There is tremendous value in developing children’s creativity and learning abilities, but being creative is not just about the arts. Thinking creatively is the ability to see new solutions to a problem, to connect disparate thoughts and find and apply new ideas. This is a process of divergent thinking which comes naturally to right-brain, visual-spatial […]
Recently, I was invited to speak to a group of professionals at Northrop Grumman, a defense contractor located in the Chicago suburbs. A friend of mine is the leader of their “Women’s Initiatives for Networking and Success” group, one of many organizations for Northrop employees. This friend had heard about my book, Being Visual, and thought there might be some valuable insights I could share that would align with their mission as a professional development group. I happily agreed and focused the presentation on a foundational aspect of Being Visual; the nuances of left and right-brain thinking and the way it influences learning and performance.
I have been teaching young kids how to draw for over 20 years. The classes and teaching method were popular and effective, so I made a business out of it. But it’s never really been about the business. All I wanted was to work with kids — to do art with kids — to teach and empower — to see their sweet faces light up with every new discovery. My young students thrived when they got the “how to” information they craved. And while teaching children how to draw, they taught me — again and again — how important art is to them.
I just returned from my printer after picking up a couple hundred copies of my book, Being Visual. Well, it’s not the real book — but the 95% version — the galley. But it looks like a book, smells like a book and feels like the real book. The galleys are the almost, almost, so very close version of a book. It’s the last stage before the absolute final edits, the version sent to magazine editors, media and reviewers. And while I am excited about being at the 95% stage, I am a bit in awe.
Art has always been a facet of who I am. From the first moment I picked up a pencil and scribbled something other than my name, art became a part of me. Art has helped me develop my creativity. Art has helped me build my confidence. Art has shown me an endless canvas of unlimited possibilities.
When I was a child, art allowed me to express my thoughts that were too complex to convey through words. It brought focus and simplified concepts I had conceived. Art took those thoughts and brought them to life in a visible and tangible form. For being a child, art provided this powerful tool which aided in my communication.
The iPad is above and beyond the most sought after item for tech lovers, as it’s the go to place for all things internet, music, movies, and pictures. But more and more, parents are quickly realizing that it can be utilized as a valuable teaching tool for their children, and its mobility means it can go anywhere a child does. Amidst some of the the silly, useless apps out there are some that can make the difference in your child’s learning and vocabulary development. Here are our top iPad app picks for Elementary school learning by grade, from www.Education.com:
“Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn.” Lewis Grizzard
Spring is a fun time of year to engage with nature. These education games, activities and crafts are a great way to get your kids excited to get outside and get moving. A learning activity, Find an Animal Mate, teaches kids to imitate an animal and observe their surroundings to find the child who is their matching animal. Learn more about how to do this activity here .
With shortfalls in education budgets, the arts — visual art, music and theater programs — are first to be eliminated from school curriculum. Sadly, they are considered “non-essential” as they cannot be tested in the same way as other subjects. School funding and teacher performance evaluations are based on student test scores.
Time and time again, I have gone into classrooms to hear that children have already self-determined that they are or are not artists. The ones that say they are continue to explore and enjoy the process, and have a drive to continue and seek out the information they need. Sadly, it is the majority that decides they do NOT have what it takes to be an artist. This is tragic.
Author and physician Stephen Guffanti has modified a chapter from his book Does Your Child Really Have ADHD and helps you to understand what it feels like to be a kinesthetic learner:
When our daughter was 5, I developed for our home school the following physics lesson to teach her and a 6 year old friend Newton’s three laws of motion.
Now, in my talks to parents, I lead them through this activity so they can actually experience what it feels like to be a kinesthetic learner.
