I returned last week from an inspired conference, Educating the Creative Mind at Kean College (where I presented.) The above title quote came from Sara Zurr, Phd, who presented her research on spontaneous music making and time. Her findings from 3 continents, Asia, N. America, Australia: kids who took the longest to line up, to transition, and were often considered behavioral problems had the most spontaneous music making/singing. Kids aware of the clock were least creative, hardly sang. Music eliminates time.
I had the pleasure of recalling her paper as I watched Myles , who in general , is high energy. Sitting for Myles routinely involves chair tipping and much movement (I am sympathetic, because I resist this urge often.)
If he were to be sculpted in clay (as the Terra Cotta Warriors were) and buried for thousands of years, and then uncovered, he would want his sculpture to tell his story as being “in a band, and I play the drums. I have locks.”
During studio time, there is an extended free time. After he sketched his sculpture idea, he went and grabbed a drum, pulled up a chair near me, and began to play a beautiful rhythm with great intent and feeling. He paused and sat still as he developed his song. He continued, infusing dynamics. The tipping moving energy was replaced with both calm and passion. While his music vibrated, I marveled at how long he sat still. Music eliminated time.
The previous day, Grace spent 40 minutes in solitude playing the piano with earphones on, while her peers played collaboratively. When she looked up, I asked her if she wanted me to unplug the headset and invite her friends to listen. She had no idea the time she had been lost in her exploration of sound. John and Joya showed great interest as she shared her music. Music eliminated time.
Howard Gardner was the keynote at this conference. Imagine my joy when he was asked about his opinion of the pre primary schools in Reggio Emilia, “I think about Reggio Emilia everyday. It has made the biggest impact on me.”
Before I returned to Washington, DC, I stopped in NYC to see the Broadway Musical, Fela!. Quick, go out and buy some tickets and take a trip to NY to see this amazing piece of theatre, music, dance and history. Plus, my friend, Duke Amayo of Antibalas created the dynamic score. It is a reminder of the important role of creativity in society. Not only as a means of expression, beauty and culture, but also as a vehicle for fighting oppression.
What a complete embodiment of creative thinking. and multiple intelligences. My dear friend Maureen Ingram recently posted about Gardners’ ideas on her educational blog.
Back at SWS I was struck by (PreK) Malens’ use of clay to show a funny expression. I had taken the time to show the children how to attach and connect clay, so it would not fall apart as it dries. Their task was to make anything they wanted while practicing the clay technique. Benjamin developed a striking bridge with rock steps.
My K’s recently returned to their sketch books to think about what their story would be in clay. How do artists tell stories, specifically clay artists or sculptors?
“By looking”
“By the things they put on the sculpture.”
“By making”
This is a photo of Frederic conferring with Ms. Yvonne about symbols of a fighter pilot. Her husband is a pilot.
Below right, is Frederic as a terra cotta fighter pilot.
I asked the children to sketch themselves as a terra cotta sculpture, not as a Chinese Warrior, but as they would like to be seen or known. Besides thinking about and creating a visual language to tell their stories, they had to sketch their knowledge within the context of the possibilities of the material they were to use, clay. I challenged them to draw an idea that showed that their sculptural piece would balance and be sturdy (Ideas generated to solve this included making “fat legs”, “big feet”, “a base”.) Extremities had to somehow connect in at least two places so as to not fall off. This is thinking as a visual artist. If I had chosen to ask the children to replicate a Chinese Terra Cotta Warrior, their conceptual and creative thinking would not have been activated. The project would not have been arts integrated, although it probably would have been interpreted as such.
Here are some of their ideas. How fascinating that children represented themselves as kids, as teenagers, as grown ups, and as Milo definitively said , as “40 years old, I am a builder. I build houses and schools. I have a tool belt.”
“I’m a singer and full of love”.-Bridget
“I’m a collector. I collect a nail and a bottle cap.” -Kai
“I’m a dance teacher.” -Ellie
“I have this bear, I had it since I was born. It was my first bear and I dream about it. I’m a kid.
-Frederick A.F.
“I am 6 years old, I am pretending to be a Dr. I threw everything out to see.”-Grace
“I’m a kid. I’m holding Pinky. There’s crayons, markers and a pencil because I like to draw.”-Joya
“I’m a swimming teacher.”-Ella
“I play guitar in a rock band.” Maggie
“I’m a policeman” -Finn
The first group of children to create themselves and their story in terra cotta were undeterred by the challenges of how to get their figure to stand or sit upright. And their attention to symbol and story, let alone craft created a time vacuum. They worked for a straight hour, until lunchtime without a break, and then returned after lunch and worked for almost another hour. I know this state of mind myself personally. When an altered meditative state replaces standard time. Yes, art also eliminates time.
“”I’m good at reading. I’m a librarian.” Jonas
“I like to make things, like necklaces and beads.” Annika
“I’m a kid, I like the beach.” Leila
On an ending note, I attended the art opening of the exhibit I am in at Adkins Arboretum and was honored to have received a jurors award for my piece. I am also honored to be in company with so many talented artists whose work hangs in the show. It is still hanging, so if you are in the Eastern Shore, take a look.
I am also pleased to be featured in a new book, Digital Art Revolution by Scott Ligon. It is a great book, loaded with ideas for creating fine art with photoshop.
One more quote from Howard Gardner, (to keep you engaged in promoting and supporting progressive education):
“You can’t make people creative, but we sure know how to prevent it. Don’t wait for funding, policy starts in a class, in a school, in a community. You never win in politics. Build on a civic democracy. When you have a dedicated community, with continuity, it can last forever. Next to parents, teachers are the people young people trust the most. If you do your job well, your influence goes on long after you are gone.”
And that’s a long time.
This is a beautiful post – I think that the children’s representations of themselves when they are older are so stunning! I would have loved to hear you speak at that conference. Howard Gardner is a wonderful inspiration, and I’m really looking forward to learning more about Sara Zurr’s work! Thanks!
I like being absorbed in something as eliminating time. It sounds so much better than, ” I spaced out, and now I’m laaaaaate”.
Love the Terra Cotta warrior self portraits & congrats again on your presentation in NJ!
Even though my daughter has been at SWS for almost 2 years now, I don’t think I really understood arts integration until I read this post. I used to see it as a lot of art projects that pick up on topics in the curriculum. But the difference between making a version of a Chinese Terra Cotta Warrior and making a terra cotta self (as my daughter puts it) invokes a different set of skills. Thanks Marla!
Through documentation my estimation of children increases.
Thanks for the shout out, Marla! What an inspiration you are! I love that the children drew sketches and then created clay models. These are real treasures. Howard Gardner needs to visit SWS.
Thanks for this post! I love see what your students are doing, even though my only connection to your school is being a cohort of Alysia Scofield at Goddard! Love the great quotes from Gardner. Your thoughts on music and time are quite profound and beautiful!
Marla,
Really great post! I’m in love with your terra cotta project: what a beautiful way for the kids to explore art and think about their future aspirations. Also makes me consider what how I would want be seen or known. Clearly a very purposeful and thoughtful project. Any thoughts about how to extend this? How can the kids start to explore ways to get to their terra cotta dream?
I believe by offering possibilities (experiences, relationships, time, nature, materials, trips, music, conversation) in multiple ways, it’s happening. Oh, and allowing a safe place where children learn how to make mistakes, fail, try again and learn that it’s both hard work and joy that gets you there. Where ever and whatever “there” may be…
Thank you for this inspiring post, Marla. Howard Gardner! What a great quote.
Have you spoken with your students about proportionality when drawing people, or is this something they have come to on their own through practice in your studio? All the drawings struck me as extremely well-proportioned (in addition to being inventive and wonderful).
Hi, While I (we) don’t teach proportion, from the time children enter the school, the value of being observant is realized through a lot of drawing outside , and on field trips, and then inside, looking at ourselves, using mirrors, using materials to represent what they see…so I think it is a by-product of having learned to look closely. (This is a school-wide practice/value) Thanks for asking.
I love your blog. I have bookmarked it and I will read it. I love the pictures and the stories.
“You can’t make people creative, but we sure know how to prevent it. Don’t wait for funding, policy starts in a class, in a school, in a community. You never win in politics. Build on a civic democracy. When you have a dedicated community, with continuity, it can last forever. Next to parents, teachers are the people young people trust the most. If you do your job well, your influence goes on long after you are gone.”
And that’s a long time.Howard Gardner
This will inspire me for a long long time to come. Thank you for the beauty.
Thank you! It’s great to have Gardner in our corner too.
As always, you inspire me. I am struck at how the regular use of drawing as a tool seems to naturally lead to perspective. I wonder how best to encourage my teachers to feel more comfortable with integrating drawing throughout the day – the children love to write, and they love working in the atelier, but there is so much time in class and on trips when drawing – detailed, taking-your-time drawing can be happening, but I think it is the teachers who lack the confidence to sit with the children in this…
How does the school-wide practice of “looking closely” pay out in day to day practice?
I see children in their classes drawing out plans in the block area before building, or doing observational drawings of class related things from friends to plants to insects to shadows, and of course they have journals as well as clipboards.
We truly are a collaborative school, by this, I mean we (the teachers) share use of language, materials and approaches in our weekly meetings so it is as seamless as possible from classroom to studio to home and back.
Hi Marla, I am an Atelierista in Auckland New Zealand and I since I have found your blog it has become a real inspiration and source of information for me and I look forward to each of your new posts. I’m originally from Pennsylvania so it’s also a great way to connect with how things are over there in the US! Thank you so much for taking the time to contribute to this blog.