Our textbook this semester is: “Art In The Elementary School: Drawing, Painting and Creating for The Classroom” by Marlene Linderman.  The textbook really is for a teacher with no prior knowledge of art.  It’s most likely targeted to the teacher who’s asked to include an art segment but who’s a general educator.  So, in that context, I don’t find the text revealing in terms of art insights.  However it does have some information on childhood development and creativity by age group.  This I did find useful in terms of what to expect when approaching younger students.  I’ve primarily taught middle and high school and then college students, so some help with the younger students was welcome.  I find that the younger kids usually exceed my expectations – especially if they are new to art and unencumbered or unafraid.  Their imaginations are pretty wild sometimes.  They are concerned with how to make particular things, (planes, cars, people, faces, animals, etc..) but they combine this knowledge into environments that are fanciful and colorful in a really saturated or intense way.

One thing I did find interesting about the book is the author.  I Googled her trying to find a review of this book and was startled to find this artwork by her (caution: intense image).