The Aesthetic Domain aisthetickos the ability to perceive

The Aesthetic Domain “aisthetickos” – the ability to perceive through the senses.

AESTHETIC DEVELOPMENT v RESPONSIVE EXPERIENCES v Discovery Activities – appreciation of natural beauty v Exposure Activities –appreciation of arts v Evaluation Activities –forming judgments and preferences v PRODUCTIVE v Creative EXPERIENCES Activities –creative expression

Stages of Creative Representation v Age 2 -4 Scribble – disordered, controlled, and naming scribbles v Age 4 -7 Representational Preschematic – symbols 7 -9 Schematic – highly individualized visual symbols

Teaching Strategies for Quality Aesthetic Experiences v Model aesthetic awareness and enthusiasm. v Prepare an aesthetics-friendly classroom environment. v Organize an art center or “creation station” with appropriate materials. v Select appropriate music supporting materials. v Provide a variety of creative movement props.

Teaching Strategies for Quality Aesthetic Experiences v Provide props for dramatics. v Value all aspects of the creative expression process. v Teach children to respect and care for materials. v Motivate creativity through a variety of strategies. v Explore the materials before asking children to use them.

Teaching Strategies for Quality Aesthetic Experiences v Avoid making a product when demonstrating a technique. v Involve children in music experiences daily. v Provide a large uncluttered space for creative movement. v Begin each movement experience with a similar routine warm-up and end with a similar cool down.

Teaching Strategies for Quality Aesthetic Experiences v Accept children’s own ideas for creative movement. v Utilize the principle of developmental direction in aesthetic teaching. v Discover and use picture book illustrations as works of art. v Use questions to describe, analyze, evaluate art.

Teaching Strategies for Quality Aesthetic Experiences v Avoid reinforcing only a realistic approach. v Involve ALL of the children in the arts.

Variety of Strategies to Promote Creativity Direct hands-on time with materials v Examples shown of quality art and beautiful craftsmanship v Demonstrate new techniques. v Use of motivational dialogue. v Role-play idea. v Show and discuss pictures of real objects. v Encourage imagining. v Use nonverbal reinforcement. v Connect creative experiences to a concept v

Ideas for Unit Songs to teach literacy v Poems, puppets, and fingerplays v Use of musical instruments v Field trips to museums v Arts & Crafts v Listen to taped stories v Center-based activities v Easel/paintings v Guest speakers (artists in our town) v Creating songs about topic v Book-making experiences v Murals v Bulletin Boards v