This would be the kind of thing a teacher new to a particular school might
hear I would imagine, so a plan needs to be put together that will begin at
younger grades to nip this idea of young people in the butt.
I'm really a crusader about this kind of wrong thinking. I burst into one
of those, "Oh no...here comes a lecture!" modes if a student utters such.
Usually...I respond so that kids laugh. "Well....no kiddin'! Can't draw?
Well then, that's why you're here!" then I trail off into, "Imagine...how
many kids might get out of Geometry or Pre-Calc...or other math, by
saying..."but, I can't do this!"
Then I ask them how many students around them do they think took art class
so that they could come into my room and impress me with their talents of
what they all already know? I'm not here to teach...just pass out grades.
From there....I labor to explain that art is a form of communication. Like
language, it has its set of grammatical rules in the form of compositional
principles of design. Things that can be learned. How far one takes it
depends on the passion one is willing to invest. The novelist and the child
in kindergarten use the same alphabet. Though not all will become
novelists, the potential remains.
You must be able to recognize also when it is an issue of lacking
motivation. A student may say to me, I can't do this....but, in reality
they do not possess the self-discipline to see anything thru that does not
promise immediate sensate gratification. So...I dangle a $100 bill in front
of their face and say, "how do you think you'd do if I gave you this when
you finished?" Often you would be surprised how my obvious intent is
missed, and the student comes back and admits they could do pretty well.
With that I lay into them, "Ah HAH!!!!! So, we see that the real issue is a
lack of motivation! Its not that you can't learn to draw better or succeed,
but that you don't see a grade in and of itself worth the effort trying!"
Two things I do to conclude this lengthy post. I keep a number of my
sketchbooks from high school on hand. I let them look them over. Oh sure,
a couple good and decent drawings in them to show I had promise, but most
drawings are lame when you consider who I've become artistically and the
reputation I earned. I point out that "something!" must have happened
between then and now, and ask them what it was. Therefore, I think it helps
to allow some vulnerability of yourself and be transparent so they can see
that effort and work pays off.
Finally...(the second thing), I assure them that getting a good grade in my
class is not favored upon those that I consider better artists than the
others. Forty-five percent of my grade goes toward "work ethic" which is
how they use their time in task management. Fifteen percent goes toward
sketchbooks, and the rest to their projects. I let them know that as a
working artist I know that developing talents is an on-going progressive
venture, and I will be more fair than they might imagine. I reward making
the effort and maintaining a proper attitude.
