Childrens Drawings

[Guest]

I have enjoyed reading these stories as well, but how frustrating we have a mum who has come in this week and asked if her son can' possibly bring home some decent paintings!!'

 

I feel furious her son absolutely loves painting and creates lovely mixes of colours, but mum says that she is fed up with crinkly paintings of nothing!!

I asked her if she had talked to him about the paintings and she laughed, some parents don't get it, what do you do in a situation like this??

 

She is happy to stifle his creative skills as she talks about the pictures in front of him and openly says they're rubbish, it is unbelieveable, I feel soooooo angry .

 

However being a professional I suppose I have to keep giving her positive comments and double up on her son's praise and encouragement whilst he is at the setting, poor boy what hope is there for his developing confidence and self-esteem.

 

I am emphasising self-esteem, self-awareness and positive encouragement everytime I am within spitting distance of the mum, excuse the expression, I wouldn't don't worry!!

[SmileyPR]

Maybe it would be good that at the beginning of the school year you can have an orientation day where you can explain to the parents the expectations the FS Curriculum has and show some examples.

[Guest]

We do try to get the message over at the induction period,

update the issue with newsletters,

posters in the lobby to illustrate the aims of our topics,

posters clarifying the Birth to Three and Foundation Stage guidance we use to plan and incorporate their children's development at play

opportunities to look at displayed work with detailed written descriptions of what they have been doing

etc

etc

But you now you get those parents that don't really seem to want to know, anyone else got any of them? They just seem uninterested, but quick to gripe the tiniest irrelevant thing!!

[SmileyPR]

Oh, yes! I remember 2 years ago. It was the end of the year school party. One mother comes to another of the Pre-School teachers and presented herself first, then she asked who the teacher was. This was her daughter's teacher !!! Can you imagine that? Half a year had passed (she entered in Dec.) and she had never made the effort to contact the child's teacher. Incredible, but true!

 

Then you have those who leave their children at the main door and don't read the Daily Diary. We had this special activity and all the children were to come with their Gym kit (shorts, t-shirt, trainers) and, as always, the ones who don't read the diaries came with their normal clothes. The same for Field Trips: no-trolleys, no diaries, snacks and lunch in plastic bags within a small back-pack, etc. The notices are sent on time. They are all literate, so no problem with not understanding written information.

 

Thankfully there are others who do work in partnership with school .

[Running Bunny]

I have enjoyed reading these stories as well, but how frustrating we have a mum who has come in this week and asked if her son can' possibly bring home some decent paintings!!'

 

I know most of these have been posted elsewhere, but perhaps you could display one or some of these in your setting just_playing_poems.doc to get the point of creativity across.

 

Perhaps you could do some creative tasks at your next parent's evening, to demonstrate the value of mark making etc...?

 

RB x

[Guest]

Thankyou RB lovely idea, will definetly try that

Poems laminated and ready to hang, thankyou.

Edited July 6, 2006 by Guest

[Guest]

T.T.S group do a lovely poster of the first poem, which I have on display

[Guest]

I have attached a piece I wrote on creativity for the parents when I took the decision to develop independence in the preschool. Photographs are included, read and see what ya think

Edited July 6, 2006 by Guest

[SmileyPR]

Thanks RB !!!

[Guest]

“The origins of creativity come from the word ‘create’ or creare, which means literally ‘to make a thing which has not been made before; to bring into being.’” (Barnhart and Barnhart cited in Willen et al, 2004)

 

“As they express their creativity, they draw upon their imagination and originality. They make decisions, take risks and play with ideas. Children’s creativity develops over time and takes time. It is best facilitated by adults who sensitively support this process and do not dominate it. If they are to be truly creative, children need the freedom to develop their own ideas and the support of adults who can help them gain the skills that enable their creativity to have expression.” (QCA 2000)

[Marion]

Oh, yes! I remember 2 years ago. It was the end of the year school party. One mother comes to another of the Pre-School teachers and presented herself first, then she asked who the teacher was. This was her daughter's teacher !!! Can you imagine that? Half a year had passed (she entered in Dec.) and she had never made the effort to contact the child's teacher. Incredible, but true!

 

Then you have those who leave their children at the main door and don't read the Daily Diary. We had this special activity and all the children were to come with their Gym kit (shorts, t-shirt, trainers) and, as always, the ones who don't read the diaries came with their normal clothes. The same for Field Trips: no-trolleys, no diaries, snacks and lunch in plastic bags within a small back-pack, etc. The notices are sent on time. They are all literate, so no problem with not understanding written information.

 

Thankfully there are others who do work in partnership with school .

 

 

I can 'beat' that if its the right term a parent approached me last week (final week of term) and asked where her child's teacher was!

 

Another when her son proudly presented her with his memory book (a collection of photographs and quotes from his almost 3 years with us) said 'NOT MORE CRAP!'

 

Any wonder some children have a hard time in school!

[Guest]

Marion that's horrible, ever so difficult to keep one's professional mouth shut at time's like that isn't it!!

 

If they only knew what damage they could be doing to the child's self esteem!

[Guest tinkerbell]

Oh dear Marion that made me sad.

I have a family with 3 boys the youngest is with me yr1 they have all been the same , no book bag,pe kit, parents dont hear them read, never do the weekly homework so no sticker.I talk to the parents...mum secondary teacher with M 'ED, she just smiles and says they will be ok and quotes the education system in Sweden etc where the children play out all day etc.

Fine I say ,but this is what we do here and he is missing out.

I can understand her argument but the boys have suffered and we have to find the time to hear him read everyday cos they arnt doing it and he is behind.find him spare pe kit etc.....if we had to do it for them all it would be a nightmare.

To cap it all as I was talking to mum..head t hovering and interrupted to say the eldest child had scored 5s in his SATS.

So moral of the story don't bother with the children whose parents dont think rules and routines are important.'He'll get his degree when he's 30'

Tinkerbellx

[Guest]

Just last week i was sat with a little girl who was drawing with wax crayons, when i asked her what she was drawing she told me it was her dogs, she descibed both her dogs to mean and pointed to each mark on the paper that were her dogs. Then she proceeded to cover the whole picture in black wax crayon, which surprised me as the drawing was lovely, when i enquired further she went on to explain that they were in their carry boxes because they were going to the vets for their injections. so it does go to show that without careful observation and interaction we could lose so much about what a child is trying to show us through their creative pictures. I wrote up the observation and explained to mum what the black was crayon piece of paper was all about, had i have not interacted with this child then i wouldnt have connected a black waxy piece of paper to anything tangiable in the childs life.

 

Claire x

[Marion]

I know it's an old thread but the poem reminded me about it

 

Once a little boy went to school.

He was quite a little boy

And it was quite a big school.

But when the little boy

Found that he could go to his room

By walking right in from the door outside

He was happy;

And the school did not seem

Quite so big anymore.

 

One morning

When the little boy had been in school awhile,

The teacher said:

"Today we are going to make a picture."

"Good!" thought the little boy.

He liked to make all kinds;

Lions and tigers,

Chickens and cows,

Trains and boats;

And he took out his box of crayons

And began to draw.

 

But the teacher said, "Wait!"

"It is not time to begin!"

And she waited until everyone looked ready.

"Now," said the teacher,

"We are going to make flowers."

"Good!" thought the little boy,

He liked to make beautiful ones

With his pink and orange and blue crayons.

But the teacher said "Wait!"

"And I will show you how."

And it was red, with a green stem.

"There," said the teacher,

"Now you may begin."

 

The little boy looked at his teacher's flower

Then he looked at his own flower.

He liked his flower better than the teacher's

But he did not say this.

He just turned his paper over,

And made a flower like the teacher's.

It was red, with a green stem.

 

On another day

When the little boy had opened

The door from the outside all by himself,

The teacher said:

"Today we are going to make something with clay."

"Good!" thought the little boy;

He liked clay.

He could make all kinds of things with clay:

Snakes and snowmen,

Elephants and mice,

Cars and trucks

And he began to pull and pinch

His ball of clay.

 

But the teacher said, "Wait!"

"It is not time to begin!"

And she waited until everyone looked ready.

"Now," said the teacher,

"We are going to make a dish."

"Good!" thought the little boy,

He liked to make dishes.

And he began to make some

That were all shapes and sizes.

 

But the teacher said "Wait!"

"And I will show you how."

And she showed everyone how to make

One deep dish.

"There," said the teacher,

"Now you may begin."

 

The little boy looked at the teacher's dish;

Then he looked at his own.

He liked his better than the teacher's

But he did not say this.

He just rolled his clay into a big ball again

And made a dish like the teacher's.

It was a deep dish.

 

And pretty soon

The little boy learned to wait,

And to watch

And to make things just like the teacher.

And pretty soon

He didn't make things of his own anymore.

 

Then it happened

That the little boy and his family

Moved to another house,

In another city,

And the little boy

Had to go to another school.

This school was even bigger

Than the other one.

And there was no door from the outside

Into his room.

He had to go up some big steps

And walk down a long hall

To get to his room.

And the very first day

He was there,

The teacher said:

"Today we are going to make a picture."

"Good!" thought the little boy.

And he waited for the teacher

To tell what to do.

But the teacher didn't say anything.

She just walked around the room.

 

When she came to the little boy

She asked, "Don't you want to make a picture?"

"Yes," said the lttle boy.

"What are we going to make?"

"I don't know until you make it," said the teacher.

"How shall I make it?" asked the little boy.

"Why, anyway you like," said the teacher.

"And any color?" asked the little boy.

"Any color," said the teacher.

"If everyone made the same picture,

And used the same colors,

How would I know who made what,

And which was which?"

"I don't know," said the little boy.

.And he began to make pink and orange and blue flowers.

 

He liked his new school,

Even if it didn't have a door

Right in from the outside

[Guest Wolfie]

....that poem says so much, doesn't it!

[Guest]

awww please post it on the TES Early Years Forum Marion xx

[Marion]

It will upset our friend the Arm Carla Bluerose has posted it on the primary site.

Have you told everyone here your good news?

[Guest Wolfie]

What good news is that?!?!......we're all waiting.......

[Guest]

LOL I saw Marion xx yes guys I'm having a baby, had my 20 week scan yesterday and found out it's a girl.... I already have 2 children ages 10 and 8 years and was just getting into my chosen career, so with this surprise on the way it looks like things may be on hold for a short while ... xx

[Guest]

Congratulations Carla, I bet your children are really excited too

 

Peggy

[aliamch]

Hi Carla & Congratulations! I had my bonus baby when my daughters were 6 & 8 and it was sooooooo much easier this time round! Enjoy your pregnanacy.

Karrie