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Faith Loseman Orange Block 9/15/13 Childrens Drawing Analysis and Research Paper This activity was designed for preservice teachers to analy e a child!s drawing and "e a"le to recogni e# thro$gh research# what developmental stage the drawing is in and why% The child!s drawing that & analy ed seemed to "e caref$lly tho$ght a"o$t and organi ed% & wo$ld g$ess that the child that drew this pict$re was older# pro"a"ly aro$nd age nine% The drawing is a scene of a yo$ng "oy and "at% The drawing takes $p the entire page of paper# and consists of what appears to "e a yo$ng "oy standing on the gro$nd with a "at flying a"ove him% The "oy is wearing some sort of a hat# and clothes% One can o"serve in the drawing that the child incl$ded all the necessary "ody parts on the "oy# incl$ding detailed fingers and toes# along with eyes# a nose# and a mo$th that shows teeth% The "ody is relatively drawn in proportion% The "at which flies a"ove the "oy on the top right of the page seems to "e of appropriate si e in comparison to the "oy as well% The "oy has one foot on the gro$nd# with nothing overlapping in the pict$re% This drawing can "e placed in the 'chematic 'tage of development% (ccording to Brittan and Lowenfeld )19*+,# the 'chematic 'tage incl$des- ."ody made $p of geometic shapes%%%arms and legs show vol$me and are $s$ally correctly placed%%%esta"lishment of a "aseline%%%"old# direct# flat representation# and no or little overlapping/ )p% 0*1,% 2hen looking at this pict$re# one can recogni e that all these characteristics descri"e the drawing% The "ody for one# is made $p of geometric shapes% There is a ro$nd# circ$lar head# and rectang$lar lim"s% The arms and legs show vol$me and are not represented as stick fig$res3 they are also in the correct place on the "ody% 4oreover# there is a gro$nd that the "oy is standing on# so a "aseline has "een esta"lished% &n

addition# this drawing ill$strates the territorial imperative principle# or# .%%%the lack of overlap of one fig$re "y another/ )2ilson# 1965# p% 03,% This drawing is relatively flat and two7 dimensional% There is no signs of overlap# and we can see that the "oy stands on top of the gro$nd# his foot does not sink into it% F$rthermore# one can notice the relationship "etween two sym"ols in the drawing )4aryland Board of 8d$cation of Baltimore 9o$nty# 19*0# p% 0,% The child relates the "at to the "oy# and places them in proportion to each other% The viewers can notice that the artist has grasped the concept that "ats fly# and represented this "y placing the "at in the air% Thro$gh this assignment# & have learned how to recogni e stages of development for children:s artwork% &t is important for teachers to "e a"le to recogni e these stages "eca$se .2ith this knowledge "ase they )teachers, are "etter a"le to choose age7appropriate teaching and assessment strategies that will help them develop the whole potential of every child%%%/ )L$ehrman and ;nrath# 5++1# p% *,% Therefore# this assignment "enefited me "eca$se & will "e a"le to "etter $nderstand what to teach my st$dents at their grade level% 4y st$dents will "enefit as well "eca$se they will "e learning at a level that will help them develop to reach their whole potential% (dditionally# st$dents will develop vis$al literacy thro$gh artwork# which is a very important skill# and this can help st$dents to develop critical thinking and comm$nication skills )L$ehrman and ;nrath# 5++1# p% *,% & think that there are many conse<$ences for teachers not $nderstanding the stages of development for their st$dents artwork% &f teachers do not know how to determine what stage a child is in# they may "e too critical of the child!s artwork# or not know how to give instr$ctions to the st$dent on how to improve% Therefore it is cr$cial that every teacher knows how to analy e their st$dents artwork%

References:

Lowenfeld# =%# > Brittain# 2% L% )19*+,% Creative and mental growth% ?ew @ork# ?@4acmillan# 9o%# 55755# 0*070*9%

L$ehrman# 4%# > ;nrath# A% )5++1,% 4aking theories of children!s artistic development meaningf$l for pre7service teachers% Art Education, 5 )3,# 1715%

4aryland Board of 8d$cation of Baltimore 9o$nty% )19*0,% Beginning stages of vis$al eBpression of yo$ng children% &n Art E!perience, Development of "isual Perception, 170%

2ilson# 4%# > 2ilson# B% )1965,% #eaching children to draw$ 8nglewood 9liffs# ?CDrentice7 Eall# 3970*%