Section 3

Think About It—Social Development, Guns, and War Play

Guns and war play are topics that produce the most anxiety and frustration in the hearts of peace-loving, early childhood educators. What should we do about rowdy, pseudoviolent, even warlike, play when it erupts in our midst? Many of us spend remarkable amounts of time trying to muffle and contain these games. We struggle to redirect, forbid the monster noises, condemn the martial arts, and exhaust ourselves trying to channel this play into some quieter and less-objectionable activity.

Many teachers feel that they usually lose this battle because the children’s need to engage in these games is far more powerful than any resources available to stop them. Although these wild, fantasy assaults and superhero scenarios are often not a part of the teacher’s own childhood play, some children are truly driven toward aggressive games.

Is it possible that preschool “war” games serve some basic need? Is it possible that through them, children might be working out some of their frustrations and aggressions in a safe environment? In an appropriate place (outside or in the gross motor room) the “bang-bang, you’re dead” games might serve a purpose and it may be saner to establish some ground rules rather than to attempt total abolition.

You might consider establishing one unbending conviction, which is to forbid all guns or fantasy facsimiles. While you might not always succeed in enforcing this rule, it is crucial to maintain the fact that gun play is not permitted. Equally important is not to allow guns in the program—neither toy replicas, ones made from blocks, or child-produced, paper-and-tape versions. Confiscate any gun brought from home and calmly dismantle any others—with no shame and few words.

The children need to know how the adults feel and will generally comply (at least in your presence). Their willingness to do so probably stems less from their understanding of the rule and more from the knowledge that you enforce it with no exceptions.

What are your feelings on gun play and young children? How would you handle it in your program? Do you feel it is necessary to have a clear policy on war games and such? What have you observed in your work with children in this area?

Think About It—Providing Motivation for Children’s Creative Experiences

Another way a teacher can help children grow in their creativity is to begin each activity or learning experience with a motivational challenge. The teacher can do this by introducing new materials or conducting discussions and conversations to stimulate and challenge the children’s imagination.

Although the most effective motivation is praise and encouragement, there are some more specific ways to motivate children in creative experiences. The following are some suggestions:

  1. Be sure to have enough supplies and materials available for the planned activity.
  2. Engage the children in a motivational discussion to challenge their interest. Ask them questions, stir their imaginations, encourage inventiveness. “Look at this! I found this beautiful rock on a trail walk. Look at all its surfaces. How would you describe them? What does this rock remind you of? Can you draw (or paint, or construct) something that represents those memories? Maybe you’ll like to use clay or play dough to show your own ideas....”
  3. Show enthusiasm and knowledge of the activity as well as a genuine excitement in presenting it. Teachers, of course, should have actually worked with the materials beforehand so they know that the materials are suitable for children.
  4. In your motivational dialogue with the children, use words at the children’s level of understanding. Examples of motivational starters are:

·  Who has walked in the rain?

·  Who has walked in the rain—barefoot?

·  What else did you wear in the rain? What color was your raincoat?

·  Did you have boots on?

·  Have children show how to open an umbrella. (It’s fun to use a real umbrella!)

·  Could you hold the umbrella over your head without bending your elbows?

·  Let’s draw a picture of how you look and feel while walking in the rain.

·  Let’s draw a picture (or paint, cut and paste, etc.) about this:

o  If I were a duck . . .

o  Looking inside a tunnel, a box, a wishing well . . .

o  What I look like on the inside . . .

o  Going to the doctor . . .

Think About It—Observing Schema in Children’s Art

Consider one or several of the following observation assignments to better understand the art development of children at the early elementary level.

·  Find one child’s schema for a man. See how this is repeated over a period of several weeks. After a strong motivation centered upon some physical activity, notice the deviations in his schema. A week later, has he reverted to his usual schema?

·  In observing the behavior of children of this age (early elementary), outside the classroom, can you detect any social schemata? Are there fixed rules for games? Are there set patterns for certain activities? Are there set songs or chants for such games as jump rope? Is there any evidence of adults’ pressure for these patterns, or do they come from the children themselves?

·  Collect samples of X-ray drawings, folding over, and space-time representations. Why were these subjective representations important to the child’s expression? How would adults portray the same event? Which is the most adequate portrayal?

·  In examining children’s drawings and paintings, show how the use of color parallels the establishment of a schema in form. What are some of the differences found in color schemata for common objects?

TAI section 3b-1