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pats,on th6 head, and other forms of extrinsic rewards used to motivate activity
and to sustain interest.3 The token
economy comes to replace activities that
might have once been pursued for their
own sake. Like sex, eating, and other
basic functions, young children learn
from making images that satisfactions inhere in the process of action and that
they can be a source of personal causation, they can bring something into existence.
Th_e_second thing that young children
lea!c is that the imaaes they create can
functienassyr&oJs. A symbol as dlstlnct
from a sign or signal is something that is
intended to stand for something else. A
sign, for example, might be the wetness
on the pavement indicating that it had recently rained. A symbol, however, is a
transformation of an idea into a public
image that in some ways stands for it.
\: Jung children learn that the images that
Ihey are able to bring into existence can
also stand for other things. First, images
are made and then named, and later
named and then .made. In either case
there is what Langer calls a symbolic
transformation4 occurring. The young
child recognizes that visual con@3?ZZrr
be~Jansformed~nt~tIli!Xati~stablf?form. To do this requires-that two proces52s be employ@. One, a child must form
-I &%I concept of the object he or she
perceives. Such concepts usually are the
least conceptually ambiguous the child
can form. Thus, the most telling view of a
chair, a horse, or a person is imaginatively framed. Second, the child must invent a visual graphic image whose properties are in some way related to the visual concepts he wishes to symbolize.!\
These public images are what Arnhe$
infers to as represe_ntational concepts.5
3us we have a two-staae orocess bccurring. First, the concept:alization of an
image that articulates some object. Second, the invention of a graphic form
whose elements in some way represent
that image. This latter process is one of
symbolization.
Now it is typically thought that the
major function of symbols is to serve as a
means of communication. While it is true
t3at discursive language and pictographs
do serve purposes of communication,
Langer argues, and,1 think correctly, that
symbol-making is first used to form consciousness, to articulate thought before it
is used as a means of communication.
She quotes Edward Sapir, one of the
centurys most able .psycho/linguists as
follows:
The primary function of language is
generally said to be communication . . . . The autistic speech of children seems to show that the purely
communicative aspect of language
has been exaggerated. It is best to
admit that language is primarily a
vocal actualization of the tendency to
see reality symbolical!y, that it is precise/v this aualitv wh!ch renders it a fit
instrumer
- co;;unication and that
Steita tha;
tive means for expressing them increases. Their range for expressive visual articulation increases. Their vocabulary of visual possibilities expands,
and they become more confident because they become more competent in
art.
Tmment of co- is
o-the maor sources o_tsel.&a&faction for children. None of us likes to
display our weaknesses, and none of us
likes to remain at the same level of ability
after substantial experience in the field of
endeavor. The greatest spur to further
work and to the setting of higher
Advance Process
Supply Company is
standards is the recognition that we have
the worlds largest
made progress. There is something that
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we can do now that we couldnt do beof screen prinhg
fore. Unfortunately many children do net
ink% s c r e e n s , s u p
recognize the genuine progress that thei
plies and equipment.
have made in art. Seldom do they have
c c
Over 12,009 competCat,aloa
the opportunity to compare their current
itively priced quality
Over 12,000
work with what they produced earlier,
items are in-stock . . .
In-Stock Items
and while I do not want to imply that the
ready for immediite
quality of the product is the only relevant
delivery.
consideration, it is one important
Write today for your free copy of the
consideration. Much of what children
Advance Catalog (en&se $1 for each
have learned shows up in their work, and
additional copy) or call (312) 829-1400.
when it does it seems reasonable to let
them in on it. But to do that would require
a radical change in the way we evaluate
and display childrens work. Instead of
mounting mini-Metropolitan exhibitions,
we should show childrens work over a
time, we would take colored slides, or
keep portfolios, we would talk to children
about a body of their work, and when we
displayed the work for parents or
teachers we would provide educational
interpretations of what the children were
learning as evidenced in the work itself.
bhildren learn to become cornpeter!
when they paint. They learn skills that
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expand their power, and with that power
they can say more both to themselves
and to the worltihe British philosopher
R. G. CoIlin- pointed out that expression is a @ocess through which
< ideas are formed and clarified.lO The wriA sivp .c:Jer in a sense does not know what he has
thy oaint is that thev can develop skilg
to say until it is said. The process of forming ideas is also a process of clarify@
-----a
Thompsons catalog introduces a new
ill!.lsionan-es that are visuones thoughts. To what extent does the
package consisting of an electric kiln (inwasive. Although the need to
process of expressing feeling through the
side dimensions-5 wide, 7 deep, 4
high) and including a carefully selected
create symbolic images that articulate
creation of visual images clarify the feelgroup of supplies that will get you started
consciousness appears to be a natural
ings that children have? To what extent
enameling immediately . . . for only
aspect of the human condition, the skills
do children learn from the images they
$72.95, plus shipping charge. Send your
with which those images are rendered
make how they feel about aspects of the
order today with payment for prompt
are learned. -Learning that skills can be
world or their own experience? Paintings,
shipment.
The new Thompson catalog, along with
drawings, sculptures are, after all, public
used to transform ideas. images, an-d.
its famous Color Guide, is waiting for you
Je&n@ into a public form is not trivial
vehicles that provide feedback to the
. . . just mail the coupon and it will be on
since consciousness is in part achieved
child. In a sense, paintings project back
its way . . . absolutely FREE.
_----__-----_--._-.---.-----.-.-through the public manifestation of what
to the child the childs ideas. Yet there is.
Thomas C. Thompson Co.
otherwise is evanescent and inchoate.
of course, an important interaction betDept. AE-3 539 Old Deerfield Road
\ The variety and sophistication of skills or
ween the childs ideas and his skills.
Highland Park, Illinois 60035
\ techniques become vehicles for transIdeas can be well in advance of the skills
-Enclosed is payment for new kiln
package. (Illinois residents add 5%
forming those ideas, images, and feelthe child is able to use. When this occurs,
\.
sales tax.)
rngs. It is by virtue of skills that the matefrustration is likely. The child has some--Please rush FREE Thompson Catalog.
rials that the child uses become media for
thing to express but does not have the
Name
conceptualization and expression.
means to express it in material form.
I
Address
As children work with materials and
Conversely, skills may be well de)
City
State-.-.--Zip- have the benefit of intelligent and sensiveloped, but the child (or adult artist) may
tive teaching in art, their power to conhave little or nothina t mxpress. The
ceptualize visual ideas and to use effecpoint here is thaoren with sk interaction
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INTRODUCISG
AKI-HISTORY
AGuideforTeachers
By Michael J. McCarthy
Forward by H.W. Janson
Introducing Art History is the first book
ever to be published on approaches to
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10 Art Education. March 1978