Enabling Creativity Through Art By Michele Aspinall
"If we try to think back to the dim and distant past...what is it that helps us reconstruct those times, and to picture the lives of those who lived in them? It is their art... It is thanks to the hand, the companion of the mind, that civilization has arisen." Maria Montessori.
Art is a universal language. Artwork has the potential to stimulate and evoke a response from each of us regardless of our cultural background, whether we are creating it or simply admiring it. In the context of Montessori, the child of the First Plane is not taught art as a subject. As in all the areas of the classroom, we offer the "sensorial explorer" the materials for his own personal experience. We know that the purpose and aim of Montessori's Sensorial work are for the child to acquire clear, conscious information and to be able to make classifications in his environment then, whether that be at school or home. Montessori believed that sensorial experiences began at birth. Through his senses, the child studies his environment. Through this study, he begins to understand it better.
We also know that through work with the Sensorial Materials, the child is given the keys to classifying things around him, which leads him to make his own experiences. Through this classification, he is also offered the first steps in organizing his intelligence, which steers him to adapt to his surroundings. Exposure to "The Arts" gives a child different sensorial stimulations with various focus points. From there, he can learn the art of his own culture, compare it to other cultures, and be provided with the materials to create his own art.
Consequently, we want to provide experiences for our children to bring them into contact with each area of art: line, shape, form, color, and texture. These elements can be found everywhere in our daily lives. Take time with your children to notice them.
Art is also a form of self-expression. In the classrooms, children can experience different media that can be used to communicate their ideas, thoughts, and feelings. When we speak of creating art, the process, not the product, is essential to the child. He is working to develop himself. Once the activity is complete, many children feel no obligation or connection to the end product. It was only the process that provided him with true gratification. We are responsible for respecting this and not imposing our feelings on the child. Constant praise or requests to "make something for ME" can create an unintentional assembly line. The child is suddenly manufacturing art to elicit approval instead of satisfying an inner need to create for the sake of expression. When admiring art, whether it is Van Gogh or your child's masterpiece, resist the impulse to share your opinions. Instead, ask questions and make observations and keep it open-ended. This tells the child that you are looking thoughtfully and are interested in their ideas. You are essentially helping him to develop his feelings of competence and confidence. Who knew that art could help our children develop such fundamental characteristics? Oh yes, Dr. Montessori did!
