Creativity and Making in Early Childhood: Challenging Practitioner Perspectives

Description

Creativity and Making in Early Childhood brings together practice and research insights on creativity, to offer new perspectives on what creativity is, how it manifests in early childhood education and what can be done to support it. Each chapter includes practitioners’ own experiences and looks within these observations and reflections to highlight key questions and challenges. Insights and perspectives are drawn from research in order to engage deeply with these challenges and to develop future practice in early childhood education. Particular focus is on creativity as physical 'making' processes. Topics covered include: - children’s developing identities - sharing and social interactions - how time, choice and physical environments influence young children’s creativity - instructions, resourcing and expectations of creativity in the early childhood setting Practical learning features guiding students through the book include: research spotlight sections introducing readers to key pieces of research, questions to aid reflection on experiences in relation to relevant theory, and summaries and tasks for the reader designed to deepen thinking. This text is an excellent resource for undergraduate students in early childhood and education, as well as postgraduate students and practitioners who have returned to study. Title Page Copyright Page Contents Introduction Welcome Our aims Who is the book for Who we are How the project developed How to get the most out of this book Ethical considerations Chapter overview Recurring themes Chapter 1: Looking for Creativity Introduction Experimenting with shells and water Creativity as divergent thinking Reflecting on your own experiences Flow Reflecting on your own experiences Recognizing flow through multimodal behaviours Reflecting on your own experiences Possibility thinking Facilitating possibility thinking Reflecting on your own experiences Chapter summary Activities to deepen understanding Chapter 2: Creativity and Identity Introduction ‘I’ve made Tower Bridge’ Self-representation and subject matter specialists Reflecting on your own experiences ‘This one is Leonardo’ ‘Rajkumari Rapunzel’ The role of popular culture in children’s developing identity Reflecting on your own experiences ‘The mermaid is sliding down the hill’ Creative making as remix Reflecting on your own experiences Creative making as the production (not expression) of self Is children’s creativity any different from adults’ creativity? Practitioner views on children’s creativity and self-expression Reflecting on your own experiences Chapter summary Activities to deepen your explorations Chapter 3: Collaborative Creativity Introduction Paradigms of creativity Reflecting on your own experiences Multimodal interaction in collaborative creativity ‘We’re just gonna scribble it’ Moments of meeting Reflecting on your own experiences A community display Collaborative creativity among two-year-olds Community spaces for shared creativity Reflecting on your own experiences Chapter summary Activities to deepen your explorations Chapter 4: Time Introduction Is there enough time for creativity in your setting? Creativity takes time Reflecting on your own experiences When activities grow Extending and embedding Stretchy time Reflecting on your own experiences The ‘tidy-up’ tambourine The tyranny of clock time Reflecting on your own experiences Observing transitions Smooth versus difficult transitions Reflecting on your own experiences Chapter summary Activities to deepen your thinking Chapter 5: Choice Introduction A very sorry-looking caterpillar: What happens when we over-prescribe activities Colouring outside the lines How important is choice in children’s creativity? Reflecting on your own experiences Butter beans and penne pasta Less is more? Reflecting on your own experiences Displaying children’s artwork: Practitioner reflections Displaying children’s artwork: Who makes the decision? Backing off from messy play Reluctant makers: The choice not to engage Reflecting on your own experiences Chapter summary Activities to deepen your thinking Chapter 6: Space and Materials Introduction Pipettes, straws, and teaspoons Affordances Reflecting on your own experiences Spaces for creativity and making Principles of space from Reggio Emilia Reflecting on your own experiences Ice: An observation by Laura Setting up provocations Reflecting on your own experiences Kymarni and the wallpaper Creativity as a network and ‘thing-power’ Reflecting on your own experiences Chapter summary Activities to deepen your explorations Chapter 7: Digital Creativity Introduction Customizing photos on a mobile phone Digital affordances Reflecting on your own experiences Drawing through touch on the iPad Sensory experiences with digital technologies Reflecting on your own experiences Helping Salma to hold the iPad How adults regulate children’s creative use of digital technologies Reflecting on your own experiences Scaring ‘Daddy’: Personalized iPad story-making Personalization in digital environments Reflecting on your own experiences ‘On my way to school, I saw a frog’ Ready-made material in digital creativity Reflecting on your own experiences Chapter summary Activities to deepen your thinking Chapter 8: Child–Adult Interactions Introduction iPad photography in the home Apprenticeship, guided participation, and participatory appropriation Reflecting on your own experiences Trying new things with the help of an adult Child–adult conversations during and about creative processes Working with Giles An artist-in-residence at Rowland Hill Nursery Artists-in-residence Reflecting on your own experiences Chapter summary Activities to deepen your thinking Chapter 9: Inspirations Introduction Foot-printing turns into foot-washing Inspired activities Reflecting on your own experiences Are you creative? (Bindu’s reflection) Teachers as creators Reflecting on your own experiences Washing up dinosaurs Democratic participation What type of documentation best helps you to reflect? (Laura’s reflection) Pedagogic documentation Reflecting on your own experiences Chapter summary Activities to deepen your thinking Chapter 10: Adult Expectations Introduction Draw a picture as if you were three ‘Good old-fashioned child art’ Reflecting on your own experiences ‘Everyone will laugh’ ‘It looks just like Olaf’ Visual realism Reflecting on your own experiences Experimenting with paint: An observation focusing on development Bubble painting: An observation less focused on development Developmental and post-developmental approaches Reflecting on your own experiences Chapter summary Activities to deepen your thinking References Index