Analysis of the Fourth Grade Creative Mind

Analysis of the Fourth Grade Creative Mind

Ashley Yallaly
University of Missouri

Analysis of the Fourth Grade Creative Mind

Analysis of the Fourth Grade Creative Mind
When a child is born, they are unaware of how the world around
them works. As they grow up, they begin to develop mentally and
physically to a point where they understand the world around them.
Swiss researcher Jean Piaget laid out four stages of cognitive
development starting from birth into adolescence (Bergin and Bergin,
2015, p. 106). These four stages are sensorimotor (birth to age 2),
preoperational (age 2 through 7), concrete operations (age 7 through
11), and formal operational (age 12 and above) (Bergin and Bergin,
2015, p. 106-113). These cognitive changes can be seen through the
childs self-expression through their artwork.
Just as Piaget has stages of development laid out for cognitive
development as a whole, scientists and researchers have established
five stages through which a child progresses artistically. These include:
scribbling, pre-schematic, schematic, transitional, and realism (Salome
and Moore, 2015). The first stage children are in is the scribbling stage.
It has been said in the past that children scribble simply because of
the pure enjoyment of moving their arms and making marks on a
surface (Rowland, 1990, p. 2). In recent years, however, researchers
have uncovered that children are learning to organize new sets of
actions which bring in their wake new outcomes and new discoveries
(Burton, 1980, p. 2). These discoveries allow students to begin to
understand that they can make something out of nothing through the

Analysis of the Fourth Grade Creative Mind

use of materials and their own imaginations. The second stage, presymbolism, starting around age three or four, is entered when the
child produces (their) first representative symbols for objects in (their)
environment (Salome and Moore, 2015).
As they transition into Piagets concrete operations stage
(Bergin and Bergin, 2015, p. 111), they are also moving into the third
stage of artistic development, which is the schematic stage. During
this time, children begin to play with pictures perspectives, making
them as though the viewer is looking from the above, the side, or
straight on. The child also begins to have a repetition of symbols for
familiar objects (Salome and Moore, 2015). The fourth stage is known
as the transitional stage. This generally occurs around age nine, where
children become self-conscious of (their) own drawings (Brittain and
Lowenfeld, 1970, p. 477). Children in this stage of development may
unintentionally contain many characteristics of the schematic stage
(Salome and Moore, 2015). They may also play around with
overlapping base lines and different views. The last stage of artistic
development is called the realism stage. This is where children begin to
produce adult quality artwork. They can show considerable control
over the medium, content and organization is evident (Salome and
Moore, 2015). This is an important stage for developing young artists
as they continue to create.
Method

Analysis of the Fourth Grade Creative Mind

For the purpose of this analysis, I chose James (pseudonym) as
my observation student. James was to draw a picture for me on a blank
piece of printer paper, which I provided. Without hesitation, he
grabbed a marker from the tools provided and began to draw an
outdoor scene. I chose James for this due to his all business nature in
class; I knew that he would take the activity seriously. His first marks
were two horizontal lines across the page: one straight and one that
had some waves and variation in it. As he began to color the inside of
these two lines in, I noticed how delicately he was doing so. As I
watched, I asked him what he was drawing. He responded that it was a
beach scene and with a little more inquiry from me, he divulged that
landscapes were his favorite thing to draw. After he finished coloring in
the sand, he started to work on the water. I asked him why the
bottom part of the beach was not a straight line. He responded very
pointedly that the water pushes the sand up and in some places it
pushes harder than others. As he was saying this, he began to color
in the water with his blue marker, overlapping parts of it onto the
beach as if to explain what he was saying. Once the seawater was
colored in, he began to color above the beach. He started by making
seven straight yellow lines. Following that, he colored the space in
around them black. After I asked him what he was coloring now, he
responded by saying it was the parking lot. This was the final piece

Analysis of the Fourth Grade Creative Mind

that informed me that the view of his artwork was from above. He
finished off the drawing by adding a few blankets on the beach.
Findings
James took roughly twenty minutes to complete his piece. For
this activity, he chose to draw a beach, one that remembered
previously visiting. The bottom portion of the picture shows the ocean,
the middle is the sandy beach, and the top is the parking lot. He used a
blue marker for the ocean, yellow for the sand, black for the parking
lot, and a variety of colors for the blankets.
After completing this activity and analyzing the piece with great
care, I can conclude that James is more than likely in the transitional
stage. My first thoughts on his placement on the developmental
spectrum had me believing that James was more in the schematic
stage of development as he was experimenting with the birds eye
view. He also demonstrated that he was drawing something that he
drew often. These two items are big points in the schematic stage
(Brittain and Lowenfeld, 1970, p. 476). However, after doing more
analysis, I realize that James has actually moved into the transitional
stage but is simply still inhabiting a few traits of the previous stage,
which is possible according to Salome and Moore (2015). James
showed a great awareness for the physical environment in his
understanding of why the bottom of the beach wasnt a straight line;
this is an important trait of the transitional stage. The defining

Analysis of the Fourth Grade Creative Mind

characteristic of his artwork was his use of water overlapping the
beach, which leads me to my conclusion, as it is a prime example of
someone in the transitional stage. He was also very honed in on the
pattern making of the blankets on the beach.
Conclusion
Based on my analysis, I have found that my student James in the
transitional stage of development. In order for him to continue along
the path of growth, I would suggest that he continue to be aware of the
world around him and look at the shapes, which make up the scenes. I
would challenge him to continue to draw his favorite landscapes, but to
also try drawing more urban landscaping as well. This could help
develop his vision of what he is drawing. I believe that with enough
practice James could continue his artistic journey.
From this assignment, I can now see how it is useful for a teacher
to be aware of their students artistic development. This knowledge
can allow me as a teacher to have an understanding of where my
students are in their cognitive development, and their abilities as a
learner. It can also give me great insight as to what they are interested
in, which can help both them and myself as we tackle education
together. I believe that if a teacher does not understand where their
students are on the spectrum of artistic development, they cannot fully
understand their students thought processes. This is dangerous for
educators, for we must know where each student is at cognitively in

Analysis of the Fourth Grade Creative Mind

order to teach and challenge them at the appropriate levels. This
understanding of the importance of art in the classroom will encourage
me to mold my classroom into a place of imagination and creativity. I
will do this by working different aspects of art into my lessons as much
as possible, giving students the opportunity to become excited about
their education.

Analysis of the Fourth Grade Creative Mind

Bergin,C.C.,&Bergin,D.A.(2015).ChildandAdolescentDevelopment(2nded.).
Stamford,CT:CengageLearning.
Brittain,W.L.,&Lowenfeld,V.(2016).CreativeandMentalGrowth.InLTC4240"Art
ForChildren".Columbia,MO:MizzouPublishing.(Reprintedfrom,1970)
Burton,J.(1980,September).BeginningsofArtisticLanguage.DevelopingMinds.
Salome,R.A.,&Moore,B.E.(2015).TheFiveStagesofDevelopmentinChildren'sArt
[Weblogpost].Retrievedfrom
http://my.ilstu.edu/~eostewa/ART309/Five_Stages.htm
Roland,C.(1990).YounginArt,adevelopmentallookatchildart.ArtJunction,
Retrievedfromhttp://www.artjunction.org/young_in_art.pdf.

Analysis of the Fourth Grade Creative Mind