Please remember words matter- and maybe brief the art teachers

[Anonymous]

So this weekend I finally managed to get framed a self portrait my ASD/ADHD/ fine motor delayed son had painted in kindergarten. I love it, it is colorful and I can tell he worked very hard on his striped shirt, and he has 2 eys, 2 ears - 1 larger than the other etc. it is a fabulous piece of art. I know it took home several weeks of art class to complete it.

But when I hung it up he started to cry. And he said I couldn't do that. So after I got him calmed down I was explaining that it was one of my favorite pictures. And he said it couldn't be because he wasn't a good artist. So of course I challenged that. He finally shared that when he painted that picture his art teacher said that she was disappointed in his work because he had been messy and made a drip of red paint on his striped shirt.

With that comment she managed to strip away his sense of achievement for his work.

So please, if you are an art teacher, be encouraging. Find something to like in each child's work. And if the paint is dry and can't be changed, let it go. The child is likely hard enough on himself without your disappointment.

And special ed teachers- if you could please remind the art teachers how hard won these motor skills are for our kids.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for sharing this OP.

Please send a copy to your child's principal, special ed director, counselor and the art teacher in your school.

[Anonymous]

Well he is in the 3rd grade now and we've moved. So it is a little too late for that. I just wish he had told me while she was his teacher.

[Anonymous]

You know it is funny (not in the haha sense) just how much sway art teachers have over how our kids feel. When our kids are little they enjoy art and are so free and confident with their work. But when art teachers criticize, it changes them. I’m an artist and my kids always believe the teacher and not me if there is a criticism. Unless you are working on a particular skill, there is just no need to say the sort of things that this art teacher said.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry that happened. I definitely remember the first time my autistic child drew a self portrait that had all the facial features represented and more or less in the right place. I cried and was so proud. It was a big deal for fine-motor development and a big deal that he could see those details and represent them through art!

I would hang it anyway. Perhaps have some random visitor who comes over comment on how awesome it is... you know it's always better when the compliment comes from someone other than your mother! LOL!

[Anonymous]

I agree art and music teachers have enormous power over our children's self-concepts.

I was chatting at a party with a music teacher and she explained to me how she got into teaching because she loves music so much and wanted to share that gift. And when I asked her what the hardest part was, she said it was dealing with all of the special ed kids who won't sit still for their music lessons.

She had no idea I have 2 of those special ed kids. So I did share that my dyslexic daughter is quite musical. I pray she is an anomaly.

I don't think that all of the "specials" teachers get much education in classroom management or adapting their lessons to kids with special needs. And that is almost more depressing to me because I think there is so much joy to be found in the arts.

I have met a lot of amazing drama teachers but they don't have that in elementary usually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry that happened. I definitely remember the first time my autistic child drew a self portrait that had all the facial features represented and more or less in the right place. I cried and was so proud. It was a big deal for fine-motor development and a big deal that he could see those details and represent them through art!

I would hang it anyway. Perhaps have some random visitor who comes over comment on how awesome it is... you know it's always better when the compliment comes from someone other than your mother! LOL!

Exactly! That picture represents so many milestones for me.

That is an excellent idea. I have to think of the right person who can keep a secret. I did hang it right away. And I admit to saying that the art teacher was crazy. I am sure that will come back to haunt me.

[Anonymous]

I agree.

My kid (perfrctionist) had an art teacher who was like that. He hated art and wouldn't even draw a stick figure after her class. I remember there was one particular project he was so excited about...until he received his grading rubric back that had not one good thing to say about his project.

Our family is artistic, and he is not, but he had been so excited to see if she would finally have something positive to say about his artwork because he had worked so hard on it.

She was replaced the next year (wonder why) and he went into 5th grade convinced he sucked at art. That new teacher was very encouraging even though he was not artistic, qnd focused more on "there is no wrong way to make art." She actually picked one of his projects for the pyramid art show. It was an abstract project involving a squiggly line, and he was so surprised and excited.

An art teacher can make such a difference in a kid's confidence.

[Anonymous]

Is there any chance he may have misinterpreted the situation with the teacher? I am not insinuating, but simply suggesting as a "possibility."

[Anonymous]

A teacher's job is to teach and correct and mark work. Work produced for a course is looked at differently than through a parent's eye. If the teacher never gave any feedback and always just said that everything was amazing, there would be no learning or growth.

I understand you are upset but consider the context - it was in a class. It wasn't criticism, it was evaluation of work.

Rather than seeing it as a negative about the teacher, use it as an opportunity to teach your son about how things are appreciated and perceived differently in different contexts. That something can be beautiful to you but be messy to an art teacher who is looking for skill and execution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well he is in the 3rd grade now and we've moved. So it is a little too late for that. I just wish he had told me while she was his teacher.

Send her a note!

[Anonymous]

Given that was the year he decided he hated art, I think he is likely reporting accurately. It is also the year his perfectionist tendencies around art at home exploded.

I can't count how many times we read Beautiful Oops and did process- oriented art and he is just now drawing again for fun. I truly believe it is because his new art teacher is amazing.

I know we all have off days, but seriously. This is a kid who struggled to hold the brush properly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A teacher's job is to teach and correct and mark work. Work produced for a course is looked at differently than through a parent's eye. If the teacher never gave any feedback and always just said that everything was amazing, there would be no learning or growth.

I understand you are upset but consider the context - it was in a class. It wasn't criticism, it was evaluation of work.

Rather than seeing it as a negative about the teacher, use it as an opportunity to teach your son about how things are appreciated and perceived differently in different contexts. That something can be beautiful to you but be messy to an art teacher who is looking for skill and execution.

For kindergarten art? For a kid with motor and possibly cognitive delays? This teacher needs a good smack or perhaps to be fired. Feedback goes both ways .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A teacher's job is to teach and correct and mark work. Work produced for a course is looked at differently than through a parent's eye. If the teacher never gave any feedback and always just said that everything was amazing, there would be no learning or growth.

I understand you are upset but consider the context - it was in a class. It wasn't criticism, it was evaluation of work.

Rather than seeing it as a negative about the teacher, use it as an opportunity to teach your son about how things are appreciated and perceived differently in different contexts. That something can be beautiful to you but be messy to an art teacher who is looking for skill and execution.

Can you share the kindergarten art rubric that would be appropriate here? It is an ungraded class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A teacher's job is to teach and correct and mark work. Work produced for a course is looked at differently than through a parent's eye. If the teacher never gave any feedback and always just said that everything was amazing, there would be no learning or growth.

I understand you are upset but consider the context - it was in a class. It wasn't criticism, it was evaluation of work.

Rather than seeing it as a negative about the teacher, use it as an opportunity to teach your son about how things are appreciated and perceived differently in different contexts. That something can be beautiful to you but be messy to an art teacher who is looking for skill and execution.

I don’t agree. You can teach without destroying a kids love of the subject and their self esteem in the process. You can ask about a drip on the shirt without criticizing. It’s art which by its very nature is not perfection - that’s mass production. The artist just needs to know if he can live with the inevitable imperfection and if not how can he fix it.