As both an early childhood art educator and researcher, I have wrestled with issues of hierarchy, power, and ethics while engaging in pedagogical practice and research with young children. For my dissertation I embodied the role of teacher-researcher alongside a group of 3.5-5 year old children in a Saturday morning art education lab school at the University of Arizona. This research aimed to challenge traditional understandings of power, authority, and knowledge in an early childhood art education setting.
Inspired initially by the idea of reactivating children’s traditionally subjugated knowledges (Foucault, 1980) and the creation of a third space (Bhabha, 1990, 1994), this research aimed to foster a space where children and adults could ethically collaborate with each other; a space where children and adults were co-players, co-artists, and co-learners in art, education, and research. In this work, I was especially interested in exploring how we can create early childhood art educational spaces and curricula that challenge traditional teacher-student relationships
Over the course of ten weeks, this art classroom was built as a space created for children, grounded in notions of change, movement, trust, and respect. The children were not only encouraged to create their own opportunities for making, but also to challenge what it means to exist and make in the early childhood art classroom by engaging in play, exploration, and collaborations with adults. Within my dissertation itself, I share the children's artwork and experiences (data) through short written vignettes, images, and video stills. To analyze their work and experiences, I drew upon theories of nomadism/movement (Deleuze and Guattari, 1987), ethical encounters (Levinas, 1987), collaborations between adults and children (Wilson, 2007), and chaos theory in play (Battram, 2008).
Broadly, this research aims to present new and different ways of being and engaging with young children in spaces of art education.
Inspired initially by the idea of reactivating children’s traditionally subjugated knowledges (Foucault, 1980) and the creation of a third space (Bhabha, 1990, 1994), this research aimed to foster a space where children and adults could ethically collaborate with each other; a space where children and adults were co-players, co-artists, and co-learners in art, education, and research. In this work, I was especially interested in exploring how we can create early childhood art educational spaces and curricula that challenge traditional teacher-student relationships
Over the course of ten weeks, this art classroom was built as a space created for children, grounded in notions of change, movement, trust, and respect. The children were not only encouraged to create their own opportunities for making, but also to challenge what it means to exist and make in the early childhood art classroom by engaging in play, exploration, and collaborations with adults. Within my dissertation itself, I share the children's artwork and experiences (data) through short written vignettes, images, and video stills. To analyze their work and experiences, I drew upon theories of nomadism/movement (Deleuze and Guattari, 1987), ethical encounters (Levinas, 1987), collaborations between adults and children (Wilson, 2007), and chaos theory in play (Battram, 2008).
Broadly, this research aims to present new and different ways of being and engaging with young children in spaces of art education.
Wildcat Kids Art: A Collaborative Curation Model
The culmination of this program was an exhibition of the students artwork. The curation of this exhibition was a collaborative experience. The art educators worked together with the fourteen children enrolled to make decisions about Wildcat Kids Art. The children selected their favorite artworks to go on view, while the educators chose additional works to display. The children offered ideas about the parts of Wildcat Art they really enjoyed to share on the introductory panel, as well as voted on the title of the exhibition itself. Additionally, the children played a part in the installation process, offering ideas about how their art should be displayed within the gallery itself.
The culmination of this program was an exhibition of the students artwork. The curation of this exhibition was a collaborative experience. The art educators worked together with the fourteen children enrolled to make decisions about Wildcat Kids Art. The children selected their favorite artworks to go on view, while the educators chose additional works to display. The children offered ideas about the parts of Wildcat Art they really enjoyed to share on the introductory panel, as well as voted on the title of the exhibition itself. Additionally, the children played a part in the installation process, offering ideas about how their art should be displayed within the gallery itself.
Brief List of References:
Battram, A. (2008). The edge of recalcitrance: Playwork in the zone of complexity.
Bhabha, H. K. (1990). The third space: Interview with Homi Bhabha.
Bhabha, H. K. (1994) The location of culture (2nd ed.).
Deleuze, G., & Guattari, F. (1987). A thousand plateaus: Capitalism and schizophrenia.
Foucault, M. (1980). Power/knowledge: Selected interviews & other writings 1972-1977.
Levinas, E. (1987). Time and the other.
Wilson, B. (2007). Art, visual culture, and child/adult collaborative images: Recognizing the other-than.
Battram, A. (2008). The edge of recalcitrance: Playwork in the zone of complexity.
Bhabha, H. K. (1990). The third space: Interview with Homi Bhabha.
Bhabha, H. K. (1994) The location of culture (2nd ed.).
Deleuze, G., & Guattari, F. (1987). A thousand plateaus: Capitalism and schizophrenia.
Foucault, M. (1980). Power/knowledge: Selected interviews & other writings 1972-1977.
Levinas, E. (1987). Time and the other.
Wilson, B. (2007). Art, visual culture, and child/adult collaborative images: Recognizing the other-than.
