Reflection #4

      During the journey of life, especially in early childhood, it is important that everyone experiments with art. Creating and playing with art has many advantages. Making art leads them to use their creativity and imagination, practice their motor skills, express their feelings, and it helps them to exercise their hands. Every person is capable of being an artist because art doesn’t discriminate. There isn’t a requirement that they need to have: an IQ above average, or an excellent SAT score. The only essential thing is for children to have imagination, which every of them has it. Pamela Wilson says on her article, every child, not excluding anyone, needs to play with art in order to discover themselves through a very personal experience by using their imagination and creativity.
      During the four weeks I have being in EDU 431, there have been two experiences that can be related to the article. In the first day of class, while each of us were presenting our nametags, I noticed that every one of them were different in a unique way. Ones were very colorful while others were very simple. However, in every nametag the feelings, personality and imagination of the person who created it were reflected. I could notice what Pamela Wilson says about art, that art is a self expression made by imagination and creativity. In last class, while during an art activity, the teacher told us we were going to present our work, but a couple of girls said they didn’t want to present, and the teacher agreed with them. Here it is seen what Pamela Wilson says about for the teachers to keep private the work that students aren’t ready to share.

*Question: Why most of the American schools stop requiring art class after 8th grade?

*Date: September 26, 2010

*Time: 9:25 pm

Reflection # 3

     I totally agree with what Amy Shultz says in her article. The development of literacy and art are essential in an education of a child. I liked how she compared the literacy and art to the process of making a cake. Literacy and art is a great combination for children to develop their artistic and writing side. However, the big question is how to include literacy in art? 
     There are various ways in which a teacher can integrate literacy in art. Teachers can read out loud to the children a picture book, then create an art activity with the theme of the book and later discuss the connection between the book and the art activity. As Shultz says in her article, children can construct collages to illustrate a story, orally explain the story and then write it. This helps students who can have difficulties in reading or writing to improve it through a fun and creative method. This different process gives the opportunity for children to use their imagination through reading, drawing and painting, writing and even talking!

*Question: Until which grade level does a teacher should stop using picture books and start using books without images?

*Date: September 9, 2010

*Time: 11:40 pm

Reflection # 2

      It’s interesting how two women with autism view the concept of autism in two different ways. After reading the two articles, I personally agree with Temple Grandin. I saw the movie Temple Grandin that shows the struggles she passed through which also illustrate a different view toward autism. What impacted me the most after seeing the movie is how the majority of the people doubted her and the minority (her mother and one teacher) believed in her, in her strengths. After all, she demonstrates by her actions and determination that everyone is capable of everything; the difference is that each person has different ways of thinking and expressing themselves.
      After seeing the movie and reading her article, I truly believe in what she says. I learned that there are three ways people with autism think: visually, musically and mathematically, and verbally logic. Temple is definitely a visual thinker and thanks to that, she designed the curve corrals with the purpose of reducing cows stress before being killed. Like Temple says in her article, I have heard of people who are blind, but have the gift of playing any instrument without reading the notes. Some people are better in mathematics, while others are better in painting, but at the end everyone is special in their own unique way.

Question: Are the majority of people that have autism are more likely of being visual thinkers?

*Date: September 12, 2010

*Time: 10: 42 pm

Reflection # 1

     Art has existed since humans life began. Thanks to the arts, we know about our past, our present and “our future”. Humans started expressing themselves by drawings, then by signs, then by sounds, later by words, followed by the alphabet and finally by writing. All humans’ forms of communications such as verbal (poetry and singing), writing (books), dancing, acting, painting, photography and so on are types of art. The difference forms of communications give the options for people to choose which way to express. I completely agree with what Murray Sidlin said “When words are no longer adequate, when our passion is greater than we are able to express in a usual manner, people turn to art. Some people go to the canvas and paint; some stand up and dance. But we all go beyond our normal means of communicating and this is the common human experience for all people on this planet.”

     Many students believe that because they don’t know how to draw a “perfect” flower, then they are not a good artist. However, not everyone has the same concept of how flowers are. Each person is a unique world, and each of them has their own perception. I believe that art class must be a requirement to take from elementary to high school in order to graduate. Art helps students develop and demonstrate their intelligence, emotions and creativity. If more students at the beginning of their education were to get to know the importance of art, I wonder if they would make art a significance part of their life.

*Date: September 6, 2010
*Time: 2:43 am