I had to laugh at this story - it SO reminded me of one of my kinders last
year. We drew cats and I told them that after they were finished coloring
their cats they were to color the background. One of my "spacier" kinders
was happily coloring a blank paper and I asked him what he was doing. He
replied he was coloring his background, and he flipped his paper over to
prove the cat was on the "back". I loved it! He was doing EXACTLY what I
asked, only in a way I never would have thought of. :-)
~Michal
K-12 Kansas Art Teacher
http://www.geocities.com/theartkids
>>I know that showing examples is a very common practice and it works
>>because our brains are wired with an instinct to imitate experts. This is
>>especially true when things are not explained well and we don't know how
>>to do something before."
>
> This is a great point and it reminds me of a time I had with some first
> graders. I can't remember the exact wording of what I said but what I
> MEANT was, line your art work up against the wall on the floor so it can
> dry. Being good little first graders they did exactly what they were told.
> I looked and 25 elmers glue bottles were lined neatly up against the wall
> drying very nicely.
>
> I don't always explain things well, sometimes think I am and then have to
> say wait let me rephrase that :-) or more often than not let "me show you"
> it works the other way too because often I have to say to a student "can
> you show me?"
