Hello
We at the sadhana school have initiated research on drawing.

We are exploring drawing as a cognitive tool - both as a tool to
enhance observation (content) and also as tool to develop internal
ability of abstraction.
We have created a space or condition that allow total spontaneous
activity from children and after three years of observation and
documentation e have found very interesting possibilities. Drawing,
being clubbed with art, self expression etc has masked its real
potential.

As a tool for enhancing observation
Observation drawing is an important activity to make children see
things around them in detail. It helps to root ourselves to the three
dimensionality of the world and this rooting would help us when we
occupy ourselves with the conceptual world.
As a tool for describing
As a tool for reflection
As a tools for abstraction
Drawing also enables abstraction from three dimension to two
dimension. Converting the three dimensional object in to two dimension
is a very important cognitive act. The abstraction that happens is
quite remarkable and this is very difficult for the educated person to
accomplish. It seems that children before they are caught by the
rational framework are able to see without the need for thought to
interpret what they are seeing. They are able to just observe and
draw. The educated goes through three steps. They see, think and draw
and quite often they are not able to draw where as children are able
to draw quite easily.
As a tool for developing pre writing skill
As a tool for imagination
As a tool for thinking

when we started this initiative in june (2011) , the third day I came
across an event that totally challenged the way we deal with children.
As we had ‘let’ children do what they felt like that is what all the
children were doing. Some were playing, some were drawing, some were
reading etc.
One child was drawing in a drawing book and after few minutes another
child came in and started drawing along with her and then yet another
child joined and also started drawing in the same drawing. And in few
minutes the one who started the drawing left and the other two
continued.
We learned several lessons from that event. Foremost is that children
by nature are co- operative, are not possessive about ‘their’ drawing,
is able to accommodate others, one can also draw upside down (that is
what the second girl was doing because she sat on the opposite side of
the first child). Respect for autonomy is evident from the fact there
was no objection either to join the drawing or to leave. May be ‘self-
expression’ is yet another invention of the adults. They were least
bothers about any ones approval and individual ownership. They were
not keen to put them up on the notice board and even having their
names written on the drawing. I wonder then how do we end up becoming
so possessive, individualistic (my personal space) and selfish. Being
here and now was what mattered to children. They were fully involved
in the act yet detached.
We also noticed that children were drawing anywhere and everywhere and
was using anything they could find. They were drawing on the floor,
wall, ground, table, slate, paper and were using their own finger,
water, chalk, stick, pencil, paint, powder made by crushing chalk or
the readymade colour used for doing rangoli etc.  So we consciously
began to make several changes to the ‘class room’ and to our rigid
minds. We replaced the black board and painted lower half of the walls
black and this enabled children to draw large pictures. Children were
any way using the ground for drawing and hence the black board also
found place on the ground. That act was a symbolic act of removal of
authority from our school. As we did not have rigid periods and time
table children were having opportunity for total freedom, self-
initiative and autonomy.
One this is clear that children know clearly what they are drawing and
there is always a concrete topic/ subject that they draw. They will
tell you clearly what they are drawing. One day we saw two children
were moving around and drawing on the floor, all over the class. They
were telling other children that they are drawing water flowing from
the water tap.
Yet another incident was of a girl sitting on the floor and drawing
with a chalk on the floor. As she was drawing a big picture she was
using her both hands. Even though she was using her right hand most of
the time when the drawing went over to the left side she would
immediately use her left hand.
 may be this will help children to be ambidextrous which was always
the case among non literate cultures.
I am yet to compile the videos and drawings. But if any one is
interested in collaborating with us to study this further you are
welcome.
jinan
www.sadhanavillageschool.org


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