CHD1332 Midterm

Divergent thinking

A way of looking at a problem that opens things up and results in many answers to the problem.

Convergent thinking

A way of looking at a problem that results in finding a single solution to the problem.

Define creativity.

A way of thinking and acting or making something that is original for the individual and valued by that person or others.

Several characteristics of creativity.

Accepts disorder, adventurous, strong affection, aware of others, and desires to excel.

Define aesthetics.

Aesthetics is sensing and gaining beauty and wonder from the environment.

Ecology is the study of what?

All elements of an environment, both living and nonliving, and their interrelation.

List three things a teacher can do to help children develop their aesthetic sensitivity.

Allow children to choose and evaluate for themselves, encourage thought and feeling in learning, support attentive play.

List three questions to consider when modifying curricula to encourage creative thinking.

Are the children truly interested in the content? Does the suggested method of teaching provide opportunities for divergent thinking? Are there opportunities for children to interact and communicate with other children and adults?

Discuss some adjustments teachers can make in the environment to encourage the play of children with special needs.

Arrange physical environment daily to facilitate opportunities for interaction. Use toys that encourage social interaction- balls, beanbags, blocks, etc. Place children with special needs close to peers during group time to help increase social interaction.

What are some ways to teach classification?

By sorting activities and grouping activities.

Describe at least four characteristics of differentiated instruction.

Children learn best when learning opportunities are natural. Children learn best when classrooms and schools create a sense of community in which the children feel significant and respected. The central job of teachers and schools is to maximize the capacity of each student. Children learn best when they can make a connection between the curriculum and their interests and life experiences.

Give three guidelines to use in choosing material that have aesthetic potential.

Choose materials that children can explore with their senses, choose materials that children can manipulate, choose materials that can be used in different ways.

List at least three art elements to discuss with children.

Colours, intensity, hue, value, space.

List three types of sensing and feeling.

Contact with the world outside of the person: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. What people actually feel with themselves: tensions, emotions, discomfort. That which goes beyond the present and reality, usually called fantasy: includes dreams, memories, images, and guesses.

What is rote counting?

Counting numbers in order by memory.

Why are both convergent and divergent thinking important to creativity?

Creativity requires both divergent and convergent thinking. Children need to learn "how to's" and rules before they can become involved in the process.

Describe the relationship between creativity and the curriculum.

Curriculum provides the what, and creativity provides the how.

The National Science Education Standards in 1996 did what?

Defined performance standards for children at each grade level, from Kindergarten through High School.

Activities that expand further on concepts of animals/pets and art activities do what?

Encourage older children to draw, paint, or model representations of their pets doing something characteristic. Provide opportunities for children to make their drawings, paintings, or cutout animals into booklets, murals, or puppets. Make a variety of boxes, cardboard tubes, and other found objects available so children can create real or imaginary creatures.

Storytelling includes:

Fables, fairy tales, legends, folk tales, and poetry.

The Language Arts Center should:

Have letters placed where children can see them, refer to them as they work and play, and handle them.

Five things a teacher can do to help children develop a willingness to express creativity.

Help children accept change, help children realize that some problems have no easy answers, help children recognize that many problems have a number of possible answers, reward children for being creative, and help children develop perseverance.

Discuss the concepts of original thinking and process over product.

In dealing with young children, the focus should be on the process which encourages the development of creativity across the curriculum instead of its usual limitation to the arts.

How do learning centers assist a child's development of mathematical skills?

In learning centers such as arts, blocks, water play, and art, children have a chance to have daily experiences with math.

Describe and compare the characteristics of play for an infant, toddler, 2 1/2 year old, and a four year old.

Infants love face-to-face talking, rattles, and toys. Toddlers love play dough, water, music, and climbers. 2 1/2 year olds love dramatic play, acting out parts of mothers and fathers, cooking/cleaning, etc. Four year old likes playing monsters or ghosts, hide and seek games, and pretending to be favorite characters.

Teachers can maximize the benefits of reading aloud and emergent reading in early childhood classrooms in the following ways:

Invite children to participate actively in read aloud sessions. Provide frequent opportunities for young children to engage in book handling and emergent reading. Read favorite books repeatedly to encourage emergent reading. Educate parents about the ability of their child to "pretend read" books and to participate in reading through "completion reading".

What is rational counting?

Involves understanding numerals as they apply to a sequence of objects.

Sharing time in an early childhood program is best when?

It involves a small group of three to five children.

List some points to consider when displaying children's creative works.

It is important for the parents to understand that what the child enjoys and feels about what they are doing is much more important than the finished product. Discussion and sharing of a child's creative work should not begin with a parent's asking "What is it?" A parent's simple request such as "Tell me about it" begins a positive sharing between parent and child.

What does it mean to develop the skill of seriation?

It means to have the ability to make comparisons between the sizes of two or more objects and order them from smallest to largest.

Demonstrate four questioning strategies that encourage creative thinking in the young child.

Making things better with your imagination, using other senses, asking divergent-thinking questions, what-would-happen-if technique, in how many different ways...?

List the four areas of development that are enhanced by play activities.

Mental growth, physical growth, social growth, and emotional growth.

What aesthetic experiences are appropriate for older children and why?

Older children can be involved in discussions involving their opinions on art and aesthetic issues. The reason is that, after ages seven or eight, children are able to grasp more abstract concepts.

Formal science experiences are planned by the teacher to develop:

Particular skills.

List at least two specific ways to introduce young children to the work of an artist and to involve them in art appreciation in general.

Plan pleasurable experiences with enough time to look, enjoy, comment, and raise questions. Allow children time to learn to "see" with their minds as well as their eyes. Involve children in both looking at an artist's work and learning to create their own visual arts.

Describe the role of play and exploration in promoting creativity

Play provides a flexible atmosphere that encourages creative thought. Young children need to explore in order to gather and construct information and solve problems.

What would you consider basic equipment and material for a math center?

Set of solid wooden unit blocks, objects to count/seriate, spoons, measuring cups, numbers, and measuring devices.

The teacher's most important role is:

Sharing enthusiasm, curiosity, and wonder.

Explain the sequence in which play develops and the characteristics for each stage.

Solitary play, parallel play, associative play, and cooperative play.

Objects that lead the child to science experiences might include the following.

Sponges, corks, and light pieces of wood. Funnels, strainers, colanders, plastic tubing, and siphons. Paintbrushes, paint rollers, and washcloths.

How would you introduce shapes to a young child?

Teach familiar shapes before uncommon shapes. Point out shapes in the environment. Use shape words often in everyday language.

What in the early childhood program language experience must be taken into consideration?

The developmental levels of children in each part of language (speaking, listening, writing, and reading).

List four suggestions to help children work with their aesthetic materials.

The teacher can ask helpful questions, help children select the materials they prefer, help children "hunt" for aesthetic qualities, and help find useful materials for art experiences.

List five benefits of aesthetic sensitivity in children.

They are more able to be creative, they can experience a higher quality of learning, they have more insight, they can be more tolerant, they can be more independent.

Three ways in which children benefit from engaging in creative activities.

They learn to seek many answers to a problem, they develop their potential to think, and they develop their individualities.

Discuss how to involve parents in their children's aesthetic experiences.

They may help their children plan, choose, and evaluate their work. They may give their reactions to the child's work in a positive way. They may help find useful materials for art experiences.

Selecting appropriate poems includes:

Thinking about what the children are likely to find appealing and focusing on popular topics.

List six guidelines to use in talking with children about their artwork.

Use reflective dialogue in talking with children about their art. Talk about the elements of art. Say nothing at first, reflect on what you say. Do not focus on representation in art but focus on the design. Not all comments need to refer to the artistic elements. Don't attempt to correct a child's artwork by saying it should more closely approximate reality.

Discuss some possible causes of children's violent play and ways to deal with it in the early childhood program.

Wherever possible, reduce the amount of violence children see. Promote imaginative and creative play. Take time to observe children's play and learn what children are working on and how. Encourage children to engage in creative play so they can transform violence into positive behavior.

What is the difference in the criteria for creativity in older children?

With older children, creativity involves more of an emphasis on the criteria of high quality, original products or solutions.