A chunk of my 4th grade boys have been working diligently in the Builders space for the past several weeks creating fantasy weapons. Having boys of my own, I didn't really give it much thought simply because I have witnessed for years the developmental stages of kids: and yes, fantasy is a stage nearly all kids maneuver through. Today, it was brought to my attention in a "questioning" way and while I did my best to explain to this awesome 4th grader why I was ok with it, I'm not sure I succeeded.
I was in that moment reminded of an article I read and will post here for you ( http://clydegaw.blogspot.com/search?q=boys+and+weapons ) In this article, my fellow TAB teachers Clyde Gaw and Clark Fralick discuss this important stage of artistic development and how censoring that development can cause more harm than good. "Like the early artists of Lascaux, children develop a fascination for objects of power and it is not surprising that for many young artists, representations of power dominate their imagination and their art," Clyde Gaw. I just wanted to share my thoughts on the matter, in case you have noticed such artworks coming home. As always, continue talking to your little artists about what they are bringing home, how they made it and why. Those are important conversations for everyone involved!
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