Deepening the Quality of Experience in Art: Early Childhood Education

National Art Education Association

Deepening the Quality of Experience in Art: Early Childhood EducationAuthor(s): June K. McFeeSource: Art Education, Vol. 15, No. 5 (May, 1962), pp. 12-13+25Published by: National Art Education AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3186700 .

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JUNE K. McFEE

DEEPENING THE QUALITY OF

EXPERIENCE IN ART

Early Childhood Education*

The key concept of this paper is that the quality and degree of early childhood experience in art can be more effectively developed by helping children at their readiness level of behavior in art, rather than

encouraging them mainly at the manipulatory level. Readiness means children's ability to respond to

their environment and ability to invent ways to express this response in art media. Our work has two parts: one is to keep from limiting children's readiness

development through the kinds of experience we give them; and two, is to find effective ways to increase their readiness.

To clarify our task we must analyze some of our basic assumptions about the nature of children- because these assumptions will affect the way we try to improve readiness. In other words we need to be aware of what our philosophy implies.

The first assumption is that the child is a discreet, established "self" that only needs opportunity to express himself through art. He needs little or no motivation or help in exploring his environment. With this assumption the teacher's role is to provide materials and time to work.

This assumption gave rise to the laissez-faire concept of art education-give the child materials to select from and he will express himself. This assumes that the teacher's role should operate at only the manipulatory level and not in developing readiness or creating an environment conducive to exploration and invention.

The second assumption is that the child is a tabula rasa-a blank slate. The teacher's role is to develop through practice and experience the kinds of behaviors he wants the child to develop. This assumption is found underlying most of the

academic training in art. Everything must be taught the child. Individual differences are not recognized. Many children are led to believe that they are not artistic because their individual differences in percep-

*From a meeting on early childhood Art Education at the N.A.E.A. Miami Conference.

June McFee is Asst. Prof. of Art and Education, Stanford University.

tion and other art-related abilities are not considered in the process of teaching.

The third assumption is that children are individual in their inherent characteristics and they also

change and develop through the tremendous influence of the environment.

Children vary considerably in their potential for developing behaviors needed in art. They also vary in the degree in which their experience has encour-

aged or inhibited the growth of these potentials.' Both genetic and environmental differences are easily found in early childhood. We cannot adequately judge a child's or an adult's ability in art until he has had

optimum opportunity to develop his potential. With this assumption about children and youth, the

role of the teacher must be that of a professional person-who understands (a) the processes of human behavior in art; (b) the nature of individual differences in these behaviors; and (c) ways in which experience can lead to the development of desired behaviors and abilities.

This last assumption is best supported by behavioral research. The following are some of the pertinent studies.

Successful early training in art for preschool children has been shown by Dubin at the University of Chicago. Children aged two to four were divided into two groups, control and experimental, paired by age, sex, and interest in art (to the extent possible). In the fall the children drew and painted as they wished in a normal nursery school situation. The drawings were then classified by Marian Monroe's categories of art development, and each category was numbered: scribble unnamed (one point); scribble named (two points); diagram-lines, masses, colors with a sense of relationship between (three points); design-an obvious rhythmic pattern (four points); representation of a recognizable object (five points). The average score for each child was recorded.

During the winter the control group received no training but the experimental group was given individual training. Scribblers unnamed were encouraged to verbalize about their drawings; scribblers named were encouraged to deal with the wholes and relations

12 ART EDUCATION



of parts in their drawings. The experimenter would encourage the children to look for details in their pictures that made the whole be "something nice all together." Children who drew diagrams were encouraged to describe the parts. Designers were encouraged to achieve more recognizable forms. Children who did representational work were encouraged to be aware of the aesthetic qualities, such as color and composition. The experimenter did not attempt to direct the nature of representation but allowed the child to represent as he wished. (It must be added here that representation need not be the only goal, that designing ability can also be further encouraged).

In the spring the two groups worked again under equal conditions in a nursery school. The drawings of both groups were then evaluated by the original criteria, and compared with the averages recorded in the fall session. Both groups showed improvement. The control group shifted from a mean score of 1.52 to a mean of 1.75. The experimental group shifted from a mean score of 1.70 to a mean of 2.48. In total the trained children gained almost three and one-half times as many score points as the untrained children. Even though a slight difference in groups existed at first, the rate of gain was much greater in the experimental group.2

Cleanliness Training and Art Behavior. In a study of nursery school children of different socio-economic backgrounds Alper compared finger-painting behavior to toilet training practice. As a group, the eighteen middle-class children had an average of 11.2 months longer toilet training than did the eighteen lower-class children. The middle-class standards of cleanliness were also much more exacting. Each child was brought into the room individually and asked to use the paint. His behavior was reported by trained observers. Seventeen lower-class but only five middle-class children began to paint immediately. Seventeen lower- class and only eight middle-class children used both hands. Ten lower-class children and only one middle- class child used warm colors.

This would indicate that there is an important relationship between the kind of training and children's ability to respond in an art activity that may be related in the child's mind to getting dirty. The researchers described the behavior of the middle-class children with the more strict training like this. They would put one finger in one color and another in another. Whereas the lower class children would mix fingers and hands in colors freely.

In another study with two similar groups, crayons were used instead of finger paints. The differences in response between the two groups were slight. Crayons apparently are not seen as dirty."

One enterprising teacher mixed tempera paint with

liquid soap while the children were around her. She emphasized that soap was to keep clean so the paints wouldn't be dirty. She found this helped her more inhibited children use the paint more freely.

There is considerable evidence that perceptive behavior is in large part learned. Some of the research is done with chimpanzees because we can't experiment in some of these areas with children. Early learning of chimpanzees is enough like children's to enable us to understand more of their behavior. In this research chimpanzees were raised in the dark and then brought into the light. The researchers found that long periods of training were necessary to bring these animals to the level of perceptual behavior or normally raised chimpanzees. For example, the animals raised in the dark had to learn to recognize the nursing bottle. They wouldn't respond till it was put to their lips. Whereas the others reached for it as soon as they saw it.4

Briefly, now, what have these studies indicated that has meaning for us with children?

The Dubin study showed that we could increase the development rate of children's drawings by encouraging them to think about what they were drawing- by leading them out conceptually.

The Alper study showed us that our concern with cleanliness may inhibit children's ability to use a material freely that they relate to keeping clean. What may appear as lack of interest or "artistic ability" in a child may only be a prior learned attitude that is inhibiting his expression in art. Many other things children learn can influence their behavior in art. To help children develop more readiness for art we need to try and find out what may be inhibiting many of them. This area needs a great deal of research.

Studies in perception and studies of children's art in many cultures show that when the culture supports and encourages perceptual training, children draw with greater complexity and handle more complex relationships than in cultures where this is not encouraged.

In summary we have some evidence that during early childhood the rate of conceptual and perceptual development can be increased through training. Also prior experience can inhibit children's ability to respond in some art forms. The teacher's task is to recognize these areas in order to plan more effective art experiences.

NOTES

1McFee, June K. Preparation for Art, San Francisco: Wads- worth Publishing Company, Inc., 1961.

"2Dubin, Elisabeth Ruch. "The Effect of Training on the Tempo of Development of Graphic Representation in Preschool Children," Journal of Experimental Education, XV (1946), pp. 166-173.

continued page 25

MAY 1962 13



McFEE front page 13

"Alper, Thelma, Howard Blane, and Barbara Adams. "Reac- tions of Middle and Lower Class Children to Finger Paints as a Function of Class Differences in Child-Training Prac. tice," Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, LI (1955), pp. 439-448.

"4Riesen, Austin Herbert. "The Development of Visual Percep- tion in Man and Chimpanzee," Science, Vol. 106 (1947), p. 107.

ART APPRECIATION

from page 10

The problems pertaining to the involvement of a par- ticular art form could be explored. The student's evaluation in the studio should be made on his understanding of the implications and not his sensitivity as a creative

artist. The course could be developed on an individual basis

with individual projects, studio work, work book note-

books, essay tests, interviews, and self-evaluation.

It appears that elective studio courses would not

accomplish as much or more than the lecture-centered

variety when used alone, but the combination of these

two activities has much merit for consideration. The

main difficulty in the development of studio participa- tion is evident in class sizes, supplies, facilities, and

instructor-load in relation to present budgets. Some

of the cost could be relieved by requiring students to

furnish their supplies. Single lecture groups with large numbers can be divided into smaller studio and dis-

cussion groups with about twenty students in each

section. Each group could be visited occasionally by the instructor. Teaching assistants could help with

the instruction.

Another excellent approach is based on the organi- zation of a course in the related Arts where Music, Drama, Dance, and Literature are combined with the

visual arts. This course would become an interdepart- mental sequence of activities with instructors from

different areas participating in the instruction. It pre- sents many problems and would require careful plan- ning and coordination.

Slides, moving pictures, prints, and original works

are the most prevalent visual aids. Moving pictures are overworked and often used as an easy way of

teaching. More opportunities should be provided to

study original works by means of field trips to mu-

seums, galleries, and campus exhibits. Many indi-

viduals emphasized the use of qualified outside speak- ers. Demonstrations, film strips, photographs, and

objects from nature provided additional preferences in the visual aids.

Final and mid-term tests of the objective type are

preferred as means of evaluation. Term papers are

used extensively. Reports, projects, and notebooks

are used moderately. There is a lack of good stan-

dardized tests since the esthetic qualities being evalu-

ated here are in opposition to a formal scientific pro- cedure. It is doubtful how effective we shall ever be in testing these qualities in a purely objective manner.

This seal is your

assurance of quality

I ii ..... ...................

NON-TOXIC

The "Certified Products" seal tells you that

Products which bear it meet or exceed the quality and non-toxicity requirements of the Institute. Detailed information appears in an

authoritative article from "Art Education." Write for a copy to

THE CRAYON, WATER COLOR AND CRAFT INSTITUTE, INC.

420 Lexington Avenue

New York 17, New York

sSCHOOL ARTS NAEA

SUPPORTING MEMBER

Printers Building ? Worcester 8 Massachusetts

Proven Aids to Rich Achievement in

ART EDUCATION MILTON BRADLEY MILTON BRADLEY Crayrite Crayons Trutone Crayons

Poster Colors Finger Paint Water Colors Modeling Clay

School Art and Library Furniture

MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY Springfield, Mass e Chicago 0 New York 0 San Francisco

MAY 1962 25

ART APPRECIATION from page 10

The problems pertaining to the involvement of a par- ticular art form could be explored. The student's evaluation in the studio should be made on his understanding of the implications and not his sensitivity as a creative artist.

The course could be developed on an individual basis with individual projects, studio work, work book notebooks, essay tests, interviews, and self-evaluation.

It appears that elective studio courses would not accomplish as much or more than the lecture-centered variety when used alone, but the combination of these two activities has much merit for consideration. The main difficulty in the development of studio participa- tion is evident in class sizes, supplies, facilities, and instructor-load in relation to present budgets. Some of the cost could be relieved by requiring students to furnish their supplies. Single lecture groups with large numbers can be divided into smaller studio and dis- cussion groups with about twenty students in each section. Each group could be visited occasionally by the instructor. Teaching assistants could help with the instruction.

Another excellent approach is based on the organi- zation of a course in the related Arts where Music, Drama, Dance, and Literature are combined with the visual arts. This course would become an interdepart- mental sequence of activities with instructors from different areas participating in the instruction. It pre- sents many problems and would require careful plan- ning and coordination.

Slides, moving pictures, prints, and original works are the most prevalent visual aids. Moving pictures are overworked and often used as an easy way of teaching. More opportunities should be provided to study original works by means of field trips to mu- seums, galleries, and campus exhibits. Many indi- viduals emphasized the use of qualified outside speak- ers. Demonstrations, film strips, photographs, and objects from nature provided additional preferences in the visual aids.

Final and mid-term tests of the objective type are preferred as means of evaluation. Term papers are used extensively. Reports, projects, and notebooks are used moderately. There is a lack of good stan- dardized tests since the esthetic qualities being evaluated here are in opposition to a formal scientific pro- cedure. It is doubtful how effective we shall ever be in testing these qualities in a purely objective manner.

This seal is your

assurance of quality

cp

NON-TOXIC The "Certified Products" seal tells you that products which bear it meet or exceed the quality and non-toxicity requirements of the Institute. Detailed information appears in an authoritative article from "Art Education." Write for a copy to

THE CRAYON, WATER COLOR AND CRAFT INSTITUTE, INC.

420 Lexington Avenue New York 17, New York

suscib t SCHOOL ARTS NAEA

SUPPORTING MEMBER

P? E tl ~ 9, M ZW~c ~ I

tME

Printers Building - Worcester 8 Massachusetts

MBAIl

Proven Aids to Rich Achievement in

ART EDUCATION MILTON BRADLEY MILTON BRADLEY Crayrite Crayons Trutone Crayons

Poster Colors Finger Paint Water Colors Modeling Clay

School Art and Library Furniture

MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY Springfield, Mass 0 Chicago 0 New York 0 San Francisco

MAY 1962 25



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Deepening the Quality of Experience in Art: Early Childhood Education