This evening I was looking for a particular bookmark on my computer and bumped into this one on Writing Therapy. As I am convinced that everything happens for a reason in the collective unconscious, here is an excerpt and the link for the web article. I hope some of you will find the article fascinating and practice the techniques. More than once, I have found writing to be a most effective therapy and means to find answers to seemingly impossible situations.
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http://www.lifepositive.com/Mind/personal-growth/write-therapy/write.asp#top
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"Writing is a meditation: it settles the mind. It is a de-stressor: it releases tension. It is like a confessor who keeps your secrets safe. It is also a mood-changer, with the capability of making you happy. It is an outlet, for it helps you let go of your negative thoughts. It is creative, cathartic, curative.
Quite simply, writing is beyond words, Jawaharlal Nehru wrote to his daughter while confined to prison; Anne Frank from her secret annex. Hugh Prather writes notes to himself; Franz Kafka did not even want his writings published. Generals narrate anecdotes from their lives; so do politicians, bureaucrats, artists."
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Excerpt from my paper "Skills Acquired in Visual Arts Lead to Increased Achievement in Language Arts"
I am hoping to use these excerpts from a previously written piece to develop more writing on interdisciplinary curriculum development. Any comments on content, feasibility for implementation in your classroom or writing mechanics would be appreciated.
Thank you.
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Harvey and Goudvis write about visualizing: "Visualizing brings joy to reading." (p.97). Research shows that 95% of children are visual learners; therefore, so it makes sense that children would learn best through visual strategies. Students need a motivating strategy to teach them higher levels of thinking identified in Bloom's taxonomy: analysis and synthesis.
Looking at works of art is a stimulating strategy to teach these skills. Critical analysis of art work that children enjoy is a strategy that I have used frequently in my own teaching to foster analysis and synthesis. In these strategies, students study two works of art and participate in a lively discussion of comparison and contrast of the two pieces. Inferences are made about the visual content. Students begin to discover details and delve deeper into meanings below the surface.
Critical analysis skills can be developed and evaluated by comparing and contrasting works of art. A simple method for third and fourth graders to learn these skills is to look at two different painting reproductions. Allowing students to study the paintings for a few minutes allows them to begin to formulate ideas related to the content and also the art elements present in the work.
Following an observation period of approximately two to three minutes, high level questions that engage students in deep conversations about the setails of the paintings may be asked of the students. Students participate in a rigorous discussion that has potential for conitive growth and development of analysis and synthesis. Students draw on prior knowledge and apply it to new observations and thought and make connections. Students are encouraged to study, articulate, reflect and communicate their ideas and connections. Transfer of learning will occur after any of these exercises and writing and reading exercises are encouraged particularly at the third and fourth grade levels to reinforce the transfer and encourage further inquiry while enriching their lives by involving visual art.
Thank you.
===============================================================
Harvey and Goudvis write about visualizing: "Visualizing brings joy to reading." (p.97). Research shows that 95% of children are visual learners; therefore, so it makes sense that children would learn best through visual strategies. Students need a motivating strategy to teach them higher levels of thinking identified in Bloom's taxonomy: analysis and synthesis.
Looking at works of art is a stimulating strategy to teach these skills. Critical analysis of art work that children enjoy is a strategy that I have used frequently in my own teaching to foster analysis and synthesis. In these strategies, students study two works of art and participate in a lively discussion of comparison and contrast of the two pieces. Inferences are made about the visual content. Students begin to discover details and delve deeper into meanings below the surface.
Critical analysis skills can be developed and evaluated by comparing and contrasting works of art. A simple method for third and fourth graders to learn these skills is to look at two different painting reproductions. Allowing students to study the paintings for a few minutes allows them to begin to formulate ideas related to the content and also the art elements present in the work.
Following an observation period of approximately two to three minutes, high level questions that engage students in deep conversations about the setails of the paintings may be asked of the students. Students participate in a rigorous discussion that has potential for conitive growth and development of analysis and synthesis. Students draw on prior knowledge and apply it to new observations and thought and make connections. Students are encouraged to study, articulate, reflect and communicate their ideas and connections. Transfer of learning will occur after any of these exercises and writing and reading exercises are encouraged particularly at the third and fourth grade levels to reinforce the transfer and encourage further inquiry while enriching their lives by involving visual art.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Summer Art Enrichment
Nature MandalasLast week I taught a Summer Enrichment course at my school on making Nature Mandalas. The students were enthusiastic, artistic third and fourth graders. We learned about radial symmetry to make connections with art, nature and math. I am an active proponent of helping children to appreciate our natural world through the arts. To design the mandalas, the children and I collected materials from the school yard. We combined those items with some stones I had from a trips to Maine and Cape Cod and a bucket of small shells. Please enjoy the photographs and make a mandala with your children this summer ! All you need to do is take a bag and go for a walk. The children will do the rest! We used cardboard cake rounds as a base and white Elmer's glue to attach our beautiful articles from nature. The children were amazed at ho
w many delicate plants were in our school yard and next to our pond. The two most exciting moments of our nature collection walks were when we spotted a frog in the pond and when everyone in the group found a four leaf clover! If you would like to reference some books on summer nature activities for children, your local library may have some good resources. I like the book called "Nature Crafts for Children". Also, a great book to read is "Last Child in the Woods." Please teach your children and students to be in touch with and learn to appreciate our earth so that future economic and political decisions will have a positive impact on our environment.
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