ILLUSTRATIVE MATERIAL
When you understand all about the sun and all about the atmosphere
and all about the rotation of the earth, you may still miss the
radiance of the sunset.--Whitehead.
PURPOSE
In home economics teaching there is an increasing recognition of the
importance of illustrative material as a teaching device. There is no
greater opportunity for effective use of it than in the teaching of
art related to the home. Since one of the major objectives of such a
course is to develop an ability to select the most suitable materials
and articles, and since there is such a variety from which to choose,
it is essential that materials which will give the pupils contact
with good things and adequate experience in selection be provided.
Another important objective is to develop ability to make successful
combinations and arrangements. Since it is not yet possible to use real
homes as classrooms, it is advantageous to bring some of the home into
the schoolroom.
Some outstanding advantages of the use of illustrative material are:
1. It focuses attention upon a single example and affords opportunity
for common interpretation and discussion.
2. It furnishes visual as well as audible instruction.
3. It provides contact with actual materials not in an imaginary
form, but as found in real life. (The use of doll-size houses
with furnishings is questionable for their construction is too
time-consuming and they are too much in miniature to furnish
standards or to interest girls in real problems.)
SELECTION AND SOURCE
What are the factors governing the choice of illustrative material? The
following ones have been adapted from a study by a graduate student at
the University of Nebraska. The material should--
1. Make a psychological appeal by--
_a._ Coming within the experience of the pupils.
_b._ Being suited to their age and previous training.
_c._ Possessing pertinent and attractive qualities.
2. Afford wide opportunity for independent choice.
3. Be simple and adapted to the standards of the community.
4. Be reasonable in cost.
Teachers of art have a double problem in the selection of illustrative
material in that they must not only choose those things which meet
the above standards, but they must eliminate those in which there are
unrelated factors which cause a lack of clarity. Quality rather than
quantity should be the guide in making selections, for a small amount
of well selected and arranged illustrative material is usually more
effectively used than a large unorganized collection. Having determined
upon the pieces of material that are desirable, the next problem is
where to obtain them. Every teacher of art should build up her own
personal collection of materials to supplement what can be procured
from other sources, for one teaches best from her own material. At the
same time, the teacher has a responsibility in guiding the selection
of some pieces which should be provided by the school as permanent
illustrative material. Still other pieces which it is inadvisable for
either teacher or school to buy may be borrowed for special purposes.
Chart 3 lists the general types of illustrative material and indicates
possible sources of this material.
Chart 3.--_Types and sources of illustrative materials_
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General types of | Sources of these materials
illustrative materials |
------------------------------------+--------------------------------
|
I. Articles and materials |
in everyday use: |
|
1. School-owned materials-- | 1. This collection will be
Book ends. | accumulated as funds are
Candlesticks and candles. | available and as desirable
China. | articles are located.
Colored papers. | Certain things as bits
Curtains. | of yarns and scraps
Flower vases and bowls. | of materials may be
Necklines cut from neutral | contributed by members
fabrics. | of classes.
Pictures. |
Screen. |
Swatches of fabrics-- |
For color. |
For design. |
For texture. |
Wall hangings. |
Yarns of many colors. |
|
2. Borrowed materials-- | 2. Borrowed from teachers,
Brass or pewter articles. | homes, and stores in the
Wardrobe accessories. | community.
Dresses. |
Dressing table articles. |
Household linens. |
Picture molding samples. |
Scarfs. |
Small tables. |
Table runners. |
Trays. |
|
II. Collected and constructed |
materials: |
|
1. Collected-- | 1. Collected by the teacher
Magazine covers. | from commercial firms and
Magazine advertisements. | magazines. Much of this
Magazine articles and | material comes to the
illustrations. | teacher by virtue of her
Commercial advertising-- | position and should
Booklets. | therefore be considered
Boxes of miscellaneous | school property.
size and shape. |
Catalogues-- |
Wallpaper. |
Furniture. |
China. |
Silver. |
Pictures. |
Floor coverings. |
Charts-- |
Paints and enamels. |
Fabrics. |
Dyes. |
Colored paper samples. |
Fabric samples. |
|
2. Constructed-- | 2. Made by the teacher.
Paper models representing-- |
Margins. |
Space divisions. |
General proportions. |
Repetition of units. |
Harmony of shapes. |
Colour wheel. |
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USE
The above list of illustrative material should in no way be considered
as representing all that should be provided for the teaching of art nor
as meeting minimum requirements. It is, however, indicative of some of
the materials that are desirable and most usable as well as available
at a small expenditure of money.
The finest collection of illustrative material is futile if it is not
used in such a way that the pupils see the significance of it and
develop discriminating powers through the use of it. Charts and other
materials lose their value if hung around the room or left in the same
arrangements from September to June. Little notice is taken of them for
they seem to become a permanent part of the background. Most charts are
not decorative and their use should be confined to that part of the
work to which they definitely contribute.
There are three important objectives to be kept in mind in the use of
illustrative materials. They are--
1. To arouse interest. For this purpose pertinent materials should
be arranged attractively on the bulletin board or screen or
placed in some conspicuous part of the classroom. These particular
pieces should be changed very frequently. See Figure 2, page 8.
2. To assist in solving problems in the development of the principle.
The teacher will need to use clear and concise illustrative
materials for this purpose. Since these pieces of illustrative
material are usually held up before the class, it is necessary
that they be of such size that all of the pupils can see them
clearly. In addition, the class should be so arranged that all
members have equal opportunity for observing them and handling
them.
3. To assist in developing judgment ability. Materials for this
purpose will be used in two ways: (1) As an aid in solving judgment
problems given to the class. In this case some pieces will be
used by the group as a whole and others will be passed out to
individual pupils. (2) As a means of further developing powers of
discrimination and judgment. For this pupils are asked to make
selections and arrangements from a large number of articles and
materials.
In using illustrative material it is often advisable to have examples
of both the good and the poor. When this is true, one must remember to
finish with the good. In other words, start with the poor and contrast
with the good; or start with the good, contrast with the poor, and then
go back to the good.
Illustrative materials can not serve such purposes successfully unless
they are so arranged as to be easily accessible for class use. For
example, the small fabric sample mounted fast to a sheet of paper can
not be examined adequately for texture study. It would be far better to
have larger samples which are unmounted, thus making possible not only
design, color, and texture study of them, but also many variations in
combinations.
The bulletin board and screen, well placed, offer good possibilities
for accessibility of certain illustrative material which does not need
to be handled. The screen is preferable because it can be moved around
and placed to the best advantage for vision and light.
To the extent that pupils have contact and experience with real articles
and materials, there will be a better carry over and thus a greater
ability to solve everyday art problems successfully.
CARE AND STORAGE
In addition to collecting and using illustrative materials, the teacher
has the further problem of caring for and storing them. Soiled, creased,
or worn materials are not only lacking in inspiration but set up poor
standards.
Illustrative materials may be most efficiently cared for by--
1. Mounting that from which margins will not detract, that in which
only one side needs to be used, and that of which texture study
is not important.
2. Avoiding too long or unnecessary exposure.
3. Careful handling.
4. Cleaning if possible.
5. Pressing.
6. Labeling and classifying.
7. Careful storing.
Good storage for illustrative materials offers many problems, but is
that sufficient excuse for a teacher to leave materials on the wall the
year around or piled carelessly on open shelves in the classroom? The
provision for adequate storage does not necessarily require elaborate
equipment nor a large expenditure of money. Cabinets and steel filing
cases are highly desirable but are not absolutely essential for good
storage.
Much of the illustrative material for teaching related art lends itself
to storage in manila folders and large envelopes, but some could better
be stored in boxes, and still others, such as posters, swatches of
fabrics held together by large clips, or pictures, may be best hung up.
The use of folders or envelopes necessitates a place to keep them. In
the absence of a filing case, one teacher improvised space by utilizing
a large, deep drawer. A partition through the center made it possible
to arrange two rows of folders. The same plan might be utilized in
narrower drawers, providing for one row of folders and space at the side
for storage of boxes. If regular manila folders are not large enough to
protect the materials, larger ones may be procured at small expense by
making them of heavy paper, which is obtainable at any printers. A strip
of bookbinding tape may be used to reinforce the bottom.
Cupboard shelves are more often provided in school laboratories than
drawers. In such cases large envelopes, which are easily labeled and
handled, will hold the materials more successfully. Boxes are very
usable also, and may be stacked on shelves for easy accessibility.
Those which are uniform in size and color are especially nice for
storing many materials such as textiles, yarns, and other bulky pieces,
and when used on open shelves a good standard of appearance in the
laboratory is maintained.
Any available space for hanging materials can also be used effectively.
Textile swatches, charts, and posters, as well as garments, may be kept
in better condition by hanging in closets or cases than by packing.
When the teacher of art has the privilege of advising on the original
building plans that include an art laboratory, she would do well to
plan for various types of storage space. Perhaps the first essential
is plenty of drawer space of varying sizes. Shallow drawers of 4 to 6
inches are recommended by many art teachers. These may vary in width
and length, but some should be sufficiently large for posters and the
larger pictures. Some deeper drawers are desirable for the odd, bulky
pieces of material. Cupboards with solid panel doors should also be
provided, for boxes, vases, candlesticks, and similar articles which
can be most easily stored on shelves. If a storage closet or case is to
be provided, a small rod and many hooks should be included. Then, of
course, a special series of deep drawers or a filing case for the
material that can be placed in folders should be a part of any newly
planned laboratory.
The most important factor is accessibility, and therefore the containers
for all materials must be plainly labeled and conveniently arranged.
Since illustrative material is such a valuable teaching device in art
related to the home, good storage space and easy accessibility are of
fundamental importance in its successful use.