Our curriculum has always focused on language and literacy skills, but this year we want to expand this to include cultural literacy through music. I’ve been doing some internet research about this and have found many sites arguing the pros and cons of cultural literacy. One site argued very well for the use of music in the classroom to promote academic excellence. Some interesting reading has been linked below. While I’ve never read E.D. Hirsch’s book about cultural literacy I thought the argument for cultural literacy was excellent. However, what each of us would deem necessary to be culturally literate would be up for debate. Reading this also made me ask if my own children were culturally literate and what gaps need to be filled in their educations.
Last Wednesday and Thursday the babies had a lot of fun doing some "No Mess Art." The children were confused at first about why the paint was not on their hands... They would look at their hand and then at the paper. It was a lot of fun playing drums on our pictures as well! It’s a great project that you could easily do at home with your little ones as well. Pick paper of your choice, place globs of paint on the paper (use multiple colors), cover with plastic wrap, and allow your child to hit, push, and use their fingers to move the paint around. When child is finished, or the plastic wrap is beginning to come off, compliment your child's beautiful art, remove plastic wrap (discard), and hang the picture to dry!
Teacher Kimberly
Today your children and their teachers had their first drawing lesson. We’re using a book that I purchased when I was taking an art class for elementary education teachers in college. Drawing with Children is written by Mona Brookes who founded the Monart Drawing Schools. The premise is that anyone can learn to draw and that young children should be given the opportunity to learn.
