Imagination

Don't underestimate the power of imagination!

I was reading a homeschool text last night and while I liked many of the suggestions and found the information helpful, I was shocked when the author suggested cutting out imagination.

Ok, so this is not exactly what she said. In a section dedicated to help the homeschooling parent cut out the unnecessary and pointless things curriculum include, she suggested to cut out the "Too Silly." Well that sounds like a good idea, but I was sad to learn that this meant the asking children to draw or write about an imaginary plant/animal/alien etc.

I have heard this similar philosophy from a speaker while I was student teaching. Claiming that children are not imaginative and their time should be spent relating factual events and ideas.

I want to scream when I hear these philosophies. With 7 years working in a preschool and 4 years of practical experiences in the classroom, and 2 years of teaching kindergarten, I cannot further disagree with this statement!!!!

Many children do struggle with such assignments, but to say we should not encourage children to imagine and build their creative muscles because they just copy books or movies they have seen.Well you might as well not go to the movies, watch television or read books yourself. There is nothing new under the sun!

I have seen first hand how children can use these imaginative assignments and build a creative world while using lots of facts. Once I had a child create an animal combination. I can't remember the specific creature, but I do remember that when I asked the child (5 years old) why he drew it that way, he told me that he liked those two animals and why (listing their specific and special qualities). He also tried to sound out the letters to write a combo name of this animal. He just showed me that he can create shapes (math and art), describe his own work (speech and self-esteem), comprehension of the animals and its special adaptations/habitat (science!!!!!), and finally writing a non-sensical name (phonics, letter formation, reading). Was that too silly to take the time for that?

Also, this author attacked having young children draw as response to reading, when not giving an art lesson. Art lessons are wonderful and should be included, but artists learn on their own! CREATIVITY! Allow your child a chance to create without judgement and without strict guidelines. I am a big proponent of giving children blank paper to create.

My mom the original unschooler. Even my mom, back in the '80s, realized this. She has no higher education experiences, no time teaching, and I was her first child. I rarely had a coloring book, it was the easel and blank paper for me! She didn't teach me to draw, I didn't go to lessons but I still learned how to draw my family and rainbows and anything else. Did it look like Monet or more like Picasso? Who cares  it's art and for expression! Did I have fun and stretch my creative muscles? Yes!

PS- I also learned how to write my name and read without my mom sitting down to say, "Ok, time for school!" This is a realization even for me.

I guess this is more of a rant, but please if you take anything away, please, please, please give your child a chance to use that imagination. It won't always be masterpiece theatre or artwork ready for the Guggenheim, but it will be expression, growth, and fun!