Letting Them Choose

Posted by Patty | 0 comments

With so many different subjects to cover it is hard to know where to focus a fine arts study. Focusing on the great painters will leave little time for the great composers. Likewise, focusing on photography may leave architecture hanging on a beam. Choosing ballet may leave a child too tired to also take up theatre. There is so much that there is no way that you can focus on every aspect of fine art. Well, no humanly possible way anyway. I suppose if you are Superman you could accomplish such a feat.

If you think about it, Leonardo daVinci was many things–an inventor, a painter, sculptor, and the list goes on. He was very artistic and utilized his understanding of art to further his knowledge–but he is certainly not known for any great pieces of music. Likewise, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote many forms of music and composed many pieces involving many instruments and forms of vocalization, but he wasn’t exactly known for paintings.

The great artists of old knew that they needed to focus their energies within their own talent’s sphere. They did venture forth and learn more, but it was all within the confines of their own medium. So how do you choose what to focus on and what to pass over?

That is a hard choice. I have been known to try to fit it all in. I mean, they have to be exposed to it all, don’t they? They need to know of all the composers, they need to be able to recognize every famous painting, they need to know what architectural designs come from what era, and they need to know not only how to sing, but also how to dance. Don’t they?

Actually they don’t. They don’t need to know every aspect of fine art. Life will go on if they do not know who painted “Sunflowers” or who composed “Spring.” The world will continue to turn if they have no clue where the meaning of the gargoyles on churches came from or if they can’t carry a tune in a bucket. Life WILL go on.

So what do they need to know? And how deep do we need to go with it? That depends on the child. I find that for true learning to happen our children must have a desire to learn the lessons taught. No one will open their mind to something they find objectionable. They will drag their heels, close their minds and fight you every step of the way. They will protest in any form they can think of to force you to give in. If they are simply not interested, there is very little that you can do to force them to want to learn it. So the choice must be theirs.

Offering an introduction to the various forms of fine art is the way to do it. Leaving a book available containing the great pieces found in the Louvre will introduce the great artists. Listening to a CD of classical music will introduce the great composers of all times. Taking your child and pointing out some of the interesting pieces of architecture in your city will not only let this “dusty old building” art form come alive, but it will help them learn to observe life in their own “back yard.”

I have found that once these introductions are made, my children will ask for more of what interests them. My oldest could care less about art, but creative writing has her intrigued so much that she is trying her hand at writing her own novel–at 13! My 10 year old has undertaken the task of learning how to paint buildings (in oils). My 6 year old dances to any music I turn on–she has never had a dance class but watching ballets on the television has inspired her in ways that I never could.

By giving them a chance to form their own opinions and letting them have the lead, I have let them develop their own desire to learn. This desire is one that I could never have fabricated with all the lesson plans in the world.

Since they have formed these desires, I have sought ways to let them learn and grow. I have taken the time to work with my 13 year old on her novel, helped her expand on her young knowledge and stretch her abilities. I have provided books on painting in different mediums and on sketching, and have even tried my hand at something unfamiliar in order to help my 10 year old learn a specific technique that is troubling her, more often than not with a very comical result (I am not artistically talented). Unfortunately the only thing I can do for my 6 year old is provide more ballets for her to watch and clap for every personal recital.

So my advice is to let go, just a bit, and let them decide what to focus on. Don’t try to fit it all in, as you will never do it all and will in the end regret that they didn’t learn as much as you hoped.

Watching them delve as deep as they want into a subject they are truly passionate about will be all the reward you will need. You will be able to watch as your child excels at something they truly enjoy, and you will never regret those hours that could have been used to force them to endure a subject they found incredibly boring.

Let go, and enjoy their talents.

Patty Thompson is a homeschooling mom to 4 kids and wife to her high school sweetheart. She has been homeschooling for 4 years and loving every minute of it. Future plans include Homeschooling through high school. Her kids range from Kindergarten through 8th grade. Her style is very eclectic and believes in going with what works! She is rarely seen without a book in her hand. She loves to plan lessons and unit studies. She has started working with a co-op group and has enjoyed teaching group classes. Her hobbies include Genealogy and card making. She has often been found lost in thought on her blog. Catch her there and take a moment to feed their school mascot, Shiver, at Shiver Academy.