Artistic Differences
By John W. Healy

Andrew (left) and Kimmy (above) display their detailed, colorful self-portraits.

When children leave their back yards and play groups to enter school for the first time, they often meet classmates whose races, religions and physical capabilities are different from their own. The need then arises to address these differences in a constructive way. Taking this initiative at the onset of the school year can help eliminate conflicts and increase awareness of the human diversity that children will encounter all their lives.

On the side of humanity
The beginning of the school year is often a time when children "choose sides" and gravitate to friends who are somewhat similar to themselves, in an unconscious effort to maintain a level of familiarity and comfort. However, as we all know, one goal of education is to learn about and appreciate things that are unfamiliar to us.

We have an opportunity to help our students identify who we are and how we are different. You can introduce this concept at any grade level, using a variety of art projects and media to encourage children to celebrate our differences.

Steps to take

1. If your students are very young, prepare generic child-shaped outlines on 11" x 17" pieces of paper and give one to each of your students. If you have older students, they may draw a full-figure outline of themselves. These self-portraits should represent the entire child, as seen from head to foot, rather than just a head-and-shoulders view.
2. Ask the students to draw, inside the outline, information about themselves. This "information" can include hair color, skin tone, facial features, as well as the clothing they are wearing. Students who use glasses, canes, wheelchairs, prosthetic devices or other aids should be encouraged to include these things in their self-portrait.
3. If a generic outline was given to your students, let them know that it may be altered to reflect what they look like.
4. It's up to you to choose the art materials for this project. This lesson doesn't have to be confined to the art department and may be used in a variety of subject areas. Feel free to use drawing paper, computer paper, crayons, markers or even something as simple as pencils. Colored paper, scissors and paste can be useful and fun for the kids if time and budget allow for such materials.
5. When the children have completed their self-portraits, gather the entire class in a circle and have them hold up their illustrations.
6. At this time, use the children's drawings as a way to start a class discussion about "who we are and how we are different." The differences you discuss can be anything from hair, skin and eye color to favorite types of footwear, favorite colors or even favorite symbols.

   For example, in the picture on the previous page, you'll see that Andrew drew himself wearing a "Spider-Man" t-shirt. This superhero is a role model for Andrew and, in discussing Andrew's picture with him, you might find that he wants people to view him the way they view Spider-Man: as a "good guy." Andrew's inclusion of the Spider-Man symbol in his drawing gives powerful clues to how Andrew sees himself and what he values.

7. After the class discussion, prepare an exhibition of the completed artwork in your classroom or in a prominent part of the school. Post a sign above the children's artwork, using bold letters of different colors to spell out, "Who We Are, How We Are Different."

Beyond tolerance
In order for our ethnically diverse country to survive and flourish, all of us must live and work together constructively. When, as Americans, we are at our best, we celebrate our differences. As teachers, we have an opportunity to help children go beyond mere tolerance of others, to develop an appreciation for others.

When we create art, we can also establish metaphors for our own lives. Artistic originality is highly valued and this creativity comes naturally to children. It's worth noting that originality in a piece of artwork is characterized by what makes it different from other pieces of artwork. Self-portraits of famous artists such as Degas, Hopper, and Frida Kahlo exhibit basic differences that make these works of art celebrated and valued.

Observing and celebrating the differences in our students' artwork can help to bring the children together, enhance their feelings of self-worth and open their minds to new and positive learning experiences.

Dr. John W. Healy teaches art at Woodland Middle School, East Meadow, NY.

August/September 2003, Vol.34, No.1