9-13-11 Response to Hellman, Towell, and Smilan

After reading the articles I realized just how vital and helpful picture books can be in the art classroom. Not only can picture books serve as a form of entertainment, but they also act as visual stimulus and ways to teach children about the world around us. In the article by Hellman, it states that they can be used in at least two ways- content and physical form. I agree with this entirely. The images in picture books can not only engage children and excite them about learning, but can also support the text and the lessons being taught. Children are naturally inclined to want to look at the pictures and hear the story behind them. Picture books also can aid the teacher as well in regards to teaching about design, form, narrative, art history, art forms, ways of creating shapes and colors. However, I believe that it is important to choose the right books. Books that are too long, too outdated, have no moral lesson or climax, irrelevant to the lives of children and our world today, and are just "boring" or lack "zest," will not be effective. Children are visual learners and want to have fun in school, and it would really help if the book is colorful, funny, and exciting. Children will not learn if they do not like what they are being taught. I think it is also really important if the teacher actually likes the book, because if they teacher doesn't like it what makes them think the children will? The book also should address a variety of students and cultures. If it doesn't, I'm sure a child may think "I don't know anything about this, so I'm going to look outside the window." There has to be connections to the students- keep in mind "culture is fluid and ever-changing." They have to learn how to become literate, which I find an interesting topic. In the article by Towell and Smilan, literacy is not just defined as being able to read. What does it mean to be literate? If it was only being able to read and write... well, how are we able to actually understand what we are reading and writing? We need experience, we need connections. Literacy is being able to read, write, interpret, speak, revise, connect, and understand. Picture books can teach us all of these, they are a reflection of the world around us. By using them, children will be able to better understand the world in which they live in as well as how other children, families, and people live in their own specific cultures.