Volume 9 Number 1. Dahlov Ipcar

Transcription

1 Dahlov Ipcar Volume 9 Number 1 This study shows how teaching is an act of inquiry involving speculation, wondering, and questioning. In this article, Sarah Jewell Leonard and Jamie Gleason ask, What does it mean to be an artist? This question focuses not only on children s understanding of what it means to be an artist, but on their perceptions of themselves as artists. The teachers involve the children and the community in this collaborative inquiry, showing how it becomes a routine and expected function of teachers and children s daily lives in the classroom. They demonstrate how a real understanding of the underlying meanings and purposes of learning activities (art, in this case) can only be developed by insiders (teachers, with the help of children) conducting research. Furthermore, as Sarah and Jamie make clear, this research focuses on what children have the right to learn such as self-identity, respect for others and materials, our community, and the arts and how teachers support this learning. Andy Stremmel

2 Volume 9 Number 1 Sarah Jewell Leonard and Jamie Gleason Sarah Jewell Leonard, BS, is a lead teacher at the Child Study and Development Center at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire. She holds a master teacher and master professional credential from the New Hampshire DHHS Child Development Bureau. Sarah has taught in the infant, toddler, and preschool programs since joining the center in sarah.leonard@unh.edu Coming Full Circle: A Year-Long Inquiry of Art and Community Preschool children ranging in age from almost three years to just four years old paint with brushes and their hands. They mix colors and swirl them on the large sheets of paper that cover the table. The children smile as they discover what happens when red and blue mix together. Jamie, did you see that? I had blue and then I had red. When they mix together, I have purple. Did you know that I love purple? Jamie Gleason, MEd, is an early childhood teacher at the Child Study and Development Center at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire. She holds a master s of early childhood education, and an early childhood teacher credential from the New Hampshire DHHS Child Development Bureau. Jamie has taught in younger and older preschool programs since joining the center in jamie.gleason@unh.edu To some this might look like a sensory exploration with a color theme. However, as we observed the children, we were curious about how they expressed their ideas and developed a sense of themselves as artists. We wanted to challenge ourselves to engage children in a meaningful, extensive, and detailed investigation. How in-depth could the investigation get with this age group? What makes the kind of investigation we were embarking upon different from just doing interesting art projects with children? These questions guided us as we spent a year exploring the work of a local artist, Dahlov Ipcar. During formal planning times we reflected upon our observations and developed hypotheses about how children were constructing their knowledge. Based on these hypotheses we posed a research question to ourselves and to the children: What does it mean to be an artist? The question held so much more than what it stated on the surface. It was not just about what children perceived being an artist meant; it also focused on their perceptions of themselves as artists. Furthermore, it also Photos courtesy of the authors Leonard, S.J., & Gleason, J. Voices of Practitioners 9, no. 1 June

3 dealt with how our community viewed our children as artists and appreciators of paintings and sculptures in a place that is designed and generally only open to adults. Part of the world of art, at least in this investigation, involves the public sharing and display of art. We wanted children to see that an artist s work exists not simply in books, but as work to be viewed in broader contexts. As such, museum trips were pivotal events in helping children to conceptualize and experience art and artists in an exhibition context. Children s ideas about art are so often limited to the classroom art table, and not beyond. Connecting with a living artist and going to the place of display, often only thought of as a place for adults, was a huge step in this work. In her work The Girl with the Brown Crayon (1997), Vivian Paley highlights the tensions teachers sometimes face when attempting to follow children s interests and explore unanticipated curriculum threads. We initially had no intention of conducting a long-term study of Ipcar, as we were unfamiliar with her work. We were simply focused on a trip to a local museum. How were we to know that just as Leonni s Frederick in Paley s classroom supported her classroom community, a museum trip and the book The Art of Dahlov Ipcar (Little & Ipcar 2010) would spark a memory and connection for children with a previous parent-led experience making East Indian mandalas called pookalams. This article documents the implementation and impact of teacher inquiry, and poses implications for general curriculum development. Throughout this journey with the children we challenged our assumptions of what young children can do and what teachers must do to support children s experiences with art. We drew upon our intended curriculum, which is collaboratively developed each year by the classroom teachers and inspired from the practice of intent progetuale in the schools of Reggio Emilia (Wurm 2005). This document focuses on what children have the right to learn such as self-identity, respect for others and materials, our community, and the arts and how teachers support this learning. Methods: The cycle of inquiry Inspired by the work of teachers in the Reggio Emilia schools of Italy (Edwards, Gandini, & Forman 1998), our work is grounded in constructivist theory and reflective inquiry. Teachers and children engage in investigations informed by their questions and curiosity and test their hypotheses system- Leonard, S.J., & Gleason, J. Voices of Practitioners 9, no. 1 June

4 atically and intentionally through careful observation, reflection, dialogue, and interpretation. We utilized an action research model (Mills 2000) and followed The Cycle of Inquiry Process (Broderick & Hong 2011; Gandini & Goldhaber 2001) to help guide this investigation (see Figure 1). The inquiry cycle is an inherently iterative process, not a lockstep linear progression through a curriculum. It involves both children s explorations and teacher reflection on these explorations so that children and teachers are engaged in a co-constructed learning experience. The process of inquiry also involves posing questions about teaching, curriculum, and children s experiences often resulting in the emergence of new questions along the way. Hill, Stremmel, and Fu describe the content and rhythm of this inherently constructivist cycle where teachers and children work together to create projects for exploration, fostering multiple ways of inquiry, discovery, and making sense and meaning (2005, 18). Setting and participants This research took place at a university laboratory school in New England. Over 100 children ages 6 weeks to 6 years attend the school, and it is com- Leonard, S.J., & Gleason, J. Voices of Practitioners 9, no. 1 June

5 prised of eight full- and part-time programs. Although other classrooms engaged in a center-wide investigation of Dahlov Ipcar s work, this article focuses on children and teachers in one particular preschool classroom, comprised of three teachers, two interns per semester, and student teaching assistants. Fifteen children, ages 3 and 4 years, were enrolled in the classroom. Many of these children had been together for two years or more, which helped create a supportive community of learners. Data sources, collection, and analysis The cycle of inquiry involves listening to and close observation of children. As such, we entered the cycle through observing and recording (via writing, drawing, and photography) children engaged in creating art. Teachers recorded children s words while they created art as well as their own descriptions of their work. Teachers also took pictures of children selecting materials and creating artwork. During our formal planning times (as well as through informal conversations in the classroom) we reflected on these observations. We shared our work with each other and had deep conversations about how we thought children were developing theories about themselves and the world around them (Edwards, Gandini, & Forman 1998). Findings The elements of the cycle of inquiry will be used as a structure for our findings, and as such represent a model of curriculum that is negotiated between children and teachers. Preparing for a trip to a local museum to see the work of Dahlov Ipcar, one of our children immediately made a connection between Ipcar s mandalas and her previous experience with the pookalam. Making connections In early September, a parent visited and introduced the children to pookalams, a floral carpet created during the Hindi celebration of Onam. Our original intent was that this experience would build community and help children understand different family traditions in the early weeks of the school. However, a few weeks later as we prepared for a trip to a local museum to see the work of Dahlov Ipcar, one of our children immediately made a connection between Ipcar s mandalas and her previous experience with the pookalam. This connection was significant because it was the first time a child had reflected on an experience and shared it with the group. The children shared their observations and Leonard, S.J., & Gleason, J. Voices of Practitioners 9, no. 1 June

6 questions, as well as their ideas about the shapes of the mandalas and pookalams. In this way, the children entered the cycle of inquiry with teacher support. Would children make connections with the work at the museum and other art by Dahlov Ipcar? Would they recognize these circular patterns in other aspects of their lives? We also wondered if children s ideas about art came from their own beliefs, or from those around them. What did they consider beautiful? Did art have to look a certain way? Was it true that as one child put it, an artist stays in the lines? We soon found that these questions all seemed to fall under our initial question, What does it mean to be an artist? The children learned about pookalams. Figure 2. Web of Children s and Teachers Interests. A Trip to the Museum What does it mean to be an artist? Who is Dahlov Ipcar, and what is a mandala? Where is art? What do artists do? In order to truly understand the children s curiosity, we created a curriculum web using our initial question (from both children and teachers) as the epicenter of the web: what does it mean to be an artist? The process of webbing helped teachers to identify and sort various entry points for future study and clarified connections between children s interests and possible pathways (Helm & Katz 2001). We returned to this web over and over, modifying it as new trajectories emerged. Starting at the first step in the cycle of inquiry, observation, we observed children s curiosity about an exhibit at the University of New Hampshire. We showed the children fliers describing the exhibit, and they immediately began making connections between the art in the flyer and some of Ipcar s mandalas that we had examined in the classroom. We recorded children s questions Leonard, S.J., & Gleason, J. Voices of Practitioners 9, no. 1 June

7 The children closely examined the exhibit. and curiosities. During meeting and center times we examined Ipcar s mandala paintings from a volume about her work, The Art of Dahlov Ipcar by Carl Little (2010), many of which would be on display at the museum. We were not sure if children would connect with a voluminous book of paintings or the intricate details in the mandalas. But in fact, children were curious about the vivid colors, shapes, and animals in the paintings. They asked questions about the names of the animals and made connections to the animals they saw in books, pictures, or in their own experience. Sarah: What are you noticing in this mandala? Child 1: I see orange and blue. Child 2: There s a big elephant! Child 3: There s fire dog! (a Dalmatian) Child 1: I don t see a dog. I see a circle. Sarah: I wonder if you can show us where you re seeing the dog? (Child 3 approaches the book and points to the top corner.) Sarah: I hadn t even noticed that there are animals in the corner. I wonder what other animals we can find? We reflected back on this documentation and entered into step 2 of the cycle of inquiry, developing our hypotheses about children s thinking. We thought about how art occurs in many places, not just in isolation in the classroom, and wanted children to experience art in multiple environments. Based on our hypothesis we entered step 3, to create a research question rooted in our overarching question of what it means to be an artist. We asked the children, Where is art? This question drove our work in step 4, in which we planned curriculum to support children s thinking. We read books about museums, researched our museum online, and continued to examine Ipcar s paintings to build a base of knowledge for children to explore research questions during our visit. We focused on the details of when paintings were made, what the inspiration or story of each painting was, and what materials Ipcar used. This helped children develop a general knowledge of the paintings as well as the artistic process. Entering into step 5, we set up a provocation through our museum trip. On a sunny morning, we waited for the bus to take us to the art museum. When we arrived we were greeted at the front door by the museum director and instructed to sit down Leonard, S.J., & Gleason, J. Voices of Practitioners 9, no. 1 June

8 to talk about Dahlov Ipcar s work and the rules of the museum. Because we prepared the children through researching the museum, they were ready to hear about these rules. It was paramount to not touch the paintings! Soon children were milling around the exhibit, looking closely at the mandala paintings. Some children made connections, such as We saw that one in the book! They talked about the colors and the animals. They asked questions about how Ipcar made the paintings: How d she make that? As we moved through the museum we used teacher strategies, including storytelling and technically-focused talk such as describing the use of oil paint to create the paintings (Eckhoff Don t touch the paintings! Sometimes we saw their hands move closer and then stop and hover in front of a painting while asking a question or talking about the art. 2008). Building on the learning children did about Ipcar s work and art mediums prior to our visit (in step 4), we began to tell a story around creating art. Teachers recorded children s words and ideas about art throughout the trip. In this way, teachers cycled back to step 1 of the cycle of inquiry observation. Other people s perceptions: Don t touch the paintings! The statement, Don t touch the paintings! stayed with the teachers as well as the children. During our museum visit the children were careful not to touch the artwork, even when they were really excited. Sometimes we saw their hands move closer and then stop and hover in front of a painting while asking a question or talking about the art. At times, museum employees would quickly swing a piece of paper between children s fingers and paintings. They didn t have experience with our children to know just how capable they could be. On the one hand, we wanted children to respect the norms of a museum visit, but we also didn t want them to feel disconnected from the artwork. Moving again to step 2 of the cycle of inquiry, developing hypotheses, we posited that there was disequilibrium between our hands-on work with art and the messages that children received during our visit to the art museum. This was especially true given that any previous experience the children had with exhibits were in children s museums places where children were welcome to touch, feel, and interact with the exhibits. Upon returning to school, if a child in the classroom didn t want to share a particular item or, in some cases, if they wanted others to give their creations some space, we would hear the phrase That s art. Don t touch it! Based on our hypothesis of this disequilibrium, we reentered step 3 by posing the research question: Would children make distinctions between work they create, the process of making art, and the norms around art displays that are not interactive? Leonard, S.J., & Gleason, J. Voices of Practitioners 9, no. 1 June

9 We reflected on pictures from the trip with the children. Further provocations After our trip to the museum, curriculum inspired by Dahlov Ipcar s work was incorporated into all areas of our classroom. During morning meeting we reflected on pictures from the trip with the children. These conversations influenced our curriculum through explorations with materials like painting, the light table, blocks, and a newlydesigned studio space. In this way, the trip became more than a fun outing, but also a meaningful and integral component of our curriculum. It also served as a shared memory for teachers and children around which we could build a sense of community. Children making paintings (both individually and collaboratively) and sharing artwork with one another was essential to our classroom community. To support the children in this endeavor, we created a dedicated space in the classroom a large shelving unit that stored many of the different art mediums and collage materials. The entire top of that space was available for children to share their work, with the expectations that children would view the items with their eyes and not their hands. We offered small labels with their names for their art and worked with children to title and label their pieces. As children created in our studio space we were deeply immersed in step 5 of the cycle of inquiry, presenting provocations in which children explored the ideas of mandalas using varied materials. For example, based on observing children s interest in blocks we extended children s thinking to creating mandalas using those materials. During morning meeting times we examined Ipcar s mandala paintings and talked about how those could be re-created using blocks, gems, and animals figures. Exploring documentation: Involving the children in sharing their work An essential component of emergent and negotiated curriculum based on Gandini and Goldhaber s cycle of inquiry is examining the documentation that is gathered by developing hypotheses and planning research questions (Broderick & Hong 2011; Gandini & Goldhaber 2001). While we were in the habit of engaging in this type of planning as teachers, we had not always directly involved children in the process of sharing their own work and draw- Leonard, S.J., & Gleason, J. Voices of Practitioners 9, no. 1 June

10 ing conclusions in such a public way, particularly with children who were 3 and 4 years old. It was our experience with the child s connection between the pookalam and the mandala that inspired us to take pause and reflect upon the children s capabilities. The following dialogue, which occurred during morning meeting, is an example of documentation that extended children s thinking. Jamie: Can you tell me what you made? Child: A circle. Jamie: How did you make it? Child: I put two and two and two and two. Jamie: You put two and two blocks together to make a circle? Child: Yeah. Jamie: I wonder what made you think about making a circle? Child: I just did in my mind. Jamie: Does this shape remind you of something else we are working with in our classroom? Child: Yeah, circles. (Child puts a wood cut-out circle in the middle of the block circle.) That s a circle. Jamie: Does this shape remind you of something we saw at the museum yesterday? Child: Yeah, maybe a turtle lives here. The creation of circular designs in the block area prompted new observations on our part (step 1). We continued to note that children were curious about the mandalas, as evidenced by their block structures. While we set up and facilitated play we carefully thought about the array of materials to provide and the many ways children can express themselves (Edwards, Gandini, & Forman 1998). We continued the cycle and were deeply immersed in step 5, provocations. It was important to provide children with authentic materials to convey our respect for their abilities. Materials also needed to be accessible and plentiful enough for sustained play. We provided familiar materials, such as blocks, gems, and paint, but used them in novel ways. For example, a child used curved blocks to create a circle. Through observation, documentation, and sharing this documentation (photographs and A child explores mandalas with a variety of building materials. photo essays) through Leonard, S.J., & Gleason, J. Voices of Practitioners 9, no. 1 June

11 meeting times and placing it on the wall in the block area at eye-level, children began to make intricate mandalas with blocks, gems, and animals. They created a connection to the paintings they had studied. Children also explored shape and color at the light table. Teachers created transparencies with circle shapes and children chose multi-colored gems to create mandalas, also using found objects such as blank CDs and sequins. Children sorted the sequins and made a series of mandalas. Children continued to be inspired by Ipcar s paintings. For example, they mixed colors they saw in the mandala paintings. Throughout the school year Children made small mandalas with CDs and created a large collaborative mural to serve as a History Piece. Ipcar s work sustained our curriculum, and to our surprise the children did not lose interest. In addition to offering art provocations, we changed our environment based on children s needs and ideas. For example, we created more space for the block area as children began to create more intricate and larger structures inspired by mandalas. After these environmental changes teachers noticed a shift from individual creations to collaborative efforts. Structures were seen not as the property of one child, but as the work of a group. With teacher support, this sense of collaboration was fostered in other areas of the classroom, such as the light table, sensory table, or dramatic play. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia concept of History Pieces (Vecchi 1998; Tarr 2001) and revisiting work over time, after almost a year of exploring mandalas we reflected on the work done over the past months. We asked children about their efforts and made some concrete connections by showing images of the pookalams and the mandalas and asking questions to help guide conversation. The shape and circular nature of the pookalams were strikingly similar to that of the mandalas. Within moments, one of the children proclaimed, The pookalam is a mandala! Implications and discussion: Reflecting on our work, reflecting on their work Reflecting on documentation was an integral part of the success of this investigation. During meeting times children shared their work or pictures of their work. Through revisiting, children were able to form ideas, test them Leonard, S.J., & Gleason, J. Voices of Practitioners 9, no. 1 June

12 out, reflect, and then possibly form different notions. As a result, children made creations that were more detailed than we anticipated. Children spent long periods of time carefully creating block structures or mandalas at the light table engaging in activity for more extended intervals than prior to this investigation. Teachers treated children s creations with respect, because they were art. In turn, children treated their own work (and the work process) with respect. This culture of respect also promoted extended, meaningful engagement in art. Throughout the investigation children discussed what it means to be an artist. Children said, You draw and paint. You make beautiful things. You color and paint. You stay in the lines. Sometimes it s messy. They also talked about Dahlov Ipcar as an artist. We then asked the children, what tools do artists use? They created a list including paper, crayons, paint, paintbrushes, and markers. We observed that children were making connections between Ipcar s work and their own, and therefore decided to create a studio space. We looked at pictures of Ipcar s studio and talked about what materials we would need. Children chose these materials and organized them in the studio. Most of these were authentic artists materials and some were found objects. The studio space supported children s art explorations beyond oneshot art projects. In fact, this way of working paralleled the way real artists work. When children revisit their work over time, they are able to view it through different lenses (Pelo 2007). The ability to reflect and develop self-regulation through activity is a key developmental process that can be supported through art investigations (Althouse, Johnson, & Mitchell 2002). The creation of a studio space in our classroom, and the children s input in this space, conveyed a respect for children. It told them the work they do is valued and important. Resistance and responsiveness: Untying the cognitive conflict knot We began our initial cycle of inquiry with questions about helping children understand what it means to be an artist. However, as we traveled through the cycle of inquiry we found that the question held so much more. Now our work was not simply about being an artist, but about bringing art to the public and how children can engage with art in a formal museum setting. We were challenged by others to think about why we were taking children to a Leonard, S.J., & Gleason, J. Voices of Practitioners 9, no. 1 June

13 place that was not designed for children. Would children be able to follow the rules? This feedback, in the form of resistance to our curricular plans, created an opportunity for cognitive conflict in which we examined and articulated our philosophies about children s development and education. These conversations challenged us to be articulate in framing our rationale, and the tension confirmed that we were on the right track. Teaching is not just about having everything always go smoothly. Good teaching, rich teaching will raise hard questions and make you question yourself and others. Ultimately, our trip to the art museum gave the children a deeper understanding of what it means to be an artist. But it also gave them a better sense of the community in which they live. Good teaching, rich teaching will raise hard questions and make you question yourself and others. Teachers as advocates This investigation, while about art and children s conceptions about the work of artists, was also about advocacy. Through this investigation we talked with colleagues, administration, and community members about our image of children: that they are capable and deserving of being trusted and respected in a grown-up place such as a museum. In this way we were advocates for children. This work challenged our own and other s ideas of what children can do. We thought that children would be engaged in the investigation for a short while and then lose interest. However, the cycle of inquiry (Broderick & Hong 2011; Gandini & Goldhaber 2001) was paramount to developing the investigation for teachers and children, and only made us more committed to children s sustained exploration and discovery. Through reflection and protected time and space to create, children engaged in lengthy and meaningful play. Conclusion We are still pondering what it means to be an artist, and this research raised new questions for our work. Personal reflections on one s own experience with art are so different. Art involves the interpretation of light, texture, and tone and is very individual. With limited exposure, the interpretation of what art is can be rather narrow a painting, or something someone else creates. Children can learn more about what artists do when they are connected to living artists in their community. As Althouse, Johnson, & Mitchell discuss, the narrative and dialogue involved in art is as important as technique; young children benefit from the social and language aspects of art, as these endeavors show children that art is part of our shared experiences (2002, 9). Art talk is something that we can all do, and shapes how we define what artists do and who they are. Leonard, S.J., & Gleason, J. Voices of Practitioners 9, no. 1 June

14 We learned that young children can be exposed to higher-level thinking about art and engage meaningfully in art explorations, developing their own identity as artists. Through creating intentional opportunities and spaces for children to explore art, addressing cognitive conflict, and taking an advocacy stance promoted by the cycle of inquiry, both teachers and children engaged in a rich curriculum experience. While our children were able to experience different art mediums and connect with a body of artwork, they also connected with the community. This not only changed the children s notion of what art is, but also others perceptions of the capabilities of young children. References Althouse, R., M.H. Johnson, & S.T. Mitchell The Colors of Learning: Integrating the Visual Arts into the Early Childhood Curriculum. New York: Teachers College Press; Washington, DC: NAEYC. Broderick, J., & S. Hong Introducing the Cycle of Inquiry System: A Reflective Inquiry Practice for Early Childhood Teacher Development. Early Childhood Research and Practice 13 (2): Eckhoff, A The Importance of Art Viewing Experiences in Early Childhood Visual Arts: The Exploration of a Master Art Teacher s Strategies for Meaningful Early Arts Experiences. Early Childhood Education Journal 35(5): Edwards, C., L. Gandini, & G. Forman, eds The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education Advanced Reflections. 2nd ed. Westport, CT: Ablex. Gandini, L., & J. Goldhaber Two Reflections about Documentation. In Bambini: The Italian Approach to Infant/Toddler Care, eds. L. Gandini & C.P. Edwards, New York: Teachers College Press. Helm, J.H., & L. Katz Young Investigators: The Project Approach in the Early Years. New York: Teachers College Press. Hill, L.T., A.J. Stremmel, & V.R. Fu Teaching as Inquiry: Rethinking Curriculum in Early Childhood Education. New York: Pearson Education. Little, C., & D. Ipcar The Art of Dahlov Ipcar. Camden, ME: Down East. Mills, G.E Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Paley, V.G The Girl with the Brown Crayon. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Pelo, A The Language of Art: Reggio-Inspired Studio Practices in Early Childhood Settings. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press. Tarr, P Aesthetics Codes in Early Childhood Classrooms: What Art Educators Can Learn from Reggio Emilia. Art Education 54(3): Available online: Aesthetic_Codes_1.htm. Vecchi, V What Kind of Space for Living Well in School? In Children, Spaces, Relations: Metaproject for an Environment for Young Children, eds. G. Ceppi & M. Zini, Reggio Emilia, Italy: Reggio Children. Wurm, J Working in the Reggio Way: A Beginner s Guide for American Teachers. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press. Copyright 2014 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. See Permissions and Reprints online at Leonard, S.J., & Gleason, J. Voices of Practitioners 9, no. 1 June