KINDERGARTEN PICTURES

First of all, Kindergarten artwork/illustrations are so fun to look at. They're at that stage now where they recognize and can pick out features that should be replicated and it's interesting to see the many ways they display that. Stick men, lolli-pop people, club limbs, insect-looking limbs, true and not so true depictions of color (like blue apples on a pink tree). As you can imagine, a picture of one thing can look very different depending on which kid's drawing you look at.

Anyway, I think I may have broken the cardinal rule in evaluating children's artwork/illustrations today. This week's Big Book is called Faces. We've been reading a book with all kinds of faces doing all kinds of different things and for the extension activity I had them draw a portrait of someone special to them.

Some students drew their mummies, another drew her daddy, one drew her sister and another her grandmummy. A few didn't quite follow directions and drew random things/people. One of my students raised her hand to let me know she was finished and so that I could write the dictation of what her picture was about.

I get over to her, take a look and say, "What a lovely picture! I really like it. Who did you draw?" She looks at me kind of surprised and points, "It's you! You are walking to school". Of course I have to do some backtracking so I look at it again this time saying, "Oh yes! Of course, I see it. There are my earrings (pointing at part of the drawing that looked a little like arms) and those are my little curls (pointing at the blue hair on top of my illustrated head)."

So, note to self: when commenting on students' future artwork/illustrations always use the term, "Tell me about your picture" as opposed to "What/who is_____?" It's kind of embarrassing when the picture turns out to be you. Oh well, at least I didn't say something TRULY embarrassing like, "Oh! Is that your pet cat (or bear)?"!