G&T art query

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mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

G&T art query

Post by mike1880 »

Our son's school has just put him on the G&T register for art (if only it was for a superhuman appetite for hard work...) and urged us to find ways to develop his abilities outside school hours. I'm all for encouraging him (although I don't want the house littered with sharks in formaldehyde and he certainly doesn't NEED any encouragment to turn his bedroom into passable facsimile of a Tracey Emin installation) but...

If it was maths or science or something I should think we could handle it , but I'm at a bit of a loss with this one (can't find any great number of adverts for art tutoring for a 10-year old for example). Has anyone any ideas about where to start? Bearing in mind we have neither the time nor the talent to do anything meaningful ourselves.

Mike
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Post by Guest55 »

Take him to galleries - get books out of the library - encourage him to enter competitions.

'google' for ideas too!
andyb
Posts: 645
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:27 am
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by andyb »

Sorry to hijack your thread Mike.

We have just been told DS1 (Y6) is AG&T in Maths. We were so gobsmacked we didn't think to ask what we should be doing to encourage/develop him at home (if anything). We don't want to go over the top and put him off and don't really want to cover things that he will then do in class which may make the lessons boring. He says school is starting a Maths club for those who are good at Maths and the teacher will invite children to attend - should we just leave it at that? Any ideas?

PS He just thinks he is "good at Maths" as we feel he may get complacent if he knows he is very good at Maths.
T.i.p.s.y

Post by T.i.p.s.y »

I think Art is a subject where you can offer him inpsiration by taking him to galleries and he could enter some competitons, but coaching will only hamper his creativity. However, maybe he could go to some masterclasses on improving his technique and understanding the tools, different types of paints and their properties etc.
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Post by mike1880 »

Yes, that's pretty much my way of thinking. And the books I've looked at are all pretty stifling ("THIS is how you draw a...") and in any case a total turn-off to a 10-year old boy (too many flowers and nary a tank in sight...).

My thoughts are that while he might benefit from being taught some basic technical skills (e.g. he thinks he's rubbish at painting, which he may be for all I know - it's not something we have much opportunity to encourage at home and I've not seen his work on the wall at school, which says something to me!), the main thing is that - like any other ability - he should be stretched and have his horizons broadened through hands-on experience of things that he won't do in junior school art/D&T. For example, given the range of abilities I know he has, I think it would be good for him to be encouraged to do some sculpture and pottery etc. as well as learning the two-dimensional stuff. But the question is how to make that sort of thing (and the masterclasses) available to him.

Personally though, I think galleries come into their own later when he has more ideas about the sorts of thing that can be done, and a wider range of things he wants to attempt. (I look at it in terms of taking someone who wants to learn to cook to a restaurant...)

Mike
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Post by mike1880 »

andyb - no problem, dive in. "We were so gobsmacked we didn't think to ask what we should be doing to encourage/develop him at home (if anything)." I know that feeling. Luckily, for something like maths the school will certainly have a G&T programme in place. I would guess the maths club is part of it. I suggest you ask the school what they're planning to do. They're probably also a good place to start finding out what other things are available locally.

Mike
slug62
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:19 pm

Post by slug62 »

Hello, hope you won't think I'm butting in as well, but I would welcome some advice. My daughter is in year 3 and is seven. She is very good at drawing - cartoon-style drawings of her own creation. Last year, her teacher said she was going to be placed on the G&T for art, but this never happened and we didn't pursue it.
Last week, however, a teacher at an afterschool club she attends said she had a real gift for drawing and her advice to us was to get her art lessons. This teacher (who doesn't teach art), said my daughter had a rare talent of capturing expression and it needed to be encouraged.
I think her drawings are excellent for a child of her age, and she is always drawing, but isn't seven a bit young? The teacher came up to me after this week's lesson and asked me if I'd made progress. I hadn't, mainly because I was still mulling it over. I'm quite flattered someone thinks she is talented, but don't know what to do. She is the sort of kid who does lots of after-school stuff because she enjoys it, so I am sure she would get a lot out of it, but would she be better on her own?
Any feedback would really be welcome.
T.i.p.s.y

Post by T.i.p.s.y »

Some may disagree but the only way to improve with art is to keep drawing/painting and doing it of her own volition otherwise she may be put off. But, maybe looking into differen avenues such as sculpting may broaden her interest.
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Post by mike1880 »

Broadly agree. The way children perceive things and the way they choose to represent them - especially people and faces - develops with age, I would doubt that it's worthwhile (or wise) to try and interfere with that development process.

We've left our son to his own devices so far; I've been dithering for months over whether I should look for an art teacher but a couple of weeks ago (coincidentally) came to the conclusion that he's best left to get on with it and crossed it off my to-do list. The school putting him on the G&T reg rattled me into wondering whether that's the right approach, but after a few days' panicking I think I'm going to stick with it and just look out for opportunities for a wider variety of activities.

Mike
Charlotte67
Posts: 893
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2007 8:59 am
Location: Cloud 9

Post by Charlotte67 »

Hi Mike & Andy,

Have you had a look here? You've probably been directed to this site by your schools, but just incase you haven't...

http://ygt.dcsf.gov.uk/HomePage.aspx?stakeholder=14

Have fun!

Charlotte
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