Creating in Clay: Ways to Strengthen the Brain-Hand Connection

This week, students spent a great amount of time working in clay.  Although in the end, we did not actually build anything, the students were gleaning great knowledge about materials and their relationships.

When children are doing significant, meaningful works, they learn that there are many ways to approach a problem.  A few points to mention: The brain grows when it is required to transform from one modality to another (this happens when children discover and distinguish the whole from its parts).  Children can learn that little differences can result in a big effect -- the brain grows when it is challenged to perceive cause and effect.  Very young children can develop extraordinary manual dexterity -- The neurons that enable the eye and hand to communicate only develop through extensive use of the hands!

As children work with clay, they develop both fine and gross motor skills.  Children in the art studio began by pinching a piece of clay off of a large block and were encouraged to "play" with it.  As students explored the clay, they rolled, smashed, smoothed, tore and molded it back together again.  We also generated a list of verbs and adjectives to describe the clay.  Kindergarten students were challenged with the task of creating something that was able to balance and stand.   As all students worked, they were learning about the properties of an object- the size, shape, color, texture - all the while, they were making meaning from their sensory perceptions.  

While children explore in the atelier, they are being exposed to a multitude of materials.  Materials are the critical link to form a relationship between the hand and the brain.  Whenever you ask your child what they did in school, remember that "play" is much deeper than what it sounds like on the surface.  We purposefully expose our children to as many new materials as possible in order to continue their brain growth!  We are not only enabling our students to become independent critical thinkers,  but we are also increasing neurons!  Please also note that while children are exploring, we are making certain that our students have frequent conversations and experiences using language in order to attain proficiency in speaking, writing and reading.