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Lesson Plans


Re: Displaying artwork

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
Rosa Juliusdottir (rojul)
Sun, 14 Feb 1999 17:45:43 -0500

hi Jen. I think it would be interesting to hear peoples opinions on
displaying works, especially regarding these things you talk about:
> Should ALL work be displayed? Are children
>with "inferior" (to their way of thinking) products ever embarassed by
>having their artwork displayed next to the "kid who can draw good?" Or in
>your experience are all children proud of their work. What messages do we
>send with either strategy...selecting the best, or showing them all? I am
>not expounding my way here, I'm truly after opinion.

My opinion on this is that most of the time All work should be displayed. I
should hope one of our tasks as teachers is to build childrenīs self
assurance so they will never be embarrassed by their works. One can always
find things in childrenīs artworks to praise them for and thus slowly but
surely build their self confidence along with teaching them. I do think
that we can also have shows sometimes that focus more childrenīs cognitive
developement and the connection to creativity, like the show on artsednet
awhile ago, arranged by Elliot Eisner and others.

> I once really got toasted by a parent who came to an open house to see a
>display of about 75 pieces in an "art show" and didn't see anything by her
>child. (One of 400) I was told the child was destroyed and I had ruined
>her spark of creativity.

I would personally never have an "art show" of my studentīs works and not
show at least one work by each one.

> I was also once similarly criticized by a parent
>(to the school board of the private school I taught in at the time) for not
>"sending home work to put on the refrigerator" regularly enough.
>Your thoughts?
>
>Jen

I donīt send works home for the refrigerator! My students keep their works
in a portfolio and take them all home at the end of a semester.
Best regards from the far north, Rosa