Yesterday was one of those days at art. One where nothing really went well other than the girls were happy - no matter that their art was not. Frustration may have been my word for the day. Some of the girls needed to finish prior projects, but I needed something for the other girls to do. Since it was Valentine Day, I thought painting flowers would be nice. I searched and planned out the lesson. We had painted sunflowers a few weeks ago hoping to teach value - lights and darks - and this would be a continuation of that lesson. Some people see things in one color and need to be taught to see all the colors and the value differences. If you see a sunflower and say, "Yep, that's yellow." then you need to look closer. Value differences give a picture depth. Without the value changes, things are just flat - a yellow sunflower becomes just a yellow blob. Besides perspective, it is the most difficult thing for me to get across to my students. Yesterday was difficult. Frustrations ran high making me think that we need to back up and start over.
But they are a happy group of girls. They laugh and talk and brighten my day. Some of them laugh when their paintings turn out, hmm well, ridiculous. At least they know - that is a start. But then there are the girls who are as frustrated as me. Me, for not being able to explain things clearly. Them, for not being able to make their art work. I need to relax and let it go and try again next time.
6 comments:
Frustrations ran high making me think that we need to back up and start over. You, m'lady are a good teacher. As with training horses or dogs, if they aren't 'getting it' what am I miscommunicating?
You have the patience of a saint, in addition to what Deb said. My "teaching" was limited to coaching/developing subordinates in the workplace and trying to pass things on to my kids. I suppose I was reasonably successful but both instances involved doin' sumthin' I loved. I couldn't be a professional, that is someone who must teach all comers.
People often tell me I should have been a teacher, but no. I think I would have killed somebody.
Deb,
I like the horse training method of least resistance - asking nicely the first time, but putting on more pressure as needed.
Buck,
I don't know about saintly patience. Sometimes, I want to blame the kids for not listening and following instructions, but then I know adults who do the same thing.
Becky,
You might want to kill, but you won't. With your karate skills, though, someone could get hurt.
You are great to have patience and teach the young. As Becky says, I would have killed somebody, too. Oh my.
I don't care for Bloggers new verification. Probably better to keep out the spammers, but I can't read them either. Ha.
Jo,
I'm having the same problem with the WV. I hate change, sometimes.
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