The various forms of art are the beloved students’ activities in preschool and elementary school education. When it comes to the motivation of preschool and elementary school children, the teacher should be careful while preparing lesson plans. The art is a fascinating lesson for children. However, it is advisable to engage students’ positive emotions in the process of learning. According to Perkun (2014), “positive emotions influence learning by affecting student’s attention, motivation, use of learning strategies, self-regulation of learning” (p. 12).
In anticipation of the holidays, it is expected that the students will be eager to create objects related to Christmas, and this eagerness will serve as the activator of the motivated behavior that will enhance students’ engagement in the learning process. Thus, the elaborated lesson design includes the “conceptual understanding” of the young learners’ motivation (Alderman, 2008, p. 5). This conceptual understanding refers to young learners’ happiness about being engaged in the process of making Christmas balls. However, the teacher is required to observe the class environment throughout the lesson and implement the tactics that would maintain and direct motivation.
The involvement in the handiwork and the group work are the factors that provoke the students’ creativity and critical thinking. The lesson includes the high level of class participation, creativity stimulation, development of critical thinking skills, cooperation based on empathy, efficient teamwork, and discussions. According to recent research, this kind of activity supports the students’ high performance and induces positive outcomes in studying all the school and college subjects (Geissler, Edison, & Wayland, 2012, p. 4). In the art class, the students’ skills of critical thinking lie in the ability to observe the creative process and take measures to improve the results in due course. Students develop their critical thinking if they consider the activity being taught of extreme significance or interest. Making Christmas balls is an interesting and important activity for students.
However, the task of the teacher is to make the most out of this activity. Thus, the teacher engages and broadens students’ knowledge about Christmas holidays and customs. Consequently, pupils began to realize the significance of their work. Critical thinking develops when the teacher plays the role of facilitator and then promotes individual work. At the beginning of the class, the teacher demonstrates all steps of making Christmas ball. Then, he or she lets children develop their ability to do the same on their own. Critical thinking develops as far as students learn to understand the way different materials may be used for the creation of the Christmas ball. Based on the skills of critical thinking and benevolent behavior, the students’ interactions within the team positively influence self-esteem and assist the development of the leadership qualities.
The advantage of the art classes includes the provision of differentiated learning opportunities via creating a loose and flexible class environment. The work in the group supports the high level of student’s participation without isolation (Edyburn, 2013). Positive emotions about making Christmas balls ensure that students work in a non-threatening environment. No students are isolated from the rest of the class as far as all of them make the same kind of work. A teacher encourages pupils to work in pairs and conduct various types of tasks to provide them with differentiated learning opportunities. The appropriate assessment according to each learner’s achievement in the class will make sure that the students’ learning experience is productive and will help to detect and improve the mistakes in the teaching strategy.
References
Alderman, M. K. (2008). The motivation for achievement: Possibilities for teaching and learning. New York, NY: Routledge.
Edyburn, D. L. (2013). Inclusive Technologies: Tools for Helping Diverse Learners Achieve Academic Success. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education.
Geissler, G., Edison, S., & Wayland, J. (2012). Improving students’ critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills. Journal of Instructional Pedagogies 8(1), 1-11.
Perkun, R. (2014). Emotions and Leaning. Web.