Samantha Ulloa
Week 11
Chapter 11 – Using Work Samples to Look at Creativity
Using Work Samples
Work samples to Document Development
 One of the best ways to communicate
change is to compare then and now.
Better than any test score, and
understandable by any viewer, are
samples of a child’s work as the child
progresses in block building, writing,
drawing, or cooperating with other
children
Collaborating with Colleagues
 The teachers bring in other types of
observation documentation that helps
them to come to consensus on the
meaning and indicators of development
based on the evidence provided. The
child’s work is considered a revelation of
thought and feelings.
Looking at Children’s Creative Development  I have definitely encountered this with
Creativity and Cognitive Development
 When involved in creative activities, the
brain and body can become so focused
that nothing else seems to matter.
Benefits of Creativity
 Creativity is taking a bit of knowledge and
changing it, cognitively and practicably
transforming it into something else.
Assessing Creative Program Goals
 It is important for schools and programs
to include creativity in their program
goals and to assess creativity
systematically as a contribution to
cognitive development.
Children Drawing
Stages of Children’s Drawing
The four stages are
1. Mark-making stage (birth to two)
2. Scribbling (Two to Four)
3. Preschematic (Four to Seven)
4. Schematic (Seven – Nine).
 When it comes to younger children, I
agree that the use of work samples is the
best way to see how much a child has
improved throughout the year. It can
reveal a lot from the child such as self-
care, social skills, creativity, memory and
interaction with adults.
 This is a great idea to do as you get an
opinion from a second person who does
not see the child on the daily basis and
give a different insight. Or of two
colleagues observed the same child, they
can both bring in their work and compare
in detail why they chose to jot that down.
children who get really into their activity
and could spend hours. And when they
are told to do another activity, the child
may be upset.
 The aspect of creativity is important in all
age groups and many people see
creativity in different ways such as
drawing, dancing, writing etc.
 This provides the daily opportunity for
creative expression and they are able to
explore various forms of play. Whether it
is having an assigned activity or simply
playing with their peers
 These four stages are used to observe a
child’s drawing and what type of
information the work reveals. As the child
gets older, are more relevant and become
more complex in meaning.
Talking with Child about their Creative Work
 Talking with children about their work
shows attention to their work and is a
window into their thinking and their
feelings. The narratives that children give
as they create deepens the understanding
of the child’s thinking
Using Self-Portraits
 Other experts warn not to psychoanalyze
or over interpret various elements in the
self-portraits because children are often
developing their own stylized graphics
and become fixated on certain
characteristics.
Other Creative Media
Music and Movement Development
 Children in kindergarten and primary
grades are connecting music with literacy
by beginning to read words and music
and learning to play musical instruments,
as well as learning and repeating simple
dance steps.
Sensory Experiences
 One of the most common early childhood
opportunities for creativity is the sensory
experiences—messy play in other
words—where children feel, manipulate,
pour, fill, scrunch, stretch, squeeze,
flatten, roll, splat, or smooth all manner
of materials with no expected end
product.
Using Technology Creatively
 All kinds of technology—computers,
smart phones, DVD and CD players, digital
cameras, and all kinds of handheld
devices—can be used for creative
activities in addition to the math and
science learning.
 When a child is willingly to explain their
creative work, they are comfortable and
feel safe around that particular person.
Some children see their creative work as
vulnerable. It allows
 I liked how the book mentions this
because we shouldn’t be analyzing every
little thing as it can be excessive. Children
may draw themselves as a superhero or a
cartoon.
 To interest children in learning, many
songs and dance have been developed to
either remember the material or be a fun
activity. Such as the ABC’s is a entraining
way to learn the alphabet
 Many children will seek this through play-
dough or the sand. The playdough is
much a much smaller activity that is done
on a table. Whereas with sand, it is
usually outside where they have water
tables and buckets. The child gets to
experience different material.
 With technology advancing, there are
certain apps that can be used to enhance
creativity. Such as a drawing app where
the child can draw and learn how to
change the different colors.