My Students Hold Me Accountable: The Power of "Why Not?" and Rethinking How "No" Impacts Students' Learning Journeys
I love it when students keep me accountable.
While I am trying my best to run a very student-centered, choice-based art studio, I am finding that I sometimes start to slide back into my teacher-centered ways. Letting go of control is harder than I expected and the classroom can quickly turn into a 3-ring circus where the teacher is the ringmaster commanding full attention rather than directing it towards the real stars of the show (students, aka, trapeze artists, clowns, contortionists, lions...). I mostly catch myself before it becomes the "Dana Show", but am also trying to train my students to let me know if I'm drifting in my purpose.
From the beginning of last year, I shared with students a personal goal during their class periods: to talk less and let them work more! I have trained myself to be aware of when "the wiggles" set in and I've talked too long. I try to limit whole class discussions/reflections to 5 minutes maximum. I know the students' minds are swimming with ideas and their hands are eager to experiment with new materials. But sometimes I forget.
Like last week, when a student raised his hand in the middle of my explanation of the importance of armatures and said, "Are we going to make anything today?" His gentle reminder for me to wrap it up and let them get on with it was much appreciated! Or when students were displaying their art a few weeks ago and I started to come down on a student who seemed to be building a new project rather than mounting his paintings onto a background as instructed. "But I want my paintings to be displayed on an easel...I'm building my own 5 sided easel," he explained. How can I argue with that kind of creativity?
I rely on my students' cues to remind me of when I'm exercising too much control. I find myself asking internally, "Are my actions limiting student creativity and autonomy?" or "If I say 'no' what is the reason and is that reason based on what's good for the student or based on what's convenient for me?" Often as teachers, if we listen to ourselves carefully, we respond to student requests for creativity and independent thinking with a firm "no" because of our own comfort levels, prior knowledge or time constraints. I've begun to reply more often with "why not" instead.
If a student suggests making a floating boat using clay, I might know that it will sink or that the type of clay he's chosen will disintegrate in water, but saying "no" or explaining why it won't work takes away from his learning process about art materials and their properties. Instead, I've learned to say, "Why not? Go for it, let me know what happens". The art studio has become part science lab as experiments occur and risks are taken.
Although this approach to teaching and learning sometimes means the end products are not as "beautiful" or polished as we adults would like them to be, it also means that the students are more engaged in problem-solving and carving out their own artistic journey. It means I work less and they work more to understand the concepts of our unit. It means there are a lot of mistakes that we can share and celebrate along the way. It means they take responsibility for their choices and I support them in that process. More and more, I am teaching students to "think like an artist" rather than simply "teaching art". I am astounded daily at the results this brings to student creativity and motivation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcFRfJb2ONk
While I am trying my best to run a very student-centered, choice-based art studio, I am finding that I sometimes start to slide back into my teacher-centered ways. Letting go of control is harder than I expected and the classroom can quickly turn into a 3-ring circus where the teacher is the ringmaster commanding full attention rather than directing it towards the real stars of the show (students, aka, trapeze artists, clowns, contortionists, lions...). I mostly catch myself before it becomes the "Dana Show", but am also trying to train my students to let me know if I'm drifting in my purpose.
From the beginning of last year, I shared with students a personal goal during their class periods: to talk less and let them work more! I have trained myself to be aware of when "the wiggles" set in and I've talked too long. I try to limit whole class discussions/reflections to 5 minutes maximum. I know the students' minds are swimming with ideas and their hands are eager to experiment with new materials. But sometimes I forget.
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| I try to keep whole group discussions engaging and participatory for students within a 5 minute time frame. More creating = more learning. With only 45 minutes a week, time for hands-on learning is super important. |
Like last week, when a student raised his hand in the middle of my explanation of the importance of armatures and said, "Are we going to make anything today?" His gentle reminder for me to wrap it up and let them get on with it was much appreciated! Or when students were displaying their art a few weeks ago and I started to come down on a student who seemed to be building a new project rather than mounting his paintings onto a background as instructed. "But I want my paintings to be displayed on an easel...I'm building my own 5 sided easel," he explained. How can I argue with that kind of creativity?
I rely on my students' cues to remind me of when I'm exercising too much control. I find myself asking internally, "Are my actions limiting student creativity and autonomy?" or "If I say 'no' what is the reason and is that reason based on what's good for the student or based on what's convenient for me?" Often as teachers, if we listen to ourselves carefully, we respond to student requests for creativity and independent thinking with a firm "no" because of our own comfort levels, prior knowledge or time constraints. I've begun to reply more often with "why not" instead.
 |
| A student creates his own video camcorder for recording our school's weekly news broadcast ("ISPP TV"). He recruits peers as newscasters and spends several weeks adding details and accessories using online images and videos. He is beaming with pride and eager to share with everyone. Our current UOI is how "artists create objects and places that enhance and empower their lives." |
If a student suggests making a floating boat using clay, I might know that it will sink or that the type of clay he's chosen will disintegrate in water, but saying "no" or explaining why it won't work takes away from his learning process about art materials and their properties. Instead, I've learned to say, "Why not? Go for it, let me know what happens". The art studio has become part science lab as experiments occur and risks are taken.
 |
| A student decides to make a bamboo raft after the clay boat doesn't work out. The new challenge: How do I tie the pieces together so they stay? What materials do I use and how do I tie or wrap them together?! |
Although this approach to teaching and learning sometimes means the end products are not as "beautiful" or polished as we adults would like them to be, it also means that the students are more engaged in problem-solving and carving out their own artistic journey. It means I work less and they work more to understand the concepts of our unit. It means there are a lot of mistakes that we can share and celebrate along the way. It means they take responsibility for their choices and I support them in that process. More and more, I am teaching students to "think like an artist" rather than simply "teaching art". I am astounded daily at the results this brings to student creativity and motivation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcFRfJb2ONk
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