Children and Art Teaching

Some would argue that teaching art is merely a process of allowing children to express themselves in an understandable way, with teachers playing only a minor active role. First published in 1985, Children and Art Teaching argues that teachers can do much to foster the conditions in which children produce exciting work. Working out a strategy for teaching art is not an obvious matter, as it is for history or mathematics, which are linear subjects with a set body of work to assimilate. This book assures that teaching can be carried out skilfully and purposefully and provides guidance for teachers and trainees on how this can be achieved. Examining the different stages of a child's growth and his developing view of the world, it discusses the consequent response a teacher might adopt. It explores curriculum building, use of materials and media as well as the actual teaching process and concludes with a chapter on evaluation and assessment. This practical guide, rich in ideas and suggestions, can only be fully valued by teachers using it to develop their own ideas, beliefs, and resultant practices.