Visual art education in early childhood centres : teachers' beliefs and practices.

Abstract

Teachers' beliefs and practices in the curriculum area of visual art education, along with relevant theory and the curriculum guidelines Te Whaariki, provide a framework against which teachers plan and implement programmes in visual art education for young children. Three distinct orientations (rote, child-centred, and cognitive) are used to investigate the beliefs and practices of teachers in a sample of Christchurch early childhood centres in order to establish the philosophical perspective that surround the provision of visual art. A distinct influence of child-centred orientation is seen whereby teachers value the visual arts as a curriculum area that allows children opportunities to engage in the process of self-guided creative expression. In addition, many rote oriented table-top type activities were provided for children. Cognitively oriented art education approaches were not significantly featured in either the teachers' beliefs or the way they practised in visual art. Implications for teaching practice and the development of children's artistry are discussed in light of the research findings.