The teacher took me up on my offer to be 'the art mom' for the class this year. Basically, I plan an art / craft activity for the kids each week. We have an hour for a 1st grade class.

There is no set curriculum. There are certain lessons I do want to address with the kids: basic skills, texture, color theory. My hope is some of the art will re-enforce the skills they are developing in other subjects, too. I also want to expose them to some of the more famous artists, when we have time. Of course, we'll also address holidays and seasons.

I've taught and organized art classes for preschool kids both in a religious and secular setting. I'm aware that this 1st grade is in a public school so I will steer clear of any religious-themes, of course.

Mandalas are rooted in Tibetan, Buddhist, Hindu, and even Navajo cultures. Mandalas have been known to aid meditation and prayer. Of course, I wouldn't mention any of those elements in class. Mandalas are great for learning about symetry and patterns (early reading skills) plus just coloring them have proven to be very calming for children. That is why I want to do a section on mandalas. I think the kids would love to work on something that is pattern oriented.

Anyway, if your child came home with a pretty color sheet or cut pieces of paper in a circle pattern, would you be upset if you realized it was a mandala?

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No, I think children should learn of other cultures etc.... at pre-school age do they truly grasp what it is? Do you go into detail about what it is? I wouldn't be upset by it even if my children were older..it is up to me as the parent to ground them to root them.

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I had to look up what you meant I realize what they are now, but I think most folks wouldn't mind, I'd hope.

I've seen the sand mandalas that the Monks did when traveling through the US, and I thought those were just incredible. I think they would also be an excellent task for all the reasons you mentioned - symmetry, color and patterns.

I personally think it would be a lot of fun - now I want to do one!

I remember making dreidels (sp?) in school. Of course, that was 15 years ago, before PC went nuts. That was fun too.

My son has art once a week at elementary school and they cover all kinds of different art - Japanese art is what they're doing now. So I'd have no problem with it as long as it was done in that context. Last year they covered Navajo art at some point and it was done as you said - in the context of teaching about different art techniques. The art teacher does give them a background on the art they are studying and it is usually somehow tied into what they are doing in the regular classroom.

I think it sounds like a great idea!

I most likely wouldn't realize what it was. I see nothing wrong with having the children coloring it and explaining the basic history behind it. The other parents should be thankful that you are volunteering your time to help the children.

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I wouldn't have a problem with it either.

No - not at all offended.

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nope

No, it wouldn't bother me.

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Whew! Thanks ladies. This is the project I had planned for this Friday (it is now Thursday) so I was hoping it would be okay. We're just starting the art classes and I wanted to spend some time getting to know the kids and their skill level. The alternate project I had planned (making a 'quilt' out of patches of color paper and magazine squares) would take up too much of the hour if I spend more time on the Q&A session I had planned.

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