“What has my child made with their hands at school this week?”

[KitchenTable1]

www.accessart.org.uk/what-is-the-real-value-of-art-education/ is a campaign that has really caught my interest this week. There seems to be much less opportunity for our children to experience visual art education in their schools? How do you feel about this? I'm not sure that a hand made Mother's day card is really art education. That's all mine has done this term.

TheFirstOfHerName that's both impressive and inspiring!

CliniqueChubbyStick Sorry to disappoint you- I'm a long serving teacher.

CalamitouslyWrong I have campaigned against Mr Gove for 5 years, so your comment is way off target, and YES this waves a flag for art(s) but recognises the whole picture. Believe me.

Painting textiles.
designing textile patterns on 2 days with pencils etc showing lifecycles of rainforest creatures
made eclipse pinhole projectors
made leaflets about the rainforest with concertinered layers showing different layers of forest
My year 5 twins in state school

CliniqueChubbyStick yes, I have worked (and work) with primary teachers to plan (not just a week) but a term of work. In fact, a year of work.

Err, are you trying to promote accessart OP? Does this combative tone usually work

You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

TheFirstOfHerName well that does sound creative and good......

CliniqueChubbyStick- check your Maths....28 posts? To be honest, I'm keen on social media platforms as a basis for sharing views and discussion, but am disturbed by personal 'attacks'. This is an open forum, I'm asking a question about visual art in education. Let's stick to that. Let's share our views and not criticise each other, or this becomes another version of PMQ in the House of Commons.

vindscreenviper Well yes, I'd promote any campaign for arts- including the year long BBC get Creative project. What about you?

Defineme- that's great to hear!

Mine are doing Art Science now. Or possibly Science Art. Not sure but sounds good...

What about me?
Well in my role as governor (of an Outstanding school natch) with oversight of Art and Drama I wouldn't be falling over myself to work with somebody with a combative attitude, the Artsmark people were very enjoyable to work with. Even though I'm not a teacher I never felt that they were talking down to me.

www.nsead.org/downloads/nsead_art_craft_and_design_educator_survey_report_2014.pdf Vindscreenviper. Hope this helps your thinking. (By the way, I'm not compbatative). I'm delighted to hear of your school success and involvement in the arts.

Remember not all kids like art. I HATED it!

My dd has completed a beautiful pair of pyjamas in hand work, carved me an olive bowl for Mother's Day,( we oiled it at home) , and had a go at scraping some sort of rose in to waxed paper (?). She is almost 14 and at Steiner inspired indie school so there is time and resources for this type of thing due to small class sizes and flexible curriculum. It's an ofsted outstanding school if that counts for anything but I'm just happy that she is happy, maturing, literate and able to do lots of crafts and outdoor activities as that's what suits her best.

Our Y3 children (age 8) are doing woodwork and metal work projects (resources provided by a secondary school a few miles away)

I do think art is important but I also feel that the curriculum is over stuffed at the moment and schools might do better to focus on the basics such as reading, writing and maths which often get shoved to the side for creative days etc. my personal view is that it is the parents responsibility to provide the creative side to their children. It's not hard to do it expensive - painting at the kitchen table, handprints, potato prints, junk modelling, salt dough are all things you can do at home as well as just providing access to pens and paper for children to explore their own creativity. I do feel that schools are trying to make up for the things parents should be doing. It's lovely when your child comes home with great art but the shine can be slightly taken off if they can't actually read at their expected level or are struggling in maths. Maybe what you should be campaigning for is to promote arts to parents.

But then you're expecting parents to buy arts supplies, which some may not be able to afford, and lead an activity they may not feel they can do. Though fair enough, perhaps a campaign to point out how it can be done cheaply and easily would help. Lots of 'creative projects' I hear about seem to be given as homework simply for the sake of it and end up testing parents' ingenuity, budget and ability to get to a craft shop on weekends.

OP, is this the Piaget type thinking (if I'm thinking of the right person) about making things helping the brain work more effectively? Would be good to see art integrated into more lessons like maths or science then. Also, I think from the concerns other posters have raised, advice for schools on how to do this on shoestring resources, in terms of both money and time, would be appreciated.

I would argue that an art day every half term is probably better tan an hour a week for 5 weeks ...

I'd argue that junk modelling and salt dough, though enjoyable for a child, is not real art and they are not perfecting a skill or producing something lovely to treasure. IMO schools try to tick every box but often nothing results in perfection, as there simply is not time.
At my dd school projects take far longer, usually half a term, but are well planned and they are proud of the results. Money and time are key really to what state schools can offer. It's a shame there is not more choice for parents as I'd personally choose a school with a kiln or amazing art facility/ teacher over iPads for ever student

It might be a shock smug but many state schools do have kilns ...