SP-21 Final Annotated Bibliography

My annotated bibliographies typically consist of signifiant assigned readings from the past semester. However, this semester was different than previous semesters. We were challenged and focused heavily on our own research rather than solely theory and ideas to inspire research. I've been focusing and researching play based practices in the elementary art classroom. Through my research, I found myself looking for inspiration on how to incorporate play and play based practices in my classroom. Bradshaw and Szekely were insightful for inspiration and incorporation of playful practices. When introducing play, I found some students choosing violent themes in their creating. Cinquemani created an interesting and informative article that looks at why students may be doing this and how our power and social relationships play into violent themes. Throughout all of my research, I've found a lot of why's for play based art education, but not a lot of how's. Bradshaw and Mathes both shed insight on ways to incorporate these practices into the classroom through traditional and nontraditional ways.

Bradshaw, M. (2018). Natural Connections: Forest Schools, Art Education, and Playful Practices. Art Education, 71(4), 30–35.

In this article, Bradshaw makes connections between possibilities and practices in forest schools (rooted in free play, experimental and experiential learning) and art classrooms. The author acknowledges that it is unlikely to fully adopt a forest school curriculum in a traditional school setting, these practices can be adapted to a more traditional setting for a student led curriculum. Bradshaw explains the fundamentals of forest schooling and how the environment is the third teacher. We have to look at our environment - is it fostering the learning we desire? Use the environment as a guide for learning, and incorporate adventure and risk. The adventure and risk come into play when using student interests to guide lessons. This gives students agency and responsibility for their education. Bradshaw gives examples of how she was able to weave qualities of forest schooling into her curriculum. The author describes practices, the environment, and creative challenges given in units.

The purpose of this article is to allow educators to make and apply connections that excite them and give students new and engaging opportunities. You can't necessarily take your students to a forest school, but you can apply forest school fundamentals to your classroom.

Cinquemani, S. (2014). “I Look Cool; He’s Dead Now”: Reconsidering Children’s Violent Play Art. Art Education, 67(3), 13–18. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/10.1080/00043125.2014.11519268

This article describes the author's experience with teaching a photography unit with k-5 students. Students had the freedom over their photographic content, which resulted in violent play photographs and videos. This violent play art is described as art students make for themselves, not adults. The ability for students to be given the freedom to choose in their art making brings up the discussion of power and control, and how the power relationships are often negative in the classroom (teacher holding power and control, students being passive/recipients). Analyzing the students chosen photos allowed the author to discuss gender roles, power roles, and social norms of masculine and feminine. Cinquemani describes their tension when observing the violent play. Is it allowed? Is it appropriate for school? The goal is to understand children through their art. The benefit of allowing this type of play/art in the classroom is that students will be validated and have their ideas supported. The author concludes with their analysis that these activities can be meaningful for students. It's important for students to have their inquiry, interests, and experiences validated and listened to. The author is not advocating for blind acceptance of these behaviors/types of play, but to analyze the behavior and situations as a way for students to make sense of the world around them. Cinquemani finishes with: "I aim to understand and recog- nize them as individuals with valid creative pleasures that exist outside of adult coercion and manipulation" (p.18). This article is important to my research because I have found students enaging in violent play/creating when given freedom of choice.

Mathes, K. (2017). The daily noodle-doodle: increasing engagement with elementary art students. Art Education, 70(1), 16–22.

This article describes a teacher's struggle with transitions, engagement, and time in the art classroom. They offer their solution as a technology driven " daily noodle doodle". This concept allows for higher thinking skills, creativity, and autonomy. The idea seems comparative to a bell ringer/ warm up activity, however I find this article to fit into my research of play within the art classroom. Mathes is taking a simple, ordinary task and making it just odd enough to be engaging. Mathes' noodle doodles introduce a question that students can answer on a white board at their seats. After students answer the question, they make a doodle based off of the question. Mathes took their idea and conducted a research study, specifically looking at why their 5th graders weren't as engaged with this activity as the rest of their students. Mathes involved her students in the study and found positive results through data collection. By student inclusion, Mathes was able to tweak a procedure to make it even better. This article is relevant to my research as I am looking at ways to incorporate play and allow students to make choices while being engaged in their experience.

Szekely, George. Play and Creativity in Art Teaching, Taylor & Francis Group, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/lib/ohiostate-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1982448.

In this book, Szekely uses personal observations as a methodology in this book. In the first chapter, Szekely (2015) states "leading and joining students in playing inspires artistic behavior for all involved". Throughout the book Szekely exports subjects like environment, materials, movement, themes, and practice as components that can facilitate play to inspire creative and innovative thinking in the art room. The purpose of the book is to make connections through play and development, exploration, autonomy, ownership, creativity, choice, and art. Szekely breaks down the fundamentals of play and art education through description of theory and purpose, inspiration and preparation of lessons, the classroom environment, playful themes and materials, and creative art teaching.

In chapter one, play for children is described as therapy, a means for social development, rehearsal for real life situations, life preparation, and as a means for cognitive and intellectual development. Szekely conducted studies of children's play. Szekely's (2015) describes play based art as a foundation for invention and change that links creativity to innovations and believes play focuses on the creative process. Play art is described as : the original, imaginative work of children" (p.8) He describes that school is typically a place where children learn how to act like adults, and that teaching in a play based art room gives students the opportunity to be trusted and for their suggestions to be listened to (p. 17). Instead of being taught elements and principles that teach children how to make art like adults, Szekely advocates that in an art class, "children need to grow not only in there knowledge of art, but in curiosity, confidence, independence, and there courage it takes to be a child, a player, and artist for the rest of their lives" (p.30).

Chapter 3 and 4 describe environment and materials as influential and powerful components to a play based art curriculum. In chapter 3, it is suggested that parallels should be made between the child's studio at home and the art room. How can the educator use the room as a tool to spark curiosity, motivation, fantasy, adventure and play? Szekely advises that there should be just as much emphasis on time and planning of the environment as there is on lesson planning. Szekely takes into considerations the type of lighting, shelves, windows, etc. in creating a play space. I was surprised to see that hiding places (p. 57) were even encouraged. On page 57, Szekely states "the point in creating space is simply to give children the room to work as they need, whether they seek to be undercover or simply find a shelf on which to crate an imaginative setting. There is also an emphasis on the opportunity of uncommon spaces have (such as being on the floor) that evoke possibilities from students. Along with the space comes specific materials in Chapter 4. The reader is encouraged to think beyond traditional materials. "Creative play supplies that are not prepackaged are more exciting, especially when they get to find and choose what they want to use for their creative endeavors" (p. 73). Chapter 4 is deeper than just a discussion about materials, it is to be used as a way to convey openness to what art is and what it can be (Szekely, 2015). Rethinking materials encourages artistic exploration and play.

Chapter 5-7 talk about ideas such as movement, themes, and creative art teaching. Szekely talks about the importance of movement in play. Szekely also talks about themes of play that can be used in art classes such as: adventure, store, building, and birthdays. Finally, in Chapter 7, Szekely describes creative art teaching and practices that can foster the attitude needed for successful play based art education. Art lessons are described as having the possibility to "be challenging questions, innovative experiences, and independent investigations to view art in open ways". For students to be able to do this, their attitude is important. Szekely suggests a way for educators to facilitate the openness and willingness to play in an art classroom is to greet them at the door. This greeting gives the students ownership over the space, and the encouragement to come with things from home (stories, artwork, toys, etc). When teaching students about materials, Szekely gives the advice "show, don't tell" (p. 152). When an educator feels the urge to lecture, switch to a performance (Szekely, 2015).

Szekely, G. (1983). Preliminary Play in the Art Class. Art Education,36(6), 18-24. doi:10.2307/3192644

Though dated, this article still holds relevent and foundational information about children's play and artmaking. This article explains the possibiilties of play, while giving examples of how and what play can be used with. Play can be used as an introductory tool and a process that is conducted throughout making and learning. it inspires artworks, ideas, and encourages choices. Szekely describes play as the basis for early childhood learning. To be truly learning and engaged in their artmaking, students need to be involved in the process, not given a task with predetermined outcomes. To successfully incorporate play into the artmaking process, determine lesson objectives and determine what play experience will allow students to respond to the objectives. Preliminary play is described as "the initial research, the necessary investigation, the important shifiting of materials and ideas, the experiencing of movements and images through which most of hte important decisions about the artwork are made" (p.18). Play is also involved through each step of the creative process. Preliminary play can be designed in a variety of categories: movement, sensory, building and construction, pretend, memory, and verbal. For students to be open and receptive to playful learing, the teacher also needs to have a playful mindset. Szekely states: "Teachers should strive to make all their action playful. [Their] playfulness, their ability to accept the fantastic, say the ridiculous, and think the unbelievable, sets the stage for the students' playfulness" (p. 20).