4 yr old doesnt want to colour in....

From an artistic point of view (or creative) colouring in is actually considered from what I have read (and been taught) to be a negative form of creative encouragement. Yes, it has its merrit considering that a child learns to work within a confined space but the problem is that a child can only then coulour in the already given lines and does not develop his own creativity by drawing his own lines.

In my opinion any pre-school teacher that doesn't know this has not been propperly educated in my opinion.

Colouring in is only the ability to fill a space with colour and that's that, not much creativity going on there. But expressing yourself with your own linework, shapes and textures lends itself to the development of a childs creative abilities.

I agree that your child is probably going into a powerstruggle (rightly so in my opinion) because someone is forcing him to work within "an unreasonable box".

Why can't he draw his own picture from scratch??

Hope you can resolve this.

It is around that age where teachers start teaching the "correct" way to hold a crayon / pencil, so it could be that she embarressed him in some way when correcting him.
One of the other children might have teased him if he continually goes over the lines and if he is a sensitive child, it could also be affecting him.

I have found with my 2 boys that I need to help / correct them in very different ways, so I can imagine a class with 10+ children it can be difficult to figure out how best to treat the individual child.

But I agree try speaking to him about it. I know you said he does not want to colour at home anymore either, but maybe if you colour with him, even if he just sits there and watches, you comment on how much fun it is and how much you are enjoying it etc, he might become curious and try it out himself again

Then schedule an appointment with the teacher and discuss when it started (something might have happened in his life that seemed small to you, but huge to him - at home or at school), was there any bullying happening at school, was she correcting his grip / encouraging him to draw within the lines, is there any way he could think that his classmates were laughing at him
Then also discuss a constructive way of coaxing him back into drawing, cos yes, it can affect future pen control, hand writing etc

Is he allowed to draw or something instead? Surely! Sounds like the teacher is trying to force him to do something and he is reasserting he's power. So she should let him rather do what he wants till he comes around. He's 4! Honestly

Hi There, this is going to be a stupid question, but have you tried to ask him why he does not want to colour in, if there is a specific reason, did someone say or do anything that discourages him in colouring in? Maybe someone said something really hurtfull to him.

Hi

My son is 4 years old this mnth and hates colouring in, it has become a problem at school now cause teacher complains about him not wanting to colour and telling me what a huge problem its going to cause with his development....

i am quite angry cause he used to attempt it before starting in her class as i have pics that he has coloured in at the beginning of the year and since she has started to make such an issue of it he is refuseing to do it more and more... wont even colour at home with me :'(

Does anyone have any advise for me! please i need help!

thanx