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Lesson Plans


4-year-old resistance to making marks on paper

From: Alison Bell (alison.b)
Date: Sat Jan 29 2000 - 19:15:45 PST

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    Hi there
    I am a parent of a 4-year-old who is positively hostile to making marks
    on paper. His JK teacher said something about small motor control, but
    you should see him work with Lego ...
    I'm concerned because I think it might be that he overheard and
    internalized a casual remark I made within his hearing a couple of years
    ago (yes, when he was that young) - that I hated drawing and painting
    even as a very young kid. However, I did not resist all attempts at
    making marks on paper. I just wasn't thrilled with it. I do remember
    occasional pleasure, though, at creating a world there that didn't
    exist.

    My son, though, will not colour, will not draw, will not make marks that
    come off the end of an instrument on to paper or any other medium. He
    knows that people are trying to encourage him so he uses it ("mommy, I
    want to paint" when I'm trying to wash the dishes). He likes scissors
    and glue ... but won't draw.

    I think he just doesn't like the result ("See, I don't know how - you do
    it mommy" ... "I can't" ... "It's hard for me") and it's profoundly
    frustrating to see him draw a circle, and he knows he's done it, and
    then watch him do something to sabotage it, as if he /must not/ do it.

    Mostly, I've just let it go because I don't want to push him - he's
    already been pushed by me and others and it increases his resistance.

    Frankly, it doesn't matter to me deeply if he doesn't want to do "art" -
    he is very clearly more oriented to sounds and words - But I'm
    concerned that he won't want to write either. He resists all attempts to
    get him to hold an instrument less awkwardly ...

    Well, you get the idea.

    Any suggestions?

    Thanks

    Alison 

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