Theory on why children are given “draw a picture” assignments in elementary school.

Its basic thought control. When a teacher hands you a piece of paper and tells you to draw what ever you want, you will be forced to use your imagination and materialize your thoughts. Teachers then take up the drawings as if they were important assignments and examine them. If the teacher finds a drawing (thought/imagination) that she disagrees with, then that student will then be punished. After 6 years of this kind of treatment, the students’ imagination has been oppressed. Unless children practice using their imagination outside of school, then they will lose a great deal of their creativeness. In today’s world with television, computers, and video games many children don't use their imagination outside of school. Schools destroy creative thoughts, thus making everyone just another brick in the wall.

Agree with you here. Let's take it one step further though. My daughters school was hit by a student population explosion. The school wanted a referendum on a property tax hike. The first referendum failed. The next year, the school called for another referendum, this time threatening to:
a. Cut the school day to the state minimum of 5 hours.(Illinois)
b. Cut all extracurricular activites
c. Cut computer, music, P.E., and ART classes, because they are NOT as essential to a childs education.

Nevertheless, the referendum passed. I was against it. In Illinois, 1% of all lottery proceeds are supposedley given to the schools. Where's that money? What about the new addition that was built on the school, not one year before the referendums came up?

My opinion: ART and MUSIC are VERY essential to child developement. I will not have my daughter wander about, a midless automotron, with no creativity whatsoever. To me, that's ludicrous.

~Agreed. I've done a few of those myself when i was younger but none of them bad. They do this to the kids when they are young and when they are still vulnerable to the rights and wrongs of thinking. If the assignment is to draw whatever you want, that's how it should be. If the kid wants to draw death and gore n' stuff, let the kid do it. He could be thinkin' like a murderer or just joansin' to play his favorite mortal combat game. Talk about mind-control.

Funny, as an educator, I've never done that. Must be an isolated incident. No offense meant, but everyone wants to be a victim these days. It just seems to me that that kind of thinking is outdated. Pre 1990's. I've only experienced a free way of thinking in schools. Especially private schools. I don't mean to sound rude.

Anyone else notice the typical 'evolution' of a child's drawing of the human form?

(At least in America, other views please input) It starts with circle heads that comprise the "Me" or "Mommy" with two sticks for arms, ans two for legs. We are a smiley with stick appendages.

Then someone comments, or the child has an epiphany and realizes people have bodies. Thus the stick man with a smiley HEAD. But at least we have a body, stick though it is.

It's considered pretty well into devolopment that the body concept even takes form, typically first in a sexual framework. BOOBIES!!!

But the floating head, or stick man comes first. Reminds me of "Aliens".

Where did you hear this?
(I have some experience here, but want to hear your side first.)

Yeah, I love those drawings, eggs with legs. Free thought should be embraced, creativity nurtured. I say if they see us that way, don't discourage them. I remember when I was young, around 6 or so, my teacher marked me done for not drawing fingers. I only drew closedhands, circles. That was a long time ago, though. I'd hate to see it happen know.

Well, I have a 'memory burn' of an example of this, but more along the lines of shaping through creativity rather than surpressing it.

I went to an Epischopal Elementary School, though I was Presbyterian, and we had a weekly drawing assignment they took WAY seriously.

I remember one was to be entitled "Bad Bug" and it was really, really hard. We were like: So you want a bad drawing? Or a bug doing bad things? Like bad bug things or bad people things? Objectively it was fascinating stuff in shaping morality.

On our own, I think every single one of us drew a bug smoking. Mine was a Lady Bug with a cigarette and a knife...wish I still had it. It'd be a cool tatoo.

Now thats what I call free thinking, Rock on! Thats how it should always be done, give them something to think about, and then let them deside!

I dated an education student/teacher for five years. She tried very hard to think up exercises and assignments that would allow and help kids to use their imagination. I am sorry if you think teachers try to intentionally stifle a child's creativity. It is not true. The NWO has not gotten to all teachers telling them to turn kids into mindless drones.

As for schools cutting out certain courses, don't blame the schools, blame the politicians and the people who elected them. Look where the priorities lie. Education is not cheap and is important. You get what you pay for. If you don't allocate the funds, you get poorly educated children.

I remember drawing my whole family that way in a 'family portrait.' In retrospect, not one difference between any of the smileys, but I swore this one was Grandpa, this one me, etc. AND IT WAS SOOOO OBVIOUS! (to me) My Great Grandmother was the one that crushed me... They all look the same. People have bodies.

And try as I did, I couldn't recognize my smiley family anymore

i agree with Greenkoolaid, not all teachers are this way. Very few in fact are this way. As for closing certain subjects or extra-curricular activities at schools, yes, blame politicians who do not fight for schools and education, but more importantly, blame the people. Blame the community who would vote no on levies to give more resources to schools and children. The future is in your hands, don't crush it. As for the programs that got cut, you will see that they are the most obvious ones to cut. It may be hurtfull, but its better than cutting math or english classes. Think about it. Don't be a victim.

Ya'll seem to have had good Teachers...

they are well meaning, good hearted, selfless, idealists...

~~xx~~

unfortunately, I was under the gaze of: course instructors...homeroom honchos... 'day care' supervisors...baby sitters...
attendance takers...textbook leaders/program guides

-->>i did know 2 TEACHERS...mrs Elizabeth (english,lit) mr Balisic (sci,)...but that was only from 8-12th grades.

>> so, 2 Teachers in ... [5 yrs X 5 courses]= 25 positions
>> is about 12% of subject instructors are actual 'Teachers'
>>the other 88% are eyes&ears of the artifical education system...required by law to fill the seats of (missing) teachers.

~~??~~

do you have any solutions to offer? if not dont jsut rant. i cant stand it when people bitch and bitch but offer no solutions

First let me say not all teachers are this way, I have had a few very good teachers in my life who were genuine and truly cared about what they were doing, but they were in the minority. I have to agree with the 12% figure riffraffalunas gave, from my experience that sounds just about right.

I based this on my personal experience as a child and similar experiences shared with me by friends. I've heard several stories from people about getting sent to the principle's office and later having a parent conference over a drawing, painting, short story, essay, or poem that you asked to create in the first place. Many of these were innocently created. How can you treat a child like they've just committed some horrid act when they simply did what you requested of them?

I love art and music and I enjoy creating both. I remember I hated art and music class in elementary school though. It was so authoritative.
"This is how you do it, if you're not doing it like this then you're doing it wrong. Your performance will be graded”
This was the mind state of my art and music classes. The exact polar opposite of what art and music should be.

I had those feelings too. But was always told "You can't break the rules until you learn them"

My worst year in art (this was an Uber private school) was 8th grade. Everyone had to take architecture & drafting. Hell on Earth when you just want to have clay fights.

My beef was the forced sports. No problem with PE. Just the required after school intermurrials and road trips. (Again this was Nazi school).

dont cut art!!

just revice what is done with stuff like that!

without art life will be well boring...

Who's seen Mr. Holland's Opus? Anyone? Anyone?

Most teachers try to work well at their jobs, try to help the kids, try to expand their minds...

And then come the budjet cuts, the state censoring of what can be taught, the union battles, the politics, and on and on...

Teachers aren't in it for the money, they teach to make a difference, but the system brings them down

Dreamstone is correct. You don't get into teaching for the money, trust me. Look at the world with open eyes. Budget cuts, required statewide testing, union battles and politicians who don't care are whats changing what kids are taught in schools. Too many victims in here. Stop being a victim. Do something about it.

I agree completely with what Dreamstone and sw said. Everyone here is still in the mindset of a third grader: your teacher hates you. You still believe that your teacher is the devil and only cares about making your life hell. That they enjoy doing it.

Come on, what is the point of being a teacher if you do not care about educating your students to the fullest? Their pay is negilible, they have no benefits, and they have little thanks for what they do. Are you still of the opinion that they are in it to make you miserable.

I really am not that surprised by this. It is just a transferrance of blame for your mindset. People here are paranoid and think that everyone is out to control them. It is logical that they would transfer their hate for their teachers into ideas of them controling their thoughts through the most innocent of activities: drawing... What else did they do? Use subliminal messages during naptime? Slip flouride into the snacks? Paranoid mumblings all.

XAOS