2. Creativity in Young Children
When considering young children, it is appropriate to
adopt a broad, democratic definition of creativity. In this
way, every child can be considered to have creative
potential and to be capable of creative expression.
(Sharp, 2004)
3. The hundred languages of the
child
UNESCO (Salamanca 1994) argued against
commodity-orientated education
‘Everyone responsible for the care and education of the
young child has to acquire an abiding respect for the
hundred languages of children…..the arts contribute
immeasurably to the quality and quantity of ways in
which children convey not just feeling but also they
attain their natural creative expression and academic
achievement’.
4. Creative Arts and Childcare in
Ireland
UNICEF study in 2008 puts Ireland in the same
category as Canada, the last of 25 developed nations
(NUPGE 2011)
Ireland is well below the international standards
(Bertellsman study Irish Times June 4th 2011)
5. Flowers in the dust
Various initiatives
The Irish Pre-School Play Association (IPPA)
Founded in 1969
The Centre for Early Childhood Development
and Education (CECDE) established in 2001
National Council for Curriculum
and Assessment (NCCA)
6. Aistear and Siolta
Aistear- curriculum framework
Siolta- number of principles and 16 standards
Standard 6 focuses on play
‘Promoting play requires that each child has ample time to
engage in freely available and
accessible, developmentally appropriate and well-
resourced opportunities for
exploration, creativity……’(Siolta 2006)
7. Creative Arts (CA)
at Cork Institute of Technology
Early Years Education degree course started in 2005
Mandatory module in all 3 yrs of the degree program
Only 3rd level Institute in Munster to offer CAs as a
mandatory module for entire degree program
Delivered by 3 specialists in Music, Art and
Drama (MAD) for Early Years
8. CAs program at CIT provides
students with:
practical skills in all 3 areas- MAD
appropriate teaching strategies to raise the profile of
the CAs
tools to integrate CAs into other subjects making it
central to the holistic learning experience of the child
means by which they can use the CAs to promote
confidence, creativity, imagination and individuality in
the early learner
9. Integration of the Creative
Arts
Creativity
Music
Art
Drama
Well being
Identity &
Belonging Communication
Exploring &
Thinking
10. Community Initiative
The following nine preschools, crèches and schools participated in this community
initiative in Cork city and county
St Ann’s Nursery, Sharman Crawford street.
Peapods, Boreenmanna Road
Farranree Steeping Stones, Farranree
Naoinra na Og Siog, Ballincollig
Wee Wisdom, Fermoy
Glasheen School, Glasheen
HighCare Childcare, Ballincollig
Village Montessori, Blackrock
KinderCare, Ballincollig
11. Structure of teaching plans
Identify:
Class size & age
Developmental stage
Artistic Elements
Artistic Disciplines
Learning Outcomes
Room Management & Materials
12. Stimuli/props & visual aids
Outline Activity – Introduction
Application
Closure
Health and Safety
Aistear & Siolta
13.
14. Students’ Feedback
I gained a huge amount of self confidence
The experience of being involved in the children’s
creative process.
We were able to apply what we have done in class in a
practical child centred setting.
It taught me how it is important to engaged with the
children when working with them creativity.
15. Students’ Feedback
We became very aware the amount of preparation
needed when developing the children’s creative skills.
This was a challenged but highly rewarding experience.
It challenges and questions your own ability to be
creative.
I finally came to the realization that is not about the final
product, but it is about the process. It is about making
sure the children are supported to make their own
decisions to help build on their independence and
creativity.
16. Recommendations for future
community initiatives
Based on students’ feedbacks – that they get the
name of the school and class they will be working with
at the beginning of the semester so that they can meet
with the children and develop a rapport.
Lecturers/students to develop closer links with the
centres.
For this community initiative to be an integral part of the
course curriculum.
17. Creative Arts assessments in
other years
EYE 1- develop a series of lesson plans that supports
creativity as a process.
EYE 2 – apply what they have learned by conducting
workshops within a variety of settings in the
community.
EYE 3 – interviews where they show off their creative
arts portfolios that they have developed over the three
years of the degree course.
18. Misconceptions about Creativity
Creativity is related to specific arts subjects.
Children can easily transfer knowledge and learning
from one area to another.
Creativity is about always having fun and the children
enjoying themselves.
You are born creative and it cannot be acquired.
Free play and unstructured arts activities is the way
children develop their creativity.
19. Want to Participate?
Contact us at CIT
Julie Meighan julie.meighan@cit.ie
Or
Evelyn Egan-Rainy evelyn.eganrainy@cit.ie
