Some ways to set up the environment to encourage aesthetic discussion include:

Our aesthetic environment has a big impact on the way that we feel. And, the way we feel has a big impact on our attitude and mindset to learning.

For children, this is no different. In fact, children are usually even more aware and sensitive to their surroundings. This is especially so for students with specific sensory needs.  This is because their physical environment can calm them and make them feel safe and open to learning. Or, it can make them feel overstimulated and closed to learning.

Your school environment can enrich the curriculum and opportunities that you provide. It can also enthuse and motivate pupils to be ready to learn. In short, it’s key to prepare pupils with a positive attitude to learning the moment they walk in the door. Your school environment can calm and relax, intrigue and excite. So, the possibilities are huge and can be varied in aim from area to area.

Engagement and decision-making

Aesthetics can affect our decisions, emotional responses and the way we feel about ourselves and other people. Therefore, if you provide an aesthetic environment that makes people feel happy to be there, they will be more able to learn. In this way, you can impact their progress and success, which creates a positive attitude to learning. In fact, for some children it can be the key to getting them in the door when school is not a place they want to be.

The same goes for parents too. So, if you are looking to increase parental engagement, start with the aesthetics of the school. This can have a real impact on parents’ willingness to visit, get involved and support pupils in learning.

This isn’t just a theory we have because we love to work with schools to bring their walls to life.  Scientists and psychologists agree! In fact, there are two fields that neuroscientist and psychologists are working on that prove the impact aesthetics have on our feelings.

These are called:

• embodied cognition, which focuses specifically on the effect of the aesthetic environment on cognition
• and neuro-aesthetics which looks more at the biological role of aesthetics

What do these studies show?

They show thatcertain aspects of a room’s design influence how people perform within them.

These include the colours, textures of walls, floors and ceilings, the designs on them and even the lighting. Alain de Botton has also completed a lot of work based on this theory. In his book, The Architect of Happiness, he reviews the design of fast food restaurants. He suggest that they are designed to be bright, harsh and uncomfortable in order to move us on quickly. Then, he compares this to the interiors of places like Westminster Cathedral. Here, the décor encourages people to stay, soak it up and feel serene or at peace.

As a school you may wonder how you can create an aesthetic environment for all pupils with a vast rangs of needs. By zoning areas, you can create places that feel safe and appeal to different students. Zoned areas can tune students’ minds into the lessons ahead. They can also encourage them to approach their lesson with a positive attitude towards their learning.

Calming break out zones such as intervention rooms, canteens and break time areas can provide a space to release tension and relax between lessons. This can energise students to engage positively with their next session. Furthermore, communal areas such as your hall can be transformed. Wall Art that focuses on values, mottos and houses, for example, can create a feeling of unity and belonging. It can encourage teamwork and collaboration, to connect the school community in a positive way.

Fundamentally, you can create an environment that is meaningful to the broad group of students that you have. It can be relevant to their age and aspirations and evoke feelings of calm, excitement, aspiration and belonging. The messages can vary from area to area. But the fact that you place value on their surroundings is an excellent way to show students that their well-being and comfort is valued. Pupils who are well adjusted, happy will have a positive attitude to school and make more progress.

kittycatParticipator

• Quote

by kittycat » Mon Jul 21, 2014 7:52 pm

Your Assignment Module Number and Heading: Foster children’s aesthetic and creative development
Your Assignment Type: Standard Question
Currently Working in Childcare? Yes
Your knowledge: Basic Knowledge

Your Question?
1. List 3 aesthetic experiences that are developmentally appropriate for children?
2. List 6 materials that are appropriate for children to use.
3. How do early childhood professionals foster creative development and aesthetic awareness in children?
4. How can creative experiences stimulate children’s curiosity and learning?
5. What are the characteristics of high quality learning environments?
6. Many early childhood professionals believe that children should be given the opportunity to throw their creations away at the end of the experience. What do you think of this statement and how does it relate to the value of the creative experience?

What is your answer so far or What have you done so far as an attempt to solve this question?
1. List 3 aesthetic experiences that are developmentally appropriate for children?
Visual arts experiences (such as: drawing, painting, modelling, printing, construction, collage)
Music and sound experiences (e.g. listening to music, singing, participating in music making, listening to sounds of nature
Taste and smell experiences

2. List 6 materials that are appropriate for children to use.
thick and thin crayons, pencils, water based paints, finger paints, thick and thin brushes, natural materials, clay, play dough, papier-mache, recycled materials, modelling wire, oil pastels, chalks, found objects and self-made objects for printing, joining materials such as glue and BluTac

3. How do early childhood professionals foster creative development and aesthetic awareness in children?
By providing open-ended materials such as recycled or natural materials that can be used in many way. By ensuring children have opportunities to initiate their own play. By encouraging children to express their ideas and feelings using a variety of mediums, e.g. visual arts, language, dance, drama, music. By providing sensory experiences such as water, clay and sand. By providing a rich and valued environment that is inviting and aesthetically pleasing. By arranging the environment so children can explore, discover, be messy and have space to create. By setting up interest areas that match children’s skills, levels and current interests. By making materials and equipment easily accessible so children can select, replace and care for them without educator assistance. By providing storage for projects so that children can continue to work over several days or weeks. By making materials and experiences available for several days or weeks so children can explore them fully or extend them.
Surround children with examples of their own work. By allowing children to choose the work they want displayed, and how and where it will be displayed. By ensuring to encourage brainstorming and problem solving. By asking open-ended questions and encourage children to think about things in different ways, by encouraging original ideas, thoughts and expressions. By being responsive and sensitive to children’s ideas and suggestions. By valuing the work and individuality of each child. By encouraging children to take risks, learn from their mistakes and try again. By modelling creativity by solving problems and sharing your own interests and skills. By encouraging the children to sometimes use technology when creating, such as computers, cameras, etc. By Allowing children to choose and suggest activities that they would like to do.


4. How can creative experiences stimulate children’s curiosity and learning?
Curiosity drives children to explore, learn and discover new things. A safe and supportive environment intrigues children’s curiosity. Children enjoy sharing the excitement of discovery. This learning experience helps and stimulates children to build confidence and self-esteem for optimal exploration. By stimulating a child’s curiosity you are helping them improve their imagination and providing a foundation for the basic skills that the child will need throughout life.

5. What are the characteristics of high quality learning environments?
The following are the characteristics of a high quality learning environment:
Educated, attentive, and engaged teachers and staff
Teachers with four-year degrees and specific training in early childhood education
No more than 8 infants and toddlers and no more than 20 preschoolers in a classroom
Teacher to child ratios of 1:3 for infants and 1:10 for preschoolers
Teachers who crouch to eye-level to speak to children, and who hold, cuddle, show affection, and speak directly to infants and toddlers
Families and teachers exchanging information about the child's development and learning progress
A safe, healthy, and child-friendly environment
A room well-equipped with sufficient materials and toys
Classrooms in which materials and activities are placed at eye level for the children
Materials and toys accessible to children in an orderly display
Centers that encourage safe, outdoor playtime
Frequent hand-washing by children and adults
Visitors welcomed with appropriate parental consent
Stimulating activities and appropriately structured routines
Children who are engaged in their activities
Children offered breakfast and lunch and a time to nap
Children participating with teachers and each other in individual, small-group, and large-group activities
Children receiving a variety of stimuli in their daily routine using indoor and outdoor spaces and age-appropriate language, literacy, math, science, art, music, movement, and dramatic play experiences
Preschoolers who are allowed to play independently

6. Many early childhood professionals believe that children should be given the opportunity to throw their creations away at the end of the experience. What do you think of this statement and how does it relate to the value of the creative experience?
HELP ME HERE PLEASE

• Quote

by Lorina » Thu Jul 24, 2014 6:28 am

All your responses are very detailed and appropriate to the questions.

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Which of the following can help children develop their aesthetic sensitivity?

What are the guidelines to use in choosing materials that have aesthetic potential?

Why is it important for children to develop aesthetic sensitivity?

What characteristic is a child with aesthetic sense focusing on?