Created cuteness vs. abstract loveliness

As far as I know, this is a constant battle in the art world of Early Childhood Education. But there is a larger issue disguised within this vain topic. The issue at hand is teacher directed art or the result of a explored material.

The benefit of teacher directed or guided art is the end product. This is attractive, cute and suitable for parents to show off or hang up for a display. The down sided of this is that the child doent get to use their imagination. They are deprived of figuring out what they are capable of doing. They are also deprived of exploring the materials provided for the activity. So there is a decision to make by teachers.... either you provide a child centered art project that encourages exploration, the use of imagination and the general uplifting of children by fostering their abilities and capabilities within themselves and ultimately lifting and building up their self esteem. OR... you provide material, tell the children what to do with them, make something attracting to the parents eye but the student gets nothing from it. Those are the choices teachers are faced with daily. And hopefully reading this you know where I stand in making this choice...if it was up to me.

To spell it out, I believe as an educator I am a Family Educator. However, the parents had their time in school and the activities that I research and plan and prepare are not for them. I do what I do for the children. So if it is up to me, I would choose to give the children every expeirience that will teach them the maximum amount of knowledge before the move on from me. To focus on the process versus the product.

Here is the issue that I am faced with.....

I am in a school that seems to allow teachers to write to destiny of the curriculum. But the teachers who have been there believe in the finished product versus the process of creating it. So I am stuck between a rock and a hard place because I am trained and used to what I believe in and they are also. So my struggle is to meet in the middle. To create cutness with a process that allows children to explore, wonder and imagine. Sometimes I am foced to lean one way versus the othere depending on the activity. And I will contine to press forward toward enlightening this program to see what the possibilities are.