The teacher: ‘Robbie is new in group 7 and sees me as his life preserver’

Robbie is new to grade 7. A funny little guy with a luscious head of hair. After my oral introduction to the American painter Andy Warhol, he literally has his hands in his hair. “I really don’t know how to do it, and I can’t, I think it’s scary,” he says annoyed. “Why don’t you show a painting by him? Then I know how to do it.” I tell him that it is much more fun to work with the tips I just gave myself. “Because only then will it become your work of art, and not a copy of Andy Warhol”, I explain. “Just start drawing thin and remember that what you do is never wrong.”

lifebuoy

Robbie sighs and tries again. But his hands aren’t getting the right commands out of his head. After ten minutes of staring at his white paper, he looks at me desperately again. Of course I see his begging look, yet I give him no example. The rest of the children are already at work. They know that with me they have no success with such requests. But Robbie is new and sees in me his lifebuoy, instead of trying to swim himself.

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Creativity

Think of something yourself? Some kids don’t mind, most do. Partly it will be part of the development of the child, partly it lies in the upbringing. Parents want children to obey. School often goes a step further. The teacher tells the children exactly what to do and they waddle along in the track like obedient ducks.

What if Robbie is now barely stimulated in his life, for whatever reason, to come up with something of his own? Then my lesson suddenly becomes a tough obstacle course that he has to overcome himself. I think if children learn to think outside certain jobs, we train them to be creative people and learn their own talents. Show children the way, but give them their own destiny. When I teach them to draw in the style of Van Gogh, Picasso or Herman Brood, I never show them an example beforehand. I tell about their often flamboyant lives, how these artists worked, who they met. About their successes and setbacks. I tell them how they saw the world and how they translated it once they had a brush in their hand.

Basic instructions

When the children get to work themselves, they receive a number of basic instructions. In this way they work step by step towards an end result that they do not know beforehand. I go through those instructions with Robbie one more time. He begins to draw very carefully. He immediately thinks it’s bad. I encourage him again. Now he continues. Finally, he has a first draft ready. He can continue with a brush and paint – although he can’t finish it completely.

After school he comes to tell me that he thought it was fun to do it all by himself. He proudly shows his drying painting to his classmate who is standing just next to me. He walks out with a big smile.

This article can be found in Kek Mama 07-2021.

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