Process Over Product

 After a busy week of hanging student work parent/teacher conferences and handing back student work before spring break, I've been thinking a lot about the old art teacher adage--"process over product."  I've heard the phrase used a lot, but started to realize that it's one of those terribly subjective statements that can take on many meanings depending on personal opinion.  It makes me wonder, what is process? what is product?  Is there a shining ideal example of either of these things?  Is it possible to pin down a more specific definition?  Working at the K-2 level, I've had to adjust my methods to be very process oriented.  At the same time, like any teacher or parent, I am really pleased when students' work turns out looking like the work of someone in 3rd or 4th grade not 1st grade.  Who doesn't love that?

To zero in on this question a bit more, I took a closer look at some of my students latest projects at every level I teach.  My kindergarten students are starting a unit on animals and animal habitats...our first stop on this adventure is ISLANDS.  We read the book The Little Island by Mary Wise Brown.  Students then had to construct a paper island--took some problem solving, but finally landed on masking tape as the best fastener for the 3-D island part.  (If I do this again next year, I will most definitely be investing in some new staplers.) The next class period was spent making fish, birds, waves, trees, etc out of scrap paper.  I would say this is definitely a process based lesson.  Students had to use 2-dimensional materials to create a 3-dimensional effect.  They also had to use collage/building techniques over drawing.  They really enjoyed the process, and I was happy to see those students who really rely on drawing skills facing a new challenge of building images out of paper. 

first step: create island

Some classes made an Island mural instead of individual islands.

second step: fill in water, build trees, animals, etc.

In a slightly more Product-Based vein, first graders recently completely self portraits.  They did a drawing first in pencil, outlined their lines in sharpie marker, then painted with tempera paint.  The second part of the project involved cutting out their portrait and creating an interesting background.  The final step was to write a short poem about themselves.  The lesson here was how to incorporate their words as part of the picture. The results were really amazing and students were very proud.

I definitely saw a huge range in results in this lesson, but for the most part students were completely amazed at the fact that they could draw their faces so easily.

In the end, I have concluded that like so many things in human life, it isn't a question of process VERSUS product.  One is not better than the other; rather, a healthy balance of the two is answer.  One could say the same about nature vs. nurture.  Take out the VS.  We need both.