My sincere thanks to all of you who commented on my letter concerning =
"showing examples last". I've come to the conclusion that there has to =
be a balance. I do show examples beforehand. I never show an example =
of my own, however. This is something I've always felt strongly about =
although I realize it may work for you. My young students (grades 1 -5) =
want to please me too much. Many of them feel that if they copy my =
example they will get a higher grade. I do show examples from famous =
artists and from other children occasionally but the children's examples =
I chose are always the most complex and no one has ever tried to copy =
them, rather, they are simply an inspiration to go beyond the =
requirements of the lesson. I think every artist uses photographs at =
times as references. When a 5th grader asks me how to draw an armadillo =
for a science project she is working on, I will show her photographs. I =
think it would be a little far fetched (but not impossible) to tell her =
to go to the zoo and make sketches.
Now here's something else I would like to discuss. Why is it that it is =
so terribly politically incorrect to suggest that some children have =
tremendous difficulty drawing? Am I the only art teacher to have a few =
students in every class who absolutely cannot look at a flower in a vase =
and draw it? At least they draw it so poorly that they are ashamed for =
anyone else to see it. Believe me, I bend over backwards trying to show =
them how to follow the edges with their eyes (contour drawing) look for =
simple shapes etc, etc. I wish that someone would address this because =
I think it's unrealistic to say that every child is capable of doing =
realistic drawing. If a child can be dyslexic in forming letters and in =
reading, why not in art? All my life I've struggled with math and it =
wasn't because I had poor math teachers. However, no one ever showed me =
how to draw. I could draw realistically by age two. I hope this doesn't =
make any of you mad at me for even mentioning it but I'm going to be =
brave and risk your wrath at opening this thorny question.
Peace --- Sky
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>My sincere thanks to all of you who commented on =
my letter=20
concerning "showing examples last". I've come to the conclusion =
that there=20
has to be a balance. I do show examples beforehand. I never =
show an=20
example of my own, however. This is something I've always felt =
strongly=20
about although I realize it may work for you. My young students =
(grades 1=20
-5) want to please me too much. Many of them feel that if they =
copy my=20
example they will get a higher grade. I do show examples from =
famous=20
artists and from other children occasionally but the children's examples =
I chose=20
are always the most complex and no one has ever tried to copy them, =
rather, they=20
are simply an inspiration to go beyond the requirements of the =
lesson. I=20
think every artist uses photographs at times as references. When a =
5th=20
grader asks me how to draw an armadillo for a science project she is =
working on,=20
I will show her photographs. I think it would be a little far =
fetched (but=20
not impossible) to tell her to go to the zoo and make =
sketches.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Now here's something else I would like to =
discuss. =20
Why is it that it is so terribly politically incorrect to suggest that =
some=20
children have tremendous difficulty drawing? Am I the only art =
teacher to=20
have a few students in every class who absolutely cannot look at a =
flower in a=20
vase and draw it? At least they draw it so poorly that they are =
ashamed=20
for anyone else to see it. Believe me, I bend over backwards =
trying to=20
show them how to follow the edges with their eyes (contour drawing) look =
for=20
simple shapes etc, etc. I wish that someone would address this =
because I=20
think it's unrealistic to say that every child is capable of doing =
realistic=20
drawing. If a child can be dyslexic in forming letters and in =
reading, why=20
not in art? All my life I've struggled with math and it =
wasn't=20
because I had poor math teachers. However, no one ever showed me =
how to=20
draw. I could draw realistically by age two. I hope this doesn't =
make any=20
of you mad at me for even mentioning it but I'm going to be brave and =
risk your=20
wrath at opening this thorny question.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Peace --- Sky</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
