Several episodes back, we talked with a couple of special guests about Kids & Music, and all the surprising benefits music exposure, learning to play an instrument, or being part of a vocal ensemble gives kids. We thought it only right that we give the subject of ART a fair shake, since it, too, is often on the chopping block in under-funded educational areas. What does ART have to offer kids?
Today, to help us tackle this topic we have with us Ms. Shawn Baughman, who happens to be (IMHO) one of earth’s best art teachers. She’s taught art in the public school setting (K-8 and K-5) for 23 years now, and her students included both my (Bonnie’s) kids @ McFadden School of Excellence, a magnet school here in middle TN.
Thank you so much for being here, Ms. Baughman!
Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself? Did you always love art—and was there a particular KIND you were drawn to?
When and how did you decide you wanted to teach art? And what sort of add’l education is needed to do that?
Let’s talk about what art does. From the artfulparent.com
https://artfulparent.com/the-benefits-of-art-for-kids/
Educators tell us that art encourages fine motor skills, neural development, and problem-solving abilities and that it can be used effectively to teach and understand other key subjects such as reading, writing, math, and science. It’s CREATIVE, which encourages out of the box thinking. Encourages originality and discovery.
It also can engage all 5 senses in unique ways, which helps build neurological pathways. It builds motor skills (using scissors, brushes, fingers in detail work, pasting, sculpting.) and scribbling comes before writing. Using difft mediums (sand, clay, etc., for texture/sensory work)
** doing foot painting in kitchen with Savannah
SB: You teach in a magnet school that’s specifically geared toward “communications and technology.” What role does art play in that sort of curriculum?
SB: Tell us what a student’s particular art can tell you about that student academically. For example, aren’t there stages of a concept….?? Like, they start with a scribble or a “potato person” and one or two features and gradually learn to include more parts of a person, more detail, clothing, expressions, etc…. ???
Therapists tell us that art is valuable because it allows children to process their world, to deal with sometimes scary emotions in a safe way, and because it gives them critical sensory input. (I think of dreams this way, too….dreams are where our brains have space in a creative realm to process all the information/memory/experiences we’ve taken in) Art therapy didn’t really become a solid “thing” until the 40s.
According to a 2016 study published in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, less than an hour of creative activity can reduce your stress and have a positive effect on your mental health, regardless of artistic experience or talent.
Art therapy may be used to treat: aging-related issues,, anxiety, cancer, depression, eating disorders, emotional difficulties, PTSD, stress, addiction, kids having behavioral/social problems, learning disabilities, traumatic brain injuries.
SB: Do you have any personal examples of how art may have helped a kid who was struggling?
By the way, I think we have to mention the crazy million dollar trend that broke out in 2015: adult coloring books! Instead of sticking their creations on the fridge, people were posting their finished pages all over social media. (#coloring)
Dr. Ben Michaelis, a clinical psychologist in New York City, wasn’t surprised to see coloring books being hailed as stress relievers or self-care items. He’d been using them in his practice for years, recommending coloring to people with anxiety.
He describes it as a larger trend of people trying to unplug in some way or another or to keep from staring at a screen.
SB: Can you weigh in on that for a minute? Have you seen any change in creativity or willingness to TRY to be creative/engage in art because of the prevalence of screens/technology? (you teach K-5, kids who MAY not have as much screens yet—but at one point you had middle schoolers). Or have you had to try to INCORPORATE screens/tech into art? (graphic design, software….)
Artists tell us that art is important for its own sake—as a source of beauty and expression, as well as simply for the process of creating. Environments that include art have been reported to make people feel safer and more peaceful (e.g., hospital settings).
Kids tell us that art is fun, an activity they enjoy. It can lower stress, for sure, which ALL kids seem to need these days! I think as adults/parents, if we’re not wired that way in particular, we sometimes forget to have FUN and PLAY. Some of my favorite memories are of my parents giving their to-do lists a rest for a minute and watching my dad toss a football or seeing my mom bust out the silly string at a birthday gathering. (Reason #692 for why involved grandparents can be so great…)
Spiritually-–Eph 2:10 says that we are God’s masterpiece. Art can be a great jumping off point to talk about this with your children; how they were wonderfully made and designed; how the sunsets and landscapes were painted there as a gift just to be beautiful. How God’s imagination is amazing (think of all the weirdo fish in the sea & birds of paradise with feathers like a rainbow. The platypus!) …. And how we were made in His image to be co-creators. There’s something in each of us that wants to CREATE.
Is there a “definition” of art?
Or maybe most artists would squirm at being constrained by a definition? When someone says “art”, your average person thinks: painting, drawing, sculpting. What else is there?
Things that may fall under art that we don’t typically think of as artistic or creative: COOKING! Staging/creating a home, fashion sense, photography, writing, gardening/landscaping….??? Making musical instruments from other things, making other things from food….creative engineering.
The Artful Parent book is helpful if maybe you don’t feel like art is your thing or need some suggestions about how to get started.
SB: What are some suggestions YOU have for parents wanting to be more creative, mindful about art at home?
Where/how can kids be exposed to art? (children’s books, illustrations), public parks, nat’l monuments, govt buildings, statues, sculptures etc??) What can parents do to promote this? How do we talk about it/engage our kids about art, especially when we may have had little exposure ourselves?
How Your Art Class Influenced My Kids:
Map where students could pin where they went to see art & get extra credit. This was the first of our further afield 50 state trips and we saw the Dr Seuss museum in San Francisco when Savannah was 6.
Michaelangelo class, where they painted a picture on the underside of their desks (a la the Sistine chapel); art auctions at the end of the year….
In NM (on another 50 state trip) and my early elementary aged son was pointing out Georgia O’Keefe & Frida Kahlo paintings.