Everyday artists : inquiry and creativity in the early childhood classroom / Dana Frantz Bentley ; foreword by Judith M. Burton.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"Knowing me, knowing you" : arriving at art in the preschool classroom. -- A Way of Inquiring. "Spooky elevators" and other preschool adventures : rethinking the word art -- "No robbers allowed" : integrated thinking and the young child -- "What are all of these words?" : the many knowledges of teacher researchers. -- A Way to Think. Living "wide-awakeness" : the artistic practice of rewriting storylines -- "It is a rescue rocket ship!" : the artistic practice of world-making -- "Her prince gived her this ring!" : the artistic practice of meaning-making -- Of lizards and metacognition: the artistic practice of thinking about thinking. -- A Way of Being. "Is that a story about me?" : artistic practice and the teacher -- Making time for volcanoes: the shape of the early childhood classroom -- Jigglypuff and the Pokémon princesses: looking to the child.

For the young child, art is a way of solving problems, conceptualizing the world, and creating new possibilities. In this book the author addresses the disconnect that exists between the teaching of art and the way young children actually experience art. In doing so, this book questions commonly held notions and opens up exciting new possibilities for art education in the early childhood classroom. A practicing teacher herself, the author uses vignettes of children's everyday activities, from block building to clean-up to outdoor play, to help teachers identify and scaffold the genuine artistic practice of young children. The book features: Tangible examples of everyday arts experiences told through lively classroom stories ; An examination of the teacher's role with suggestions of appropriate ways to support children's artistic expression ; Clear explanations of how inquiry and creativity contribute to the overall thinking and learning of the young child ; A "Voice of the Teacher" section that offers teaching strategies for extending children's thinking and learning ; A wide-range of ideas for teachers who feel they do not know how to "do" art. -- From back cover.