A couple of weeks ago, we explored butterflies and caterpillars through a variety of different experiences. In the process of exploring butterflies, I had planned for my students to make a coffee filter butterfly...
But then I attended a workshop at the IAEYC early childhood conference where the speaker demonstrated the process of dripping liquid water color on a coffee filter, much like we had done in the classroom only we added food color to water to drip on our coffee filters and our coffee filters were much smaller...
After my students completed dying their coffee filter all different colors, then we set the coffee filters aside to dry for a few days...
Once the coffee filters were dry, the plan was to turn the colorful coffee filters into butterflies using a clothespin (which the children also painted)...
While I was attending the workshop, the speaker held up her colorful coffee filter and said something like, "Teachers - once the children finish coloring the coffee filter, don't turn in to something like this!" and the speaker proceeded to turn the coffee filter into a butterfly - just like I had planned to do...
The speaker clearly stated that once the children had completed dying their coffee filters, the process of art was now done, complete, finished, and did NOT need it turned into anything else...
.After attending the workshop, I went back to my classroom to try and decide if I should or should not let the children complete the process we had started by turning their colorful coffee filters into butterflies. I thought about it for several days actually.
On one hand, I believed that since the children were going to fan fold their coffee filters then add their own clothespins - that it was still a part of the process. On the other hand, I worried that I was some how sending the message that all that work they did to dye the coffee filters was not really considered a piece of art unless we now turned it into a butterfly. Like I said, I was now confused as to what the right thing to do would be...
In the end, I decided to complete the process as we had originally planned to do...
I invited the children to fan fold their coffee filters and then place their painted clothespins onto the coffee filter so they could take home a colorful coffee filter butterfly...
,s
I don't know if going ahead to turn the coffee filters into butterflies was the right decision or not but my students enjoyed folding the butterfly wings and were very excited to take the butterflies home...
Just how much do I LUV LUV LUV your article today, Deborah? A bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck. I'm laughing at myself, because my post yesterday on my blog included the very same proverbial coffee filter and clothespin BUTTERFLY!
ReplyDeleteI personally LUV the 'process' of your considering all of the possibilities!!!! There's more than one way to skin a cat!!!
If that clothes pin 'addition' to the work "earns" it a place on the refrigerator for months to come -- then how can that be a bad thing? I personally am no purist and applaud your consideration of all of the alternatives.
Yippee!!!
Debbie
Here's the link to the photos I took yesterday:
http://rainbowswithinreach.blogspot.com/2012/05/butterflies-soaring-high-give-away.html
Hey Debbie - I think I am learning that I fit somewhere in the middle too. I think what I am having to do is learn that it is okay to fit in the middle:)
DeleteI've been thinking about this off and on all day. I think turning the process-work into an object is something akin to 'framing' a piece of Art. Proper matting and framing is a way to focus the completed piece and bring it into your home and display. It's been insightful to read everyone's comments at the end of the day.
DeleteDeborah, I think the real contribution here is your taking the time to share your thoughts on all of the possibilities. I've learned much from your replies to those commenting. THREE cheers!
Debbie
We just did those in our classroom, too. We colored them with markers and then sprayed them with water to watch how they changed. I think you made the right choice. But honestly, as long as we as adults give special space and attention to children's creations, whatever it may be, then it is art.
ReplyDeleteNow you want me to try this your way too! All in the name of art - we must try new techniques!
DeleteSo everyone talks about the difference between "art" and "crafts" and how art is when everyone's looks different and crafts are when the final project always looks the same. Teachers usually want the children to have the "art" experience while most parents like to see the finished "craft" project. A lot of parents wouldn't understand what the children got out of just coloring the coffee filter but when you completed it into a butterfly, the parents seem to better understand. So, look at it as if the children and parents got the best of both worlds :)
ReplyDeleteIt is true, as adults we tend to look at what the final results are whether they have meaning to us - finding that balance between what is meaningful to both parents and children takes lots of communication and thinking outside of the box:)
DeleteWe too have created these clothespin butterflies as we study Oviparus Animals (things that come from eggs) We are onto the Insects part of the unit now! The children were the ones who asked to make these and were telling me they wanted to hang them from the ceiling - which we did. We will create these again, adding wax paper to the wings to make dragonflies when we do Pondlife as part of our unit. They love the whole process of seeing the colours change and they made vases of coffee filter flowers for the tables at tea for Mothers Day! They also take home coloured coffee filters so they are doing both 'process and product' and both planned and child-requested activities. I think it is important to have a balance!
ReplyDeleteI love that the children were asking if they could take the process a step further to make a butterfly. I like to let the children make more than one too when we have the supplies and the time so they can focus on the process as long as they like and still make something they can take home that symbolizes our study.
DeleteThis is a huge debate amongst several people that I know (parents and teachers) I think there can be a happy medium. I teach preschool and I like to have days were it is all about the process art. The kids can really be creative. I however, also like the product art as well. You are right, the parents want to see product art. Art that looks like something. I see the benefit of product art being a follow the directions activity. The children have to listen to the teacher and follow directions in order to get their art to look like the finished product of the teachers. Our preschool went to an "Ooey Gooey Lady" conference and since then has really pushed the process art, but yet it is so hard trying to teach teh parents about process art and why its so important. They definitley want that butterfly handing on their fridge. I just really think teachers should be able to balance it all out.
ReplyDeleteI secretly like having some cute things hanging on my wall:) We do so much process art that even my kids are starting to want something they can identify lately. This is also a reason we made the butterflies - I think because my students have had a year of art processes without any specific end result, they are ready for something new.
DeleteI always try to do a balance of process as well non process art. I also, wrote emails and newsletter explaining the importance of process art and what the children were getting out that for parents as well. This has always worked as the best solution. Even when working in a NAEYC accredited center, I was allowed to do 20% non process art, as long as the rest was following their guidlines. I like to save my "crafty art" for holidays. Just a suggestion.
ReplyDeleteWe do tend to get a little crafy over the holidays. Right now, we are preparing for Mother's Day and I think my moms would appreciate having something they can take home for a keepsake that their child had a hand in making.
DeleteAlthough I agree in theory that coloring the coffee filter alone should be able to stand alone as art, I also agree with Jen that sometimes this type of project is the best of both worlds. Projects that allow the kids to freely create some part of it however they want, but that still can be morphed into a "product" do seem to make everyone happy. I guess if it were a special gift for Mother's Day you could have everyone make a butterfly, but if not, the child could choose whether to take the suggestion given to turn their filter into a butterfly or not - that way it is truly their choice.
ReplyDeleteOffering a choice seems to be a key component to art as well as considering the process. It is easy to forget that not all kids enjoy art the way I enjoy it. I just naturally think that because I love paint and texture that everyone will love it.
DeleteHi Deborah. I think process art in and of itself is wonderful and important, but that does not mean that there can't be a time when we are utilizing the "process" to create a special craft with an end in mind. From reading your blog over the years, you give your students MANY opportunities to be creative and work on open-ended projects. Don't worry about providing guidelines once in a while for students to follow...that is part of the learning process, too! Like everything in life, there has to be a balance....education is a constant pendulum and that is not always the best school of thought to subscribe to. I am so happy that you went ahead and had the children make the coffee filters into a butterfly!!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you have been reading my blog and left this comment. It is nice to know that folks understand that one post doesn't represent all we do but is only a small part of the bigger picture. I agree and always want to seek out balance and I keep watching that pendulum go back and forth as I do :)
DeleteI love that you shared your thought process about this dilemma. I think sometimes we hear things or we read things that make us question what we are doing. It's a good thing to examine what we do and why we do things. But it's also important not to let one opinion change our plans or how we do things without thinking it all through. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMs. Kerri and her Krazy Kindergarten
Thank you Kerri - I agree, it is important to evaluate or reflect on our teaching practices and this conference definitely left me doing just that. Although I did leave feeling a little insecure, I think I will come out on the other side being more clear as to why I make the choices I make in my classroom.
DeleteWell, I'm so glad I'm not the only one who has struggled with this- seeing your thought process behind this is great! I have to say, I do have children in my classroom who absolutely love seeing a finished product...but don't yet have the fine motor skills to complete any type of true craft. Activities like this are a perfect balance of craft and art and are open ended enough that I can tailor it to fit the child. Some may not end up looking like a butterfly at all...and that's fine! But for those children who WANT to see a finished product (and there are some) this is a great compromise!
ReplyDeleteI taught first grade and parents want the butterfly because they know what to say to the child. They would ask, "What's that?" to a colorful coffee filter.
ReplyDeleteDeb, you teach preschool. Butterflies are expected. You have plenty of process in your day children can't communicate to their parents. A butterfly is something everyone understands and you do not have to explain. It makes people happy. Sand tables are process art, too, in a way, and other parts of the preschool experience. Children love making things to take home, you can't argue with that. My opinion. Carolyn
I think this was heavily on process while coloring the coffee filters. Maybe all the kids have a butterfly at the end - they certainly don't all look the same. And I feel that if a child told you he didn't want to make a butterfly, you would have allowed that choice.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading this post. We just did butterflies and caterpillars this week and we did something a bit different this year. They glued pom poms to the clothespin and then added some google eyes. Each child picked the colors and pattern they wanted to use. We did this on Monday. On Wednesday, they picked the color tissue paper they wanted and turned the clothespin into a butterfly. (I would have prefered coffee filters, but I had run out.)They were so excited that their caterpillars were turning into butterflies, just like we had learned about when talking about the buttefly life cycle. So for us, this project was much more product focused that I do the rest of the year, but I used it more as a tool to reinforce a science concept. I was feeling guilty about the whole thing, especially as I hung all the little butterflies and egg carton caterpillars in the hallway. However, everyone has really enjoyed looking at them and the kids had fun making them... there is some merit in that, right? So now, after reading your post, I am not going to feel guilty anymore! :)
ReplyDeleteI was on vacation when you published your post, so I didn't get to read it until just now. What a fascinating post and discussion! As much as I love process art, I agree that a balance is often needed. I pinned your post to my Kids' Art Projects Pinterest board at http://pinterest.com/debchitwood/kids-art-projects/
ReplyDeleteI think you could also let the child choose for himself...not EVERY one has to be a butterfly. :)
ReplyDelete