Art ammunition

The foundation that develops the characteristics of a child’s personality is a mixture of genes and internalization via socialization. After home, preschools become the first encounter toddlers have of the social world. It is crucial to teach children to be empathetic as it helps them in building strong relationships and sense of security, and in achieving good mental health and social harmony. Here are 3 ways in which you can intricately weave empathy in a child.

Lead by example

Children are keen observers. At home it is the parents that the children observe and mimic. Emotions, expressions, reactions and various other actions are all what children pick through observation. This makes it both easy and difficult to teach children values. It is easy because you don’t have to do anything other than setting an example. However, it remains difficult because one cannot always keep their act together given how complex modern lives are. So, for instance like in stressful situations if we breakdown they will observe and pick that too. Children primarily notice how we treat them so whenever a teacher or parent is having a conversation or is interacting with the child in any way, it is important to remain mindful of your own self – remembering that what you do is what they will learn. Remember to remain empathetic at all times by remaining calm and acknowledging them.

Teach and validate emotions

Children feel all sorts of emotions too and if a teacher or a parent notices a display of emotion, be it good or bad, it is important to acknowledge what the child is feeling. Trouble begins when you do not educate the child about what they are feeling and how to channel it. Beyond their own selves, when a child has had an encounter with a peer, or an elder, or even an animal, take the opportunity to teach them emotions. For instance if the child hits something or someone, explain to him how that thing might be feeling upset as the child would if he was in a similar situation. Teach them how to fix their situation, to apologize and to express. This will lead them to understand empathy and practice it.

Enable interactions

Teach children how to regard fellow and other beings. Caring for plants and animals too counts as a step towards being empathetic. For instance, not stepping on insects unnecessarily, not picking flowers and understanding that these are living, breathing organisms and just how wrong it would be to take away something’s life or to even hurt them. This helps children understand that they too play a role in the well being of another living thing and the happiness and contentment they will feel through this will develop well between the lines of empathy. Preschools are where children interact with each other there, learning how to share, forgive, apologize, and grow while understanding each other. These interactions become crucial in their development as social beings, which is why preschool brisbane teachers should rely on activities which demand interaction.  

For artists, the big problem to solve is to show off. Honoré de Balzac said it in the 1800s. And even if today’s artists are certainly less difficult to make themselves known thanks to social networks, having some advice on how to move on the net is certainly useful. Austin Kleon, artist, writer and consultant of Google, Pixar, Foursquare and TEDx, thought about it in the book “Sowing as an artist” (Vallardi, pp. 124, euro 12), which contains 10 ideas to share creativity and make known your work.

“I had in mind to create a sort of manual for beginners and this is what I produced: a book for those who hate the very idea of ​​self-promotion. An alternative, one might say, to self-promotion ”, Kleon writes in the introduction, entitled ‘A new way of operating’. Which? Sharing, or talking about your projects, regularly put online fragments of your works and what you are learning. In short, if in the previous book (“Steal as an artist”, Vallardi), Kleon explained how to take inspiration from others’ ideas and re-elaborate them with creativity, this time he teaches to fascinate others, “so that they will steal from you”.

The Phaidon publishing house came to the rescue with ” Akademie X: Lessons of Art and Life “, an amazing collection of tips for emerging creatives from established artists (and behavior models), including Marina Abramović (“Are you ready for a Marina Abramović Memoir? ”), Dara Birnbaum, Olafur Eliasson, Joan Jonas, Miranda July, Neo Rauch, and Richard Wentworth.

Artnet News sifted through the book with the aim of distilling the most useful pearls of wisdom, so that you can start on the right foot. Here are 12 useful tips.

1. ‘If you want a normal life, find a normal job’ Sanford Biggers dictates the rule, simple and sweet.
2. Dan Graham warns of the star system “obsessions” and underlines the wrong behaviors with respect to all that is contained in the MAF, “Master of Arts” programs through 4 points that must be clear: 1.) The emphasis of making art as a professional in a ‘career’ rather than experimenting with passion. 2.) The obsession with transforming the artist into a future ‘art star.’ 3.) The obsession with applying academic logic to art, a good example is the overuse of the world to ‘problematize.’ 4.) The exclusive teaching of Contemporary Art found in the magazines in the library. ‘
3. Katharina Grosse, on keeping calm and focused, says that ‘it is important for young artists to have clear what they want. When you think about which galleries you would like to work for, you must first consider what you want: financial success, comfort and support, or any notoriety … I, for example, look for gallery owners who challenge me. I had my first exhibition at a gallery when I was 35 years old. ‘
4. Carol Bove advises to keep the intellectual level high but, at the same time, to have fun with lightness of spirit: “Creating a space where to play and have fun without a real purpose, is fundamental”.
5. Charles Gaines summarizes some very simple ethical rules: ‘In my lessons, In my opinion, art is not exempt from a certain moral responsibility. So don’t do anything that is illegal or that can harm someone. Do not use your art to exploit or a means of spreading racism, homophobia or sexism.