"Investigating Different Approaches to Early Childhood Education: The Development of Drawing According to the Theory of Victor Lowenfeld, Michal Bogin Feinberg, and the Reggio Emilia Approach."
Background:
During my twenty years of work as an interpreter of children's drawings, especially after completing my master's degree in social change through arts, I base my knowledge on continuous learning, learning from different approaches of researchers around the world. I have always been interested in the connection between children's drawings and their social, emotional, and mental state. Interpreting children's drawings is the most suitable and closest tool, and since I have been interpreting children's drawings, I also engage in training a new generation of drawing interpreters.
One of the impressive things is the connection between the development of drawing and the cognitive development of children. Three approaches and theories that particularly caught my attention are the theory of Victor Lowenfeld, Michal Bogin Feinberg, and the Reggio Emilia approach. In this article, I will examine how these theories can help us understand the development of drawing in children, their cognitive and emotional development.
Let's start with getting to know the people behind the approaches.
Victor Lowenfeld:
Before we delve into the development of drawing, let's first talk about who Lowenfeld is. Victor Lowenfeld was an Austrian-born American psychologist who specialized in art education. He developed a theory that describes how children's artworks develop as they grow and mature. According to Lowenfeld, children's artworks go through several stages, each characterized by a different way of representing the world.
Stages of Art Development According to Lowenfeld:
Lowenfeld identified six stages of art development in children, each characterized by a different way of representing the world. These stages are:
1. Scribble stage (ages 2-4): At this stage, children use random signs and scribbles to create art. They have no concern for representation; they are only interested in exploring the materials.
2. Control stage (ages 4-6): Children begin to control their signs, creating more defined shapes and lines. They start using colors and experimenting with different techniques.
3. Primary stage (ages 6-8): Children begin to represent objects and people in their artworks. They use simple shapes and colors to create identifiable forms.
4. Schematic stage (ages 8-10): Children begin to use symbols and schemas to represent the world. They create artworks that tell a story or convey a message.
5. Naturalistic stage (ages 10-12): Children begin to pay attention to detail and representation. They use perspective, shading, and other artistic techniques to create realistic artworks.
6. Self-expression stage (age 12 and up): Children begin to use art as a means of self-expression. They explore their feelings, thoughts, and experiences through art.
Michal Bogin Feinberg:
Michal Bogin Feinberg is an art therapist with many years of experience. A graduate of art studies at Beit Berl College and art therapy at the University of Haifa, psychotherapy studies in a psychoanalytic approach - H.L.P.B.A, parent guidance at Tel Aviv University, and concentration studies at the International Institute in New York.
The Stages of Drawing Development According to Michal Bogin:
Scribble - rhythm, primality, vitality, spontaneity, search, restlessness, and anxiety.
Circle - the experience of self-cohesion, separation, complementary relations of outside and inside, me and not me, softness, flow, and wrapping.
Points inside a circle - there is something alive inside me.
Rays - can go outside, a sense of growth.
Cross - the ability to contain contradictions and a complex inner world, searching for direction in life, aspirations, going up or wide, which direction is desirable, the ability to combine different directions.
Triangle - the presence of boundaries and a base, assertiveness, planning, dynamics, dealing with triangular relationships.
House - social ability, ability to understand and perform complex relationships.
Michal Bogin Feinberg, she also researched the artistic development of children but focused more on cognitive aspects.
Bogin Feinberg's approach emphasizes the role of cognitive development, such as spatial perception and symbolic representation, in children's drawing abilities.
She suggested that children's drawings reflect their understanding of the world and their cognitive development.
Bogin Feinberg's approach mostly includes more structured activities and assessments aimed at understanding the cognitive processes of children through their artworks.
In conclusion, while both approaches examine the development of drawing skills in children, Lowenfeld's approach focuses more on the psychological and creative aspects, while Bogin Feinberg's approach emphasizes the cognitive processes underlying children's drawings.
Reggio Emilia Approach:
The Reggio Emilia approach is an educational philosophy that emphasizes children's ability to drive their learning. The approach is based on the belief that children are capable of driving their learning and that they should be given the freedom to explore and discover the world around them.
Reggio Emilia Approach: The Reggio Emilia approach also emphasizes the importance of the environment. The classroom is perceived as a "third teacher", and it should be designed to stimulate the curiosity and creativity of the children.
The Role of Drawing in the Reggio Emilia Approach:
Drawing plays a crucial role in the Reggio Emilia approach. Children are encouraged to explore different materials and techniques to create artworks that represent their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The Reggio Emilia approach emphasizes process over product, meaning the focus is on the creative process, not the final product.
The Reggio Emilia approach also emphasizes collaboration. Children are encouraged to work together to create artworks, promoting social skills, communication, and teamwork.
So what unites the approaches when it comes to a child's development through his drawing?
Michal Bogin Feinberg's Approach:
This approach emphasizes the importance of seeing each child as a unique individual with abilities, with their own thoughts, feelings, and ideas. According to Bogin Feinberg, children are natural learners driven by innate curiosity and the desire to understand the world around them.
One of the key principles in Bogin Feinberg's approach is the idea of "following the child". This means that educators need to observe and listen to children carefully, and then provide them with opportunities to explore and learn in their own way. This can be done by providing a variety of open-ended materials and experiences, and allowing children to choose and direct their own learning.
Victor Lowenfeld's Approach:
Lowenfeld's approach, also known as the "Lowenfeld Model for Art Education", was developed by psychologist Victor Lowenfeld. This approach emphasizes the importance of the creative process, not the final product. According to Lowenfeld, the act of creating art is a way for children to express themselves and communicate their thoughts and feelings.
Lowenfeld's approach is based on the idea of "stages of development" of artistic development. These stages are: the scribble stage, the pre-schematic stage, the schematic stage, and the realism stage. Each stage is characterized by certain types of mark-making and representation, assuming that children progress through these stages in a predictable and orderly manner.
Reggio Emilia Approach:
The Reggio Emilia approach originates from Italy. This approach is based on the image of the child as a strong, capable, and resilient learner. As stated by the Reggio Emilia approach, children are active participants in their learning, and are capable of constructing their knowledge and understanding of their world.
One of the key principles of the Reggio Emilia approach is the idea that the physical space in which children learn is perceived as an important and integral part of the learning process. It emphasizes the importance of creating a rich and stimulating learning environment, with a variety of materials and resources available for children to explore and use.
Differences Between the Approaches:
While there are some similarities between the Bogin Feinberg, Lowenfeld, and Reggio Emilia approaches, there are also several key differences. One of the main differences is the emphasis placed on the creative process versus the final product. Lowenfeld's approach places a strong emphasis on the process of creating art, and sees the final product as less important. In contrast, the Bogin Feinberg and Reggio Emilia approaches place more emphasis on the final product, and see it as a reflection of the child's thoughts, feelings, and ideas.
Another difference between the approaches is the role of the educator. In Bogin Feinberg's approach, the educator is perceived as a guide, observing and listening to children and then providing them with opportunities to explore and learn in their own way. In contrast, in Lowenfeld's approach, the educator is perceived as a facilitator, providing children with support and guidance as they progress through the stages of artistic development. In the Reggio Emilia approach, the educator is perceived as a co-learner, working collaboratively with children to construct knowledge and understanding.
The Advantages of Each Approach:
Each of the Bogin Feinberg, Lowenfeld, and Reggio Emilia approaches has its own unique advantages. Bogin Feinberg's approach emphasizes the importance of seeing each child as a unique individual with abilities, and gives children the opportunity to explore and learn in their own way. This can help foster a sense of independence and self-confidence in children.
Lowenfeld's approach emphasizes the importance of the creative process, and gives children the opportunity to express themselves and communicate their thoughts and feelings through art. This can help develop children's creativity and self-expression.
The Reggio Emilia approach emphasizes the importance of the learning environment, and gives children a rich and stimulating space to explore and learn in. This can help foster a love of learning and a sense of curiosity in children.
Using the Approaches in Child Therapy:
The Bogin Feinberg, Lowenfeld, and Reggio Emilia approaches can be used in child therapy settings to support the learning and development of young children. Here are a few ways these approaches can be implemented:
* Provide a variety of open-ended materials and experiences for children to explore and learn in their own way (Bogin Feinberg)
* Encourage children to express themselves and communicate their thoughts and feelings through art (Lowenfeld)
* Create a rich and stimulating learning environment, with a variety of materials and resources available for children to explore and use (Reggio Emilia)
Summary:
In this article, I examined the approaches of Michal Bogin Feinberg, Lowenfeld, and the Reggio Emilia approach. I discussed the differences between these approaches, as well as the advantages of each one and how they can be used in child therapy settings. By providing a rich and supportive learning environment for young children, we can help foster their natural curiosity and love of learning.
From my perspective as an interpreter of children's drawings and a social change agent through the arts, these three approaches reinforce the connection between the drawing and the ability of a children's drawing interpreter to reach the depths of the subconscious of the drawer, whether they are a toddler, child, teenager, and even adults, to reach and understand their social and emotional state. With this mapping, we can build therapeutic, promotion, and assistance systems for those who draw. The more we increase the drawing activity, the more we will know about the child, and thus parents and professionals can join together to assist children in their distress.
The article was written by Koby Avraham (MA) Social Change through Arts, Expert Children's Drawing Interpreter, Diagnoses and Treats Sensory System Disorders with the NDFA approach.
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