[email protected]

Thanks for all the great ideas on art supplies and thoughts on art.
I am really needing feedback on "unschooling art". (I know we are not
supposed to think in subjects - sorry!) OK, I'm trying to put my
thoughts into type here:
In school, I learned that "I wasn't good at art". I have read Drawing
with Children and Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, but the bottom
line is that I seldom sit down to draw or paint myself. So now I have a
child who has gone through reams of paper, covering it with letters,
scribbles, pictures, etc. She clearly enjoys doing this. Also, she is
very good and has really made some great pictures. I have considered art
lessons because I think she might enjoy seeing different techniques
demonstrated. However, I think it would be hard to find someone willing
to work with a 6 year old without believing that the 6 year old needs to
be taught. In other words, I don't want her to attend "art school",
especially considering that she hasn't asked for it! The lessons that I
have noticed locally all seem rather schoolish.
We do read books about art and artists and go to museums. I do supply
lots of paper. We have pastel chalk, colored pencils, felt markers, and
some paint. Should I just leave it at that? Will she really let me know
if she wants more? How will she know what is out there to ask for? Do
kids always make it clear what they are asking for? Am I just projecting
my desire to be better at drawing onto my child? She really shows an
interest in drawing that my other child doesn't.
Guess I am just looking for reassurance here. Unschooling makes sense to
me, but I still need some ideas on the details! My local support for
unschooling is dwindling, as their kids get older and they begin to
decide to unschool "everything but math", or that their kids are really
"better behaved when the parent insists on a certain amount of schoolwork
each day".

Mary Ellen
Success is a process of living.
It's stopping for the moments of beauty, of pleasure, the moments of
peace.
Success is not a destination that you ever reach.
Success is the quality of the journey.

Lynda

When the kidlets first (between 4 and 8) became "artists," they loved
watching the learn to paint shows on television. I have some of the work
they did (and really good, if I do say so myself <g>) which really amazed me
because the crew usually didn't do much sitting still, let alone vocusing on
one thing for an hour. Then they went down and took one of those freebe
classes at Michael's and made frames.

When they were older and voiced a desire to continue and wanted to learn
some real indepth techniques, they found classes to take.

Lynda
----- Original Message -----
From: <megates@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2001 9:39 AM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Art/was Art Supplies


> Thanks for all the great ideas on art supplies and thoughts on art.
> I am really needing feedback on "unschooling art". (I know we are not
> supposed to think in subjects - sorry!) OK, I'm trying to put my
> thoughts into type here:
> In school, I learned that "I wasn't good at art". I have read Drawing
> with Children and Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, but the bottom
> line is that I seldom sit down to draw or paint myself. So now I have a
> child who has gone through reams of paper, covering it with letters,
> scribbles, pictures, etc. She clearly enjoys doing this. Also, she is
> very good and has really made some great pictures. I have considered art
> lessons because I think she might enjoy seeing different techniques
> demonstrated. However, I think it would be hard to find someone willing
> to work with a 6 year old without believing that the 6 year old needs to
> be taught. In other words, I don't want her to attend "art school",
> especially considering that she hasn't asked for it! The lessons that I
> have noticed locally all seem rather schoolish.
> We do read books about art and artists and go to museums. I do supply
> lots of paper. We have pastel chalk, colored pencils, felt markers, and
> some paint. Should I just leave it at that? Will she really let me know
> if she wants more? How will she know what is out there to ask for? Do
> kids always make it clear what they are asking for? Am I just projecting
> my desire to be better at drawing onto my child? She really shows an
> interest in drawing that my other child doesn't.
> Guess I am just looking for reassurance here. Unschooling makes sense to
> me, but I still need some ideas on the details! My local support for
> unschooling is dwindling, as their kids get older and they begin to
> decide to unschool "everything but math", or that their kids are really
> "better behaved when the parent insists on a certain amount of schoolwork
> each day".
>
> Mary Ellen
> Success is a process of living.
> It's stopping for the moments of beauty, of pleasure, the moments of
> peace.
> Success is not a destination that you ever reach.
> Success is the quality of the journey.
>
>
> Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
>
> To unsubscribe, set preferences, or read archives:
> http://www.egroups.com/group/Unschooling-dotcom
>
> Another great list sponsored by Home Education Magazine!
> http://www.home-ed-magazine.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>

[email protected]

On Sat, 25 Aug 2001 09:39:23 -0700 megates@... writes:
> So now I have a
> child who has gone through reams of paper, covering it with letters,
> scribbles, pictures, etc. She clearly enjoys doing this. Also, she
is
> very good and has really made some great pictures. I have considered
art
> lessons because I think she might enjoy seeing different techniques
> demonstrated. However, I think it would be hard to find someone
> willing to work with a 6 year old without believing that the 6 year old

> needs to be taught.

She may want to do more formal art lessons at some point, but I think
there are plenty of other ways to learn. My daughter found some books on
how to draw cartoons when she was 7 and spent a few weeks learning those
techniques and drawing some amazing stuff. The same year, she took a
great clay class where the instructor really worked at facilitating, not
controlling - the kids made what they wanted, there were procedures for
using tools and glazes (for safety and neatness) but they were basically
free to explore, and she would sometimes stop by and offer tips on things
they could do so the piece wouldn't crack in the kiln, or to help it
stand up better. Very cool. The kids were around 5-10 years old.

Another thing we've done is just sit and sketch together. Sometimes
watching someobne else and seeing what techniques they use is helpful.
I'm amazed at some of the things I've drawn, just by looking at the lines
and shapes that I see.

Daron

[email protected]

Mary Ellen-

Ya know, what I to is expose expose expose my children, however I do not
force the exposure. From there I leave it up to them to pursue what their
interested in. I've recently been looking into the various areas of the arts
including instrumental, theatrical, vocal, dance, etc etc. I will present the
information on classes and "schools", etc, that are available to my children
and let them decide of they want to pursue any of those areas. I know some
unschoolers feel that the child doesn't need to be exposed, that they will
let you know when they are intersted, but I still feel that unless they are
exposed to it, they won't know it's out there. However, I will never force my
child to come with me to view an art gallery, museum, theatrical school, or
anything. For the most part they don't object to being exposed. They often
find things quite interesting, even if they have no interest in pursuing the
subject.

Kimberly


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

<< I know some unschoolers feel that the child doesn't need to be exposed,
that they will let you know when they are intersted, >>

I've never heard that argument.
Not from unschoolers. I think it's a false characterization.

The not forcing I've heard lots of families say, but the failure to make the
offer in the first place is foreign to my experience.




Sandra

"Everything counts."
http://expage.com/SandraDoddArticles
http://expage.com/SandraDodd

[email protected]

I've gotten this from several unschoolers at one of my local homeschool
groups. I spoke to them about bringing my children with me when I volunteer
at our local elderly home and how I was hoping to expose my children to
people of different generations as we dont' have elderly family members in
our lives. I was told that if my children needed the elderly contact they
would let me know. They way I saw it my children wouldn't feel the want for
contact with elderly people if they haven't been around them. There are other
examples, but that is the one that stood out in my mind of unschoolers
feeling children will let parents know when they need something and that the
children don't need exposure.

Kimberly


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

I didn't mean all unschoolers, but I have gotten the "children don't need to
be exposed" message from some unschoolers.

Kimberly U


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Johanna SanInocencio

A lot of times the public library will have childrens videos on drawing,
painting and such. Our local library has several and my son who likes to
draw will look at them. I like the video format better that tv because you
can do it at your pace and go over something again if you didn't understand
or get it the first time.
Johanna
Life is the ultimate learning experience!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lynda" <lurine@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2001 11:53 AM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Art/was Art Supplies


> When the kidlets first (between 4 and 8) became "artists," they loved
> watching the learn to paint shows on television. I have some of the work
> they did (and really good, if I do say so myself <g>) which really amazed
me
> because the crew usually didn't do much sitting still, let alone vocusing
on
> one thing for an hour. Then they went down and took one of those freebe
> classes at Michael's and made frames.
>
> When they were older and voiced a desire to continue and wanted to learn
> some real indepth techniques, they found classes to take.
>
> Lynda
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <megates@...>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2001 9:39 AM
> Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Art/was Art Supplies
>
>
> > Thanks for all the great ideas on art supplies and thoughts on art.
> > I am really needing feedback on "unschooling art". (I know we are not
> > supposed to think in subjects - sorry!) OK, I'm trying to put my
> > thoughts into type here:
> > In school, I learned that "I wasn't good at art". I have read Drawing
> > with Children and Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, but the bottom
> > line is that I seldom sit down to draw or paint myself. So now I have a
> > child who has gone through reams of paper, covering it with letters,
> > scribbles, pictures, etc. She clearly enjoys doing this. Also, she is
> > very good and has really made some great pictures. I have considered
art
> > lessons because I think she might enjoy seeing different techniques
> > demonstrated. However, I think it would be hard to find someone willing
> > to work with a 6 year old without believing that the 6 year old needs to
> > be taught. In other words, I don't want her to attend "art school",
> > especially considering that she hasn't asked for it! The lessons that I
> > have noticed locally all seem rather schoolish.
> > We do read books about art and artists and go to museums. I do supply
> > lots of paper. We have pastel chalk, colored pencils, felt markers, and
> > some paint. Should I just leave it at that? Will she really let me
know
> > if she wants more? How will she know what is out there to ask for? Do
> > kids always make it clear what they are asking for? Am I just
projecting
> > my desire to be better at drawing onto my child? She really shows an
> > interest in drawing that my other child doesn't.
> > Guess I am just looking for reassurance here. Unschooling makes sense
to
> > me, but I still need some ideas on the details! My local support for
> > unschooling is dwindling, as their kids get older and they begin to
> > decide to unschool "everything but math", or that their kids are really
> > "better behaved when the parent insists on a certain amount of
schoolwork
> > each day".
> >
> > Mary Ellen
> > Success is a process of living.
> > It's stopping for the moments of beauty, of pleasure, the moments of
> > peace.
> > Success is not a destination that you ever reach.
> > Success is the quality of the journey.
> >
> >
> > Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> > Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
> >
> > To unsubscribe, set preferences, or read archives:
> > http://www.egroups.com/group/Unschooling-dotcom
> >
> > Another great list sponsored by Home Education Magazine!
> > http://www.home-ed-magazine.com
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> >
> >
>
>
>
> Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
>
> To unsubscribe, set preferences, or read archives:
> http://www.egroups.com/group/Unschooling-dotcom
>
> Another great list sponsored by Home Education Magazine!
> http://www.home-ed-magazine.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
>