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A Plea: Cut the Crafts

7/10/2015

13 Comments

 
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As a teacher, I am passionate about the Reggio Emilia approach to education.  I'm constantly challenged, learning, and deepening both my practice and relationships.  As a parent, however, my requirements are pretty simple: Make my child feel loved and keep them safe.  Would I prefer a Reggio-inspired program for my daughters?  Sure, and it's what they experience during the school year, when they attend the school where I teach.  But I also see the benefit of learning to be flexible, adapting to less-familiar environments and programs, as well as building trust with a range of caring adults and peers. 

It was for these reasons that I enrolled E in a half-day summer camp at a local community center.  A thoughtful, cautious, and sensitive girl, she is blossoming in many ways, and I wanted to give her opportunities for continuing to build social skills in our months away from school.  The community center classroom is about as traditional American preschool as it gets, complete with a weekly theme to guide the children's activities.  Not really my cup of tea.  But the space is clean and safe, the teachers kind and warm.  I feel completely comfortable dropping off E, even if she sometimes struggles with our goodbyes. 

At a recent pick-up, one of E's teachers handed me what appeared to be a white t-shirt and, with an apologetic tone, explained, "She didn't want to make a superhero cape today." I unfolded the shirt to find a cape with an iron-on superhero decal, E's name beautifully printed in puffy paint, and few meager lines drawn with marker (which I'm guessing were E's efforts).  It was adorable, frankly, and I assured her teacher of such.  But her entire demeanor spoke of a kind of penitence, as though she were bracing herself for my admonishment.  And, in a flash, I saw it all.

I saw the planning that she had done, maybe months ago, to settle on themes that she hoped would be fun for her students.  I saw the investment of personal time that it took her to buy and pre-cut 14 t-shirts, carefully ironing the decals and labeling them with names, probably at her own home.  I could picture her gentle and persistent efforts to engage E in the activity of decorating a cape.  I imagined her mental debate when E just wasn't interested: "Will this child's parent expect a product to prove she learned today?  Will she trust that her time at camp was still worthwhile, that I'm a competent teacher, even if there is nothing tangible to validate it?"  

Cheers, friend.  I get it.  I've been there.  And I know that your concerns are based in experiences you've had, that you've had to justify your occupation to families and administrators who want to measure the unmeasurable.  I, too, have taught from a place of fear and defensiveness, learning to expect that I would need to constantly prove myself.  It's no fun, and it's a waste of your talents. So, here is my wish for you, early childhood educators of my children.

Cut the crafts.  Instead of using your personal time to prepare them, have a glass of wine.  Watch some tv or read a good book.  Come to school tomorrow refreshed and restored, because it might be my kid who tests the limits of your patience, and a loving response means more to me than making sure she brings home a craft.  All the money it takes for you to buy those cute materials? Put it towards the simple stuff, paper and crayons, books and clay.  I'd rather my child have the freedom to scribble for hours than present me with a perfect-looking product (that, honestly, will go into a landfill somewhere).  Take the energy that you otherwise would have put into convincing my child to complete a craft and use it instead to guide her in joining groups and forming friendships.  That's where she really needs your help. 

When my daughter is grown, she probably won't look back fondly on her childhood and recall the crafts that she made.  But she might reminisce about curling up on your lap with a favorite book.  I'm willing to bet that the feeling from those moments are memories that might stay with you, too.  In the meantime, get out a second glass of wine for me. 





13 Comments
Totally agree! As a teacher, I also felt obligated to make each child's work " look like something", be it a bumblebee or a fire cracker or a Cheistmas tree. I also know how much time I spent pre cutting and lettering! If a child wants to make a bee out
7/10/2015 01:19:48 am

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Great comments! The pull between what we think parents want and what we know is appropriate can be very tiring. Take a breath, a nice chianti (from Tuscany!) and stick to your values.
7/10/2015 05:16:14 am

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Nicole ayers
7/10/2015 11:51:08 pm

This is absolutely wrong. Kids love crafts. I have four kids we do crafts all the time.. I think that maybe with a little more positive feedback, and motivation instead of a " cut the craft" and grab a glass if wine mentality. The daughter may have had a different perspective about the entire situation as a whole.
This is bad advice IMO.
Cut the creativity ... Good greef!

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Adrienne
7/11/2015 12:02:40 am

Thanks for reading and for your feedback, Nicole. This was never intended to be a criticism of anyone's practice, simply an expression of support for one of my children's teachers. In the Reggio Emilia approach, open-ended learning experiences (artistic and otherwise) are offered to encourage children to construct their own understandings. Adult-initiated crafts can teach many skills; they're just not something you would typically find in a Reggio-inspired classroom.

Missy
7/11/2015 02:12:12 am

She's referring to adult led crafts that require a lot of behind the scenes prep work and money. These things diminish creativity, whereas the things she recommended (crayons, blank paper, clay) help to cultivate and encourage creativity.

Lisa
7/13/2015 01:18:18 am

I don't think she means cut the creativity. She means cut out the craft being Your invention/idea/ prepared work, let the children be creative on their own. Thier ideas and wants not based on your determined idea and precut supplies!! Big difference!

Mariana
7/2/2016 05:29:17 pm

I agree children love art and crafts, but should be a voluntary experience, provide children with an easel, paper, water colour, or acrylic paint, and they will express their imagination!!!!

Ross-Anne
7/2/2016 07:43:14 pm

She's not saying cut the creativity, she's saying cut the crafts - very different

Kathryn Lagerquist link
7/11/2015 12:38:47 am

Thanks for your post. As a kindergarten teacher I have found that I get much more creative work out of my students when I don't tell them how to create art. I just give them the materials and they each come up with something different because they are all individuals. I love to see their creativity shine!

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Heather (RECE) link
7/12/2015 02:12:07 am

Thanks for posting. I do spend much of my free time locating materials for creative activities. While the idea starts off craft-like, the final product, always fits the personality of the child. I believe children should have the freedom to create their own masterpieces, therefore even when you have a theme in mind, they should be encouraged to take your idea and make it their own. Give children access, to an assortment of materials, provide assistance when asked, otherwise...turn them Loose. Give them the opportunity, to tap into, their own creative abilities. Not into the Clone Mentality! "If children are only doing what I want them to do, how will I ever find out who they really are"?

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Heather.Oakshott
7/30/2015 04:22:28 pm

Well said,I have worked with children for a very long time and I agree with what you are saying,children need to work things out for themselfs,but if and when they need help yes

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Cynthia Raven link
7/12/2016 06:24:14 pm

I do not often offer crafts. There are several reasons for it... the cost in something that goes home instead of continuing to improve the class environment ans the often lack of creative elements on the children's parts, but when I do plan something many of the children are thrilled. Not every child, so some involve more than others. The children have most of their free time to be creative in play of their own choosing so an island of a craft is not terrible. The remembering of excitement a few times makes it worth doing. I do not confuse this with art. My program is eclectic so I do not feel compelled to offer or not offer these experiences.

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Danny Burr
7/23/2016 06:01:42 pm

As atelier of a Reggio-inspired preschool in the SF Bay Area, i LOVE this piece! I think half my time is spent explaining why patents won't be seeing turkeys made from cutout hand prints during thanksgiving coming out of the atelier.
However, i explain, they will be able to watch what process, not product, does to the child's ability to CREATE their own unique works if art.
I explain how that old cavas i asked them to bring in was gessoed by their child, then they were asked to choose a background color, any color THEY create to cover the piece. In a day or so, they are asked to create another color and a different type and sized brush, or stick, or feather is chosen to add that color, and so on this process goes for a few weeks. No goal product, no fruit on a table, just the request that they "feel" the colors before, as, and after they meet the canvas and colors before them.
Then, when THEY decide its time to stop, they sit with the painting and decide the name.
"River of fire!"
"The Dance of the Neutrons"
"Lilly's Song"

From these come some of the most amazibg pieces of art ive seen a child make.
Pure creative genius.

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