Volume 39
Issue 1
Winter 2018
Expressing Identity in Early Childhood By Sarah Hassing, Atelierista and Early Childhood Coordinator The construction of personal identity is an ongoing process that begins during childhood. This process takes shape over time as children learn about themselves through interactions with parents, teachers, peers, relatives, and other people who care for them. As children age and mature, the manner in which they perceive themselves is a function of their social experiences in correlation with constant self-examination. Everyone has unique characteristics, qualities, and gifts to offer and share. We consider children’s social-emotional development and their ability to gain a deeper awareness of themselves in relation to the world around them of utmost importance. When we ask children to create a self-portrait, we are asking them to examine their sense of self and make a statement about who they are at a specific moment in time.
We revisit self-portrait work with children often, in both Early Childhood classrooms and the Atelier, in order to honor each individual child’s continued growth and evolving identity. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach, we use many creative media, called “languages,” to explore identity, such as watercolor, clay, natural materials, oil pastels, and more. These ongoing experiences, which mark a child’s first years at The College School, enable our students to fully investigate who they are, what gifts they bring to their classroom families, and how they shine in their roles within the school community. Throughout this project, our youngest students’ voices, ideas, and senses of self are honored, listened to, and respected by peers, parents, and teachers. n
Early Childhood students use oil pastels in the Atelier while creating their self-portraits.
Students use natural materials to create images of self.