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Children, Learning and Art

Art can help a child understand concepts and express their own understanding of a subject. Children learn as they do. Confucius said,"I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand."

There is a wide variety of skill and developmental levels in the primary grades. For some children, learning to use the materials will be more rewarding than the planned lesson; recognize this and work where the child is at this point. Break down skills or activities into smaller steps that the child can accomplish. For example, if a child can't draw a triangle, make 3 dots for them to connect; trouble using scissors? Guide their hand as you cut together (with your hand over theirs), give them scrap paper to practice on.
A finished project should be one that the child feels she has created. Any help that is given alone the way should be such that, in the end, the child feels that it is truly their project. The learning is in the journey. Let the artwork be the window to their understanding.

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