Art Curriculum, Learning Materials, and Cultural Capital in the Israeli Kindergarten

Abstract

This research focuses on attitudes toward artwork reflected in the official curriculum and pedagogical material in Israeli kindergartens, and the role this attitude plays in the reproduction of the class structure—specifically, the different institutional approaches to artwork in the kindergarten and the reproduction of cultural capital. This microethnographic field research was carried out in two kindergartens. This research reveals two conflicting models regarding the approach to creativity, co-existing de facto in the official art curriculum, and in the related professional literature: the conservative-authoritative approach (focusing on standardization) and the creative approach (focusing on self-expression). Both approaches place a higher value on the cultural capital of the middle to upper socioeconomic classes and “Ashkenazi” culture and ignore the “Sephardic” culture. The conflict between the two approaches at the policy level is resolved in the activity patterns adopted by each teacher based on the social standing of the children's parents.