The Arts in Turkish Preschool Educa

This article was downloaded by: [Zhejiang University]On: 20 April 2015, At: 07:13Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House,37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UKClick for updatesArts Education Policy ReviewPublication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:/loi/vaep20The Arts in Turkish Preschool EducationDilek AceraaAnkara University , Ankara, T urkey Published online: 12 Dec 2014.PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLEThe Arts in Turkish Preschool EducationDilek AcerAnkara University,Ankara,TurkeyOne of the most important factors determining a nation’s level of development in the modern world is preschool education.When preschool education is perceived as an entity that affects every aspect of childhood development,this fact is undeniable.Several aspects of preschool education,including art education,play a significant role in a child’s development.This article explores the arts in Turkish preschool education from the Ottoman Empire to the present.A framework of how art is included in preschool education has been created,and an attempt has been made to develop a critical,but also solution-oriented,perspective on the Turkish education system as it relates to preschool art education.This perspective can shed light on issues related to the importance placed on preschool art education curricula in the Republic of Turkey in hopes of developing standards comparable to those in place in Western countries.Keywords:art education,preschool,TurkeyINTRODUCTIONArt has a strong effect on the human senses.Since the beginning of humankind,art has been used to communicate with others,confirm identity,confront fears,celebrate vic-tories,and express our lifestyles (Nutbrown 2011).Because art has been so influential in people’s lives throughout human history,it should also be regarded as one of the most fundamental means of self-expression for children in the preschool period.This article provides an analysis of the importance of art for preschool children and the situa-tion,past and present,regarding the inclusion of art in pre-school curricula in the Turkish national education system.THE ROLE OF ART IN PRESCHOOL EDUCATION Preschool education fosters the development of a range of skills and competencies in children.These competencies are often related to areas such as aesthetics,communica-tion,creativity,cultural awareness,self-awareness,and social skills (Tu g rul et al.2004).In the current information age,there is a continued need for creative individuals who have enhanced aesthetic judgment,are able to look at prob-lems from multiple perspectives,and are sensitive to thesurrounding elements of beauty and ugliness.Art education is one of the most effective means of developing such char-acteristics in children.Art instruction that is well integrated into an educational system can act as one of the most indis-pensable components of that education,because it can develop aesthetic sensitivity in children,help them to rec-ognize their full potential,provide socialization opportuni-ties,and develop their creative and constructive capacity.Through art,preschool children can learn to follow direc-tions,share materials,tell stories,express feelings,focus,and cooperate (G €o kaydın 2002;Klorer and Robb 2012).As a result,art instruction plays a unique and important role in preschool education.Research shows that art activi-ties have benefits for children’s aesthetic and cognitive development.Art is also an effective tool for creating,com-municating ideas,and understanding others.In addition,it plays an important role in the acquisition of key skills such as teamwork,problem-solving,critical and solution-ori-ented thinking,self-discipline,and motivation.It can also contribute to the development of skills used in everyday life such as reading,writing,and mathematical calculation.Art offers children learning opportunities and can facilitate their intellectual,emotional,and physical development (New Mexico Content Standards,Benchmarks,and Perfor-mance Standards for Visual and Performing Arts 1997;Kırı¸s o g lu 2009).The universal language of art can provide children the opportunity to learn to respect those who are different and who have different points of view.Art is not confined byAddress correspondence to Dilek Acer,Department of Preschool Edu-cation,Faculty of Educational Sciences,Ankara University,Cemal Gursel Caddesi,06590Cebeci,Ankara,Turkey.E-mail:dilekacer@ARTS EDUCATION POLICY REVIEW,116:43–50,2015Copyright ÓTaylor &Francis Group,LLC ISSN:1063-2913print /1940-4395online DOI:10.1080/10632913.2015.970102D o w n l o a d e d b y [Z h e j i a n g U n i v e r s i t y ] a t 07:13 20 A p r i l 2015patterns or approved answers.Art offers individuals the freedom to question and be expressive,thus enhancing cre-ation.This characteristic of art can help children to develop their personality and maintain psychological balance.In addition,since art empowers children to make mistakes,it fosters an environment that allows them to easily express themselves (Feldman 1972;Jalongo and Stamp 1997;Hoff-man Davis 1999;Kırı¸s o g lu 2009;Knight 2010).Art can also facilitate children’s capacity for risk-taking and using their imagination and can enable them to explore alterna-tive solutions to problems (Marshall et al.2007).Dur-ing the preschool period,children feel a powerful urge to create their own symbols that replace real-life objects and experiences.Thanks to their skill in creating mental sym-bols,children can express their perceptions and experiences through art (Hohmann and Weikart 2000).ART IN PRESCHOOL CURRICULAChildren react to the world through their senses,as well as aesthetically.As a result,preschool curricula should include art content that draws attention to these aspects of childhood learning.The self-renewal instructional curricu-lum does require art education to be adapted for this pur-pose,as well as to be efficient in developing in response to changing conditions.Above all,the integrated development of the child requires an adaptive art curriculum.It is very important that art rely on a sound conceptual framework in preschool curricula to ensure holistic development (Buyur-gan and Buyurgan 2007;Nutbrown 2011).Four elements must be considered when planning arts education curricula:aesthetic perception,creative expres-sion,cultural heritage,and aesthetic values.These four ele-ments should be integrated into the production,observation,and discussion of art.When developing pre-school art curricula,it is necessary not only to take these four elements into account but to consider other issues such as the inclusion of a wide variety of art materials and resources.For example,art from different historical periods and styles and by male and female artists from different cul-tures and ethnicities should be presented in a balanced man-ner.Interdisciplinary elements from mathematics,science,literature,and architecture should also be included in the curriculum,allowing children to experience communica-tion,discovery,and exploration.Children should also be helped to make contributions by using elements such as line,color,value,form,texture,and space.In the area of creative expression,two-and three-dimensional activities must be planned to facilitate the development of children’s sense of balance and their ability to express themselves through different techniques and materials (Colbert 1997;Bredekamp and Copple 1997;Bowman,Donovan,and Burns 2000).The preschool period is a time during which children learn about place,the sharing and assembly of materials,and cleaning routines and rituals.Keeping such lessons in mind is necessary when designing activities in arts educa-tion curriculum to ensure that children are able to gain these competencies (Bresler and Thompson 2002).Arts educa-tion curricula must aim to train individuals who can be adaptive,develop personality,and be creative.It is also important to develop individuals who are investigative,open to experimentation,and innovative instead of relying on information transfer that is largely disconnected from real life (Arıko g lu 1995;Burkitt,Jolley,and Rose 2010).Arts curricula must also develop children’s artistic intel-ligence.Artistic intelligence is not only obtained with mat-uration;curricula and qualified teachers also play a role (Eisner 2002).As a result,collaboration with artists must be considered as a way to improve the effectiveness and quality of arts education.In recent years,research has shown that artistic participation enhances preschool curric-ula (Brown,Benedette,and Armistead 2010;Nutbrown 2011).The last twenty-five years have seen the growing participation of professional artists in schools in Europe and the United States.Furthermore,it is now recognized that it is highly important for children to interact with works of art in environments such as museums and galleries (Sanderson and Savva 2004;Hancock and Cox 2002).Artists are an extremely valuable resource in arts education.It appears that many countries are recognizing this value and are involving artists in arts education curricula for chil-dren.For example,in the Central Midwestern Regional Education Laboratory (CEMREL),Inc.,Aesthetic Educa-tion Curriculum,visits to artists’studios and workshops help children gain knowledge of how artists work and shape their thoughts.In the Scottish and English education sys-tems,teachers are expected to include artists in the educa-tional process through activities related to art instruction (Coutts and Dawes 1998;Horn 2006;Madeja and Onuska 1977).The importance of arts education during the preschool period should be emphasized.Teachers,parents,school administrators,and policymakers are vital in enabling chil-dren to receive quality art education.Indeed,the creation of appropriate arts education policies closely correlates with people’s recognition of the importance of arts education (Piscitelli,Thi Mai Chi,and Zhichao 1999;Gratto 2002).In addition,arts education curricula should include a planned assessment dimension.Process-oriented assess-ment,rather than results-oriented assessment,is necessary in art.In process-based assessment,participation,the rela-tionship between the child and the art activity,and the child’s interaction with materials and other children are all important considerations.The assessment of works of art in the preschool period should involve a range of approaches such as observation,individual interviews,self-evaluation,performance-based assessment,and art exhibition.Thanks44ACERD o w n l o a d e d b y [Z h e j i a n g U n i v e r s i t y ] a t 07:13 20 A p r i l 2015to these means of assessment,determining what children know and how they know it is practicable,and feedback can be provided to the child,which will ultimately better support their development (Eisner 2002;Marshall et al.2007;Hopper 2007).A BRIEF HISTORY OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATIONIN TURKEY The preschool period occupies an important position in theTurkish national education system (€Oz1983).Ottoman ele-mentary schools (Turkish:Sıbyan Mektebi)established educational foundations even before the modern era of the Republic of Turkey and represented the first step toward what we know today as preschool education.The word Sıbyan is the plural of the Arabic word sabi ,meaning “small boy.”Sıbyan Mektebi literally refers to the schools opened during this period for small boys;however,despite the name,girls also received an education at these Ottoman elementary schools (G €u ven 2010).Prior to the creation of the Republic of Turkey,schools were also founded by members of minorities and foreigners for their own children (Milli E g itim Bakanlı g ı[Ministry of National Education]1993).From the beginning of the 1900s,institutions such as nursery schools and kindergartens were opened.In 1915,with the publication of the “Statutes of Nursery Schools,”the basic principles structuring the activities of these insti-tutions were put into place.In the same year,the opening of kindergartens within teacher training schools for girls can be seen as an indicator of the state’s interest in female edu-cation.The advent of World War I prevented further prog-ress.Nevertheless,nursery schools and kindergartens were clearly a part of the school system even before the founda-tion of the Republic of Turkey in 1920(Erken ¸Cocukluk E g itimi Politikaları:Yaygınla ¸s ma,Y €o neti ¸s im ve Yapılar ToplantısıRaporu [Early Childhood Education Policies:Expansion,Governance and Structures Meeting Report]2003).Primary education is emphasized within Turkey’s cur-rent educational framework,while preschool education is less of a priority.This situation has been evident since the establishment of the republic and continues to this day.During the establishment of the Turkish Republic,pre-school education was left to families and local govern-ments.The National Education Council of 1953created new provisions regarding the opening of preschool institu-tions.Kindergarten and nursery school regulations were also issued in 1962(Bekman and G €u rlesel 2005).The 1970s,however,was when real importance began to be placed on preschool education in Turkey.The National Basic Education Law,enacted in 1973,included preschool education in compulsory education,thus clearly shaping modern preschool education in Turkey.Since the establish-ment of the General Directorate of Preschool Educationwithin the Ministry of Education in 1992,there has been important progress in the field of preschool education (G €u rkan 1998).Preschools were opened in various regions of Turkey as far back as 1900,even though it was extremely difficult to appoint qualified teachers for these schools.At the begin-ning of the twentieth century,preschool teaching was not yet a profession that required specialized training,and these institutions were not recognized in any school of teacher training.In Turkey,teacher training for preschool education was seen for the first time in the 1913–1914academic year (G €u ven 2010).Today,in the Republic of Turkey,preschool education for children three to five years of age is optional.Preschool education is provided in kindergartens,preparatory class-rooms,nursery schools,day cares,child care centers,and by various ministries and institutions,principally the Minis-try of National Education.Children can attend these institu-tions for a full day or a half-day (United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO]2006).PRESCHOOL ARTS EDUCATION IN TURKEY 1900sIn Turkey,the Temporary Primary Education Law of 1913,which regulated certain basic arrangements for nursery schools,defined arts education as “handicrafts supporting the emotional and physical development of children.”Later,in 1914,in accordance with this law,an extremely detailed document was published that regulated nursery school curricula and aimed to educate teachers in the teach-ing of such courses.This document emphasized that a nurs-ery school was not just a “place of education,”but rather a “place of education,life and movement,”and provided detailed descriptions related to arts education.It appears that in this early preschool arts education,children were encouraged to make human,animal,and pottery figurines with mud and to occasionally bring some examples of their work home.In addition,it appears that children would crush colored chalk into powder,which they would then use to paint their mud works.Children were also asked to use materials such as tree branches,buttons,peas,and beans and to make houses,roads,stairs,and so forth.Chil-dren also worked with paper,such as predrawn pictures of animals and flowers,and prepared paper cut-outs.The same document included the remarkable statement that children were to express their dreams in their painting.Fairy tales were told and books and newspapers shown to the children,stimulating their imaginations for their draw-ing work.In this period,children’s drawings were not cri-tiqued,and care was taken to be encouraging,creating an art-friendly environment (Aky €u z 2004).Although this wasARTS IN TURKISH PRESCHOOL EDUCATION45D o w n l o a d e d b y [Z h e j i a n g U n i v e r s i t y ] a t 07:13 20 A p r i l 2015the first document published featuring a curriculum for pre-school education in Turkey,it appears that care was taken to utilize a wide range of different materials in arts education.Following the foundation of the Republic of Turkey in 1920,there have been five preschool education curricula established by the Turkish Ministry of National Education:the curricula of 1953,1989,1994,2002,and 2006(Ministry of National Education 2010).Objectives,scope,principles,staff duties,and the powers and responsibilities of pre-school educational institutions are determined by this min-istry (G €u rkan 1998,300).1950sThe first Turkish preschool curriculum was the Nursery School Regulations and Curriculum,published in 1953.This curriculum identified activities for arts education in detail under the title of “Clay Works and Handicrafts.”Activities such as pencil painting,dry painting,and paint-ing with watercolor and colored chalk indicated that stu-dents created images with multiple techniques.It appears that students were encouraged to use their imagination while painting.When it came to work with clay,the docu-ment emphasized that clay projects not be too difficult so that children of all ages could enjoy playing with clay and mud.As for handicrafts,it appears that waste materials such as all kinds of wire,cotton,pulleys,rope,twine,cardboard,and so forth were turned into art through the creativity of children.Tools such as scissors and needles were used with the guidance of the teacher (Ministry of National Education 1953).Perhaps the most remarkable element of the 1953curriculum was that it encouraged the use of so many dif-ferent materials.One of the leading materials often used in preschool arts education during this period was termed “waste materials.”When properly used,waste materials can be a rich resource for stimulating creative thinking (Drew 1995).There can be a special relationship between children and the materials that adults think of as garbage.This is because these materials can be turned into works of art by being assembled in a creative way (Sz e kely 2001).Children can shape many materials into rich and creative forms (Szyba 1999).Teachers should allow children to transform waste materials into different items in order to develop the students’artistic skills and creativity (Sz e kely 2001).The creation of works of art using waste materials enables children to comprehend concepts such as weight,width,space,texture,shape,and balance (Erdemir and Kandır 2002).In other words,this process allows children to interact with many types of material and explore differ-ent features of these materials.Additionally,this activity contributes to the development of abstract thought and imagination because children attribute different meanings to items through the process of transforming waste materialinto new forms (Eckhoff and Spearman 2009;Gandini and Kaminsky 2005).The 1953curriculum did,however,limit the implementation of arts education by not including dimensions such as looking at works of art and thinking about art.1980s and 1990sThe preschool curriculum published by the Turkish Minis-try of National Education in 1989was for children from forty-eight to sixty months of age.It appears that the arts education in this curriculum emphasized mind,language,body,and movement,as well as social and emotional devel-opment (Ministry of National Education 1989).In the preschool curriculum book published in 1994,the following items were mentioned as targets for arts education:Creating a unique product in accordance with the level of use of small musclesThe ability to see beauty and ugliness in the surroundingsTaking some measures to enhance the beauty of the surroundingsCreating a product suitable for music (Ministry of National Education 1994)These targets were intended to support the development of children’s creativity,motor skills,and aesthetics.It appears that the curriculum included two-and three-dimen-sional art projects utilizing different techniques and materi-als;however,these projects were most often limited to drawing.In addition,model activities included to support the achievement of arts education targets were limited to those that could be carried out in the classroom and lacked the use of museums,galleries,and art workshops where children could be introduced to original works of art(Walsh-Piper 1994;Acer and €Omero g lu 2008).This was animportant omission,because such artwork can foster the development of aesthetic perspective in children,who learn that the combination of factors such as color,shape,and texture produces a work of meaningful artistic integrity.Looking at a work of art is a process that can stimulate both the senses and the imagination (Bell 1997;Rinker 2000;Forrest 1991;Kreft 2002;Funch 1993).2000sThe preschool curriculum published in 2002was prepared for children between thirty-six and seventy-two months of age.This curriculum included the following targets related to arts education:Realizing the aesthetic features of facts and circum-stances in the surroundings46ACERD o w n l o a d e d b y [Z h e j i a n g U n i v e r s i t y ] a t 07:13 20 A p r i l 2015Creating unique works carrying aesthetic features Realizing works of art in various art fields (Ministry of National Education 2002)Most of these targets were intended to enhance the aes-thetic understanding and creativity of children.Within the 2002preschool curriculum,arts education was not just lim-ited to drawing,as it had been in previous -ponents such as sculpture,ceramics,and graphics were added that enabled the creation of three-dimensional artworks.In 2006,in line with the findings of joint studies con-ducted by the Turkish Ministry of National Education,the General Directorate of Preschool Education,and universi-ties,the development of a new curriculum for children between thirty-six and seventy-two months of age was piloted.The difference between this and other curricula is that it includes a teacher guidance handbook.This teacher guidance book includes sample activities for the realiza-tion of the objectives stated in the curriculum.This guid-ance handbook,in addition to the curriculum,can be seen as a positive development,as it provides examples of how goals can be attained.The objectives designated for chil-dren aged thirty-six to seventy-two months are arranged under the headings of “Psychomotor Area,”“Social-Emo-tional Area,”“Language Area,”and “Self-Care Skills.”This curriculum includes objectives for arts education under the social-emotional area.These objectives are as follows:Creating works of art containing aesthetic features Noting the aesthetic features of works of artReading visual materials (Ministry of National Educa-tion 2006a)Children are expected to be able to discuss features of their artwork such as primary or intermediate colors,shades,shapes,lines,line characteristics (round,flat,curved,broken,etc.),the work of figures in dimensions,and the texture used in the works of art.The curriculum includes detailed descriptions for different objectives.It is recommended that teachers include art forms such as sculp-ture,graphics,and photographs in addition to drawing.A sample activity for art is as follows:Goals:Creating works of art containing aesthetic featuresNoting the aesthetic features of works of art Reading visual materialsMethods and Techniques:Field trip ObservationQuestion and answer Group discussionMaterials:Various paints Drawing papersLearning Process:Announce to the children you are going to a gal-lery together.Before going to the gallery,show children pic-tures of the gallery exhibits and artists’catalogues.Provide children with catalogues to examine,and if they have questions,discuss together.When you go to the gallery,ask children to care-fully examine the artworks in the exhibition. Ask children which artwork in the exhibition they liked the most and,according to the major-ity decision,discuss some questions about the best-liked piece (e.g.,What do you see in this art-work?Why are some parts of the piece light/dark?What kind of materials did the artist use to make this artwork?What are the features you like/don’t like?Why do/don’t you like this artwork?).In the classroom,ask children to take out draw-ing paper and paints.Ask them to draw the artwork they saw in gallery.Exhibit these images.Evaluation of Activity:Was the trip fascinating for children?Did children explain what they feel and think about works of art?How?Other Recommended Activities:Make field trips to workshops where drawing,sculpture,ceramics,and so forth take place.Invite artists from various disciplines,including drawing,sculpture,and ceramics,to the class-room in order to allow them to participate in art activities together with children.(Ministry of National Education 2006b)Currently,the arts education curriculum being implemented in preschool educational institutions under the guidance of the Turkish Ministry of National Education includes the fol-lowing features:Realization that arts education occurs not only in classwork,but also in museums and galleries Enabling children to encounter original works of artExamination of art criticism of original artworks Exhibitions of art made by children Perhaps the most remarkable part of the current curricu-lum in comparison to those of previous years is the move toward utilizing art in museums and galleries for educa-tional purposes.In addition,with the 2006curriculum,weARTS IN TURKISH PRESCHOOL EDUCATION47D o w n l o a d e d b y [Z h e j i a n g U n i v e r s i t y ] a t 07:13 20 A p r i l 2015can see the importance placed on cooperation with outside artists,as well as the emphasis on considering art as more than just classwork but instead as something that is useful to the outside world.Certainly these are extremely impor-tant developments,yet there is concern that there may be continued delay in these developments being fully reflected in the national preschool curriculum.RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONSEach nation’s economic,political,social,and cultural con-ditions have resulted in varying degrees of development in terms of arts education.Rapid industrialization,scientific research,technological breakthroughs,and developments in the field of communications have accelerated the interac-tions between cultures.For this reason,even if arts educa-tion curricula from various countries exhibit differences in terms of place,purpose,content,and method,similarities are also clear in terms of general approaches.Nevertheless,the conditions and requirements of arts education in Turkey have not developed along the same lines as in many West-ern countries.For this reason,changes and developments in arts education have occurred at different times and under different conditions then in the West.When we examine other early childhood art programs throughout the world,we see that the arts are highly devel-oped.Programs range from drawing,painting,sculpture,and design to architecture,film,video,and folk arts and involve a wide variety of tools,techniques,and processes.Arts education standards are structured to acknowledge that many elements from this broad array can be used to accom-plish specific educational objectives.For example,drawing can be used as a basis for creative activity,historical and cultural investigation,and analysis,as can other fields within the visual cational standards outline educa-tional goals,and it is the responsibility of practitioners to choose appropriately from this rich array of content and processes to fulfill these goals in specific circumstances and develop the curriculum (National Standards for Visual Art 1994).In general,the arts have been marginalized and not val-ued as part of the core curriculum in Turkish preschool edu-cation.Five curricula for the preschool years,created at different times,have remained very much at the conceptual level.The main limitations of these curricula are the variety and number of objectives for arts education.Furthermore,these curricula lack descriptive information on how these objectives are to be achieved within the scope of arts educa-tion.While shaping arts education curricula,it is important to better define what,how,and why students engage in art activities,as well as in which places and when art activities should be done,which materials should be used,how these projects should be evaluated,and which evaluation tools should be used.The content of art educations in preschool curricula should be determined with the cooperation of field teachers,artists,art educators,and school managers.In order to implement a curriculum on a wide scale,it is essential to raise public awareness of the importance of arts education that includes cooperation with local management as well as museums and galleries.In addition,it is important that art activities in the curriculum be clear,understandable,and easily applicable.For this to occur,details should be given on how available opportunities can be effectively used when implementing art activities.The preschool curriculum should expand the educational setting,encouraging collaboration with artists and leading children to explore different environments such as muse-ums,galleries,fine arts faculties,and artist studios.In addi-tion,it should include detailed and descriptive recommendations related to how teachers might improve their capabilities in delivering follow-up art projects,creat-ing a positive learning environment,and connecting art with other disciplines.Arts education curricula for pre-school children should include the study of artwork created by artists and communities representing multiple races,cul-tures,religious affiliations,gender identities,and underrep-resented groups,as well as traditionally recognized groups.They should also draw from the wisdom of both traditional and contemporary theories of arts pedagogy.In the creation of curricula,universities,the Turkish Ministry of National Education,and primary and secondary schools should collaborate on research pertaining to arts education.When needed,curricula should be updated in accordance with the developing needs of the times and the society.In addition to these considerations,a national arts education institute should be established to create arts edu-cation policy in accordance with the current conditions of the country and to promote relationships between institu-tions,disciplines,and artists.This institution should func-tion independently from the Turkish Ministry of National Education yet maintain a strong relationship with the minis-try.It should conduct research and present findings to con-cerned parties in the form of periodicals.Symposia,panels,and international congresses should be organized,and it should further assist in the dispersal of knowledge egarding arts education to stakeholders in this field.With these improvements,there would be hope that arts education for all students,including preschool students,in the Republic of Turkey could meet,and one day possibly eclipse,the standards of similar programs that exist for their peers in Western countries.ACKNOWLEDGMENTThis article is dedicated to the memory of ¸Ca g da ¸s Acer,my brother,who always supported and encouraged me to do my best.48ACERD o w n l o a d e d b y [Z h e j i a n g U n i v e r s i t y ] a t 07:13 20 A p r i l 2015。