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Elementary Drawing

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Rdunkelart_at_TeacherArtExchange
Date: Tue Dec 11 2001 - 15:13:31 PST

Help!!! Today some fifth grade students complained to the principal that I
am too hard on them and expect too much of them - that they are doing their
best and I keep correcting them. Geeze isn;t that my job. One young boy
draws people without necks puffy abdomens, stick arms and legs. I told him
that in fifth grade
we should try to concentrate on all body parts and draw them in proportion.
I then
showed him a simple drawing of a man - two opposing triangles for the torso
and
then barrel arms and legs. Very simple and dooable for his age. He walked
away
miffed that I had corrected him. Same when we draw trees or any other thing
we
have covered over the last many years. I show them the realistic way -
again - - not being
critical but urging them to grow in their art - not staying in that
comfortable spot of
doing the same thing over over the same way but pushing themselves further.
I do allow for creativity and imagination but you have to start with
something first I use
the allegory of learning to walk - it is more comfortable and less dangerous
to crawl
around - why didn;t you give up and not walk??? Makes me mad that the kids
won;t
address this with me but tell their teachers who then tell the principal.
Any of you
in this spot???