Art

Montessori Theory Foundation

Human beings have an inherent need to express themselves. Maria Montessori saw art as an indirect preparation for writing. The preschoolers’ work with the geometric metal insets is sensorial related to the development of design. Art instruction is approached in a manner that always isolates one area of expertise or technique. For instance, in the preschool, children are allowed to paint, but are given only the three primary colors. The best way to prepare children for artistic expression is first to educate the hand; prepare the eyes to make aesthetic judgments; and to provide freedom for the children to explore this area of life.

‘To confer the gift of art, we must create an eye that sees, a hand that obeys,

and a soul that feels.’

- Maria Montessori

We connect art to the other disciplines. For example, in science, we dissect a plant and then draw the parts that have been identified. Additionally, there are also key lessons in art as there are in the other subject areas. They consist of lessons in how to use different media, techniques of key artists, and freedom to express thoughts and emotions.

Preschoolers Approach to Art

Young children love to scribble. They discover that they can make a mark mean whatever they want it to mean. In this, they discover something that is fundamental: they can create an image that stands for something they want to express. Around 3 ½ years of age, as their awareness of the world becomes more conscious, their images begin to look more real. So arms and legs are attached to heads. Details are added. Children tend to repeat the same images time and time again. Around 4 or 4 ½, a child’s art is used to create stories or to work out problems. They often emphasize some parts to indicate its importance. These early symbols created during ages 2 to 6 are created at the time of the absorbent mind. These symbols are very strong and often cross cultural lines.

Elementary Children’s Art

The elementary age child strives for realism. They do not tend to focus upon composition. There may be a collection of drawings on a single sheet of paper. They can become discouraged if their drawings do not look right. The students demand realism. They will have realism or they will want to give it up. So our responsibility is to help children in the elementary class to develop skills that will aid his or her quest for realism and to appreciate the use of the symbolic that they acquired earlier in life.

Art in the Montessori Elementary Classroom

The environment that we set up will assist them in this endeavor. Our aim is to provide opportunity for spontaneous activity. We offer the tools of a mini art studio in the classroom. We offer various mediums, protective clothing, and clean up materials. We also make sure that there is an area in the classroom where art can take place without undue harm to carpeting or furniture.

Art History and Appreciation

We introduce the children to as many different artists and artistic styles as possible. We offer many examples so that they can see the influences of the masters upon later artists. We draw attention to the artists who were part in developing new types of art, for example, the development of impressionist, pointillism, and surrealism. We help them notice periods of painting’s popularity for instance cubism and pop art. We seek to help them to appreciate the rich and vast history that is their heritage. We offer skill lessons focus upon single topics that highlight different components of art, for instance, look at various textures of art, emotion, or mood.

MONTESSORI SYLLABUS FOR ART INSTRUCTION

The Story of the Created Image

Cave Painting of Lascaux France 25,000 BC

Egyptian Hieroglyphics

Ornamentation of practical items 400 BC

Early religious paintings of the Renaissance

Impressionism

Surrealism

Abstraction

Elements of Artistic Creations

Lines

Surfaces/Spaces: Dimension

Relationship & Perspective

Light and Shading

Color

Composition and Scale

Variations

Drawing

Painting

Printing

Threads and Textiles

3 dimensional construction and Sculpture

Collage/Mosaic

Study of Great Artists and their Works of Art