Working with clay enables young children to express, explore, and communicate their feelings and ideas. This resource booklet for early childhood practitioners and it promotes the clay table as a special place for shared discoveries, social interaction, and discussion. The booklet provides a glossary of terms used in clay work, as well as reasons…

Reviews six books: "Parentmaking Educators Training Program" (Rothenberg and others); "Teaching Painting in the Primary School" (Gentle); "School-Age Child Care" (Seligson and Allenson); "International Handbook of Child Care Policies and Programs" (Cochran); "The Politics of Pregnancy: Adolescent Sexuality and Public Policy" (Lawson and Rhode);…

Environmental influences on the development of children's reflective capacities and their knowledge of freehand drawing were investigated among preschool, kindergarten and first-grade children. One aspect of the social context of drawing was considered: the interactions that take place when children draw in the company of peers. Tapes of…

Describes stages of children's art development from scribbling to representations. Discusses ways to organize the space in the child care art center, and presents 11 art activities for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children; lists materials and teacher instructions for each activity. Includes suggestions for keeping clothes clean…

Aims to show that children have a "functional use of drawing" which contrasts with the mechanistic stages model of drawing development. Observes that young children's images often show extended time sequences. Argues that, when considered from this viewpoint, children's drawing abilities develop gradually from a high to a low variety of…

This paper reports the findings of an inquiry into the role of visual arts in early childhood education. The inquiry consisted of three parts: (1) a review of documented practices of and literature about art in early childhood education; (2) a field study that investigated the place of art activities in 10 preschool and nursery school settings in…

The repertory grid is a technique used in psychological and behavioral studies to elicit individuals' personal constructs. This pilot study examined the feasibility of using this technique with young children in early childhood education settings with regard to visual art education, based on the view that listening to, and appreciating children's…

Maintains that assessment in the arts often is avoided in the early childhood years because it appears to be incompatible with a child-centered philosophy. Asserts that reflective assessment procedures can inform early childhood teachers about instruction in arts education. (CFR)

Reviews literature supporting the proposition that language is an essential component of early artistic development. Suggests that appropriate forms of dialogue between adults and children in art-making contexts may provide a foundation for understanding and facilitating early artistic activity. (Author/BB)

Research from the Kaleidoscope Preschool Arts Enrichment Program, developed by Philadelphia's Settlement Music School, shows that the arts prepare children for further learning. Initiated in 1990, Kaleidoscope provides young inner-city children with full-day instruction three or four times weekly in visual arts, music, dance, and drama. Students…

Argues that while the cognitive area in early childhood programs has been the focus of extensive research, socialization is still often assumed to be enhanced by the mere presence of other children. Assessment, evaluation, and planning by teachers is encouraged through testing and information gathered about the child, his/her peers and siblings,…

This book for primary grade teachers provides over 500 ideas and suggestions for designing the environment and developing learning activities in a child-centered classroom. Part 1 of the book focuses on the larger school environment, with suggestions for making the whole school inviting for parents and children. Part 2 provides ideas for making…

This document presents a teaching package designed to introduce students in grades one through five to Chinese painting methods and equipment. Prepared in conjunction with an exhibition of paintings by child prodigy Wang Yani titled "The Brush of Innocence," the package consists of a teacher's activity plan unit, a slide set of art works…

Suggests that teachers can work with children's families to study likenesses and differences in their respective cultures. Details a class project for 7- to 8-year-olds whereby children start with self-portraits and construct masks of their faces. Provides sample mask project timeline and steps for making masks out of paper molds and a…

Analyzes the teacher-child talk during art activities conducted by two Australian and two Asian teachers in four Australian child care centers. Discovers differences in the use of the evaluative subcategories repeat and rephrase. Includes transcript samples of the conversations. (MJP)