Exploring Art in Early Childhood Education

In Australia and many other countries around the world, art education is considered a significant aspect of early childhood education. As Jalongo (1999) asserts, teachers who are not confident with their own artistic ability will negatively influence the art of their own students. Therefore, teachers of all stages of their careers need to be provided with training in relation to the art. Through ongoing professional development, teachers will develop basic skills to assist themselves in managing young children's artistic learning. In 2010, the authors completed a self-study of experiences from entering early years classrooms. Using reflective practice in a narrative approach, key themes emerged about skills and techniques needed in art education. This paper offers ways to support early childhood teachers to become more confident in their dealings with young children and their art experiences at school based on these findings. It provides guidance to teacher educators, schools and policy makers interested in improving quality Art education experiences for all students in early childhood education.