vital method of
mental development.
However, I am not a teacher in Britain so could be quite misinformed. Are
there teachers out there who can enlighten me?!
Jenny Soep
Nearly finished my MA ILLUSTRATION: Authorial Practice
University College Falmouth
Cornwall
uk
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