I teach Art to Kindergarten, first, and second graders. I have many,
many, many students who constantly ask, "Is this right?" and "Can I
(whatever)?" and "What do I do?" and many, many, many students who say,
"I don't know how to (whatever)" and.... the most disconcerting of
all.... many students who, right after I give directions for whatever
we are doing and send them off to the tables to get started, will just
sit there. Just sit, and sit, waiting for me to tell them to start,
even though the paper and/or other materials is sitting right there in
the middle of their table. I walk by and say, "I'm not sure what you
are waiting for" and they look at me.
This is all AFTER I give directions, perhaps model the use of a new
tool or show a couple of techniques or show a few examples (which I
then put away) to spark some ideas. I always end my introduction (which
takes place as a whole group, sitting on the floor), with directions to
go find a seat and get started.
I really think this is a direct result of way too much direct
instruction and focus on "the right thing" and "the right answer" and
not enough discovery and/or inquiry. I base this, of course, on my own
deductions relating to the degree of "is this right?" behavior among
different classes (I taught 24 classes last year) and my impressions of
their regular classroom teachers' teaching styles. Very unscientific,
to be sure. :-)
A story:
I had one little boy this year, a first grader, who in the beginning of
the year REALLY wanted me to tell him he was doing the right thing.
Early on, I said to him, "This is art class. If you are following
directions and taking care of the materials, whatever you put on the
paper is going to be the right thing!" and after that, if other
students asked if they were doing the right thing (which they did,
often), I referred them to the first boy. On the last day of school,
when we were charting what they had learned in Art class, my young man
offered, "that anything you make in art class is the right thing." :-)
Renee
On Jun 13, 2009, at 6:02 PM, [email protected] wrote:
Renee
........
I am very interested in your comment about kids getting into that place
where they can't function without modeling. Can you talk a little more
about
that idea for me? I tend to think that my kids ALREADY come to me like
that...even the K kids. Maybe what we need to model is independent
thought and
problem solving.
Jennifer
"The important thing is not to stop questioning."
~ Albert Einstein
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