Help me give my students art supplies for the opportunity to experience open ended artistic expression that allows them to use multiple mediums to express emotions that often times they cannot verbalize.
I teach in a Title I school where 100 percent of the students receive free breakfast and lunch. Students must qualify to be in my classroom by demonstrating the highest need of those students that apply for the free program. Unfortunately,, the funding for consumables has been eliminated by our program due to budget cuts. The state standards I follow require that the students have the ability to explore the arts, and yet, I have no funds to purchase paint, paper, glue or any other art supplies. I have had to either purchase these items with my own money, or try to create art experiences that are less “hand on” or require fewer materials. I would love to be able to purchase the materials that would allow my students to fully engage in open ended, individually created art.
My Project
All young children are language learners! Some gain language quicker than others, but all children have need to express their thoughts and feelings. In my prekindergarten classroom, many of my students are English language learners or children struggling with a language impairment. Having the ability to provide an avenue for all children to communicate their emotions though artistic expression is invaluable.
The Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards (VIII.A.1) require that students will be able to combine, with intention, a variety of open-ended, process oriented and diverse art materials.
The materials the will be provided through this project, such as finger paints, tempera paints and variety of application tools, will allow the students to become fully immersed in a creative open-ended activity that highly stimulates their senses. This activity is not about the end product, but rather, the sensory experience and learning how to express the student's feelings through a growing vocabulary. The Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards (IV.C.a) also require that the students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of age-appropriate vocabulary across many topic areas and demonstrates a wide variety of words and their meanings (e.g. feelings) For young children who struggle with self confidence, engaging in activities that value the expressive process and not the end product, will allow them to blossom and thrive in a judgment free environment. Children take such pride in their art, and as their confidence grows, so does their willingness to express their feelings in words. At the conclusion of their Prekindergarten year, my goal is for each of my students to be able to verbally express their feelings through the use of age-appropriate vocabulary, thus demonstrating mastery of standard IV.C.a.
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