Teach Others to Think

I am passionate about art, but many people can say they are. What makes me different is I am passionate about making people THINK about MAKING art. My students have to Think when they create and it’s frequently a hard process the first couple of times, then they learn to love learning how to think for themselves. My students literally follow me from school to school. During the summer school program, I was wondering why I had students from my old school literally 100 blocks away so I started asking them why they were there and they said “you”. They missed me pushing them, making them think. Even though I’m the art teacher I make them think harder than anyone else and they love it.

I’m passionate about upcycling and recycling, the art room, art teachers, fun and art. Many people can show you 100 ways to turn water bottle into something, but can they TEACH YOU to THINK on your OWN of 100 ways or even 1000 ways to make something out of that water bottle. My focus is teaching others to think.

Students frequently tell me with my calm demeanor I could easily be the Bob Ross of recycled found art sculpture art teacher lessons. I think I am get way to excited to be compared to American Icon Bob Ross and he’s too awesome to have anyone compared. I know my students are just trying to compliment me and encourage me the way I do them. They admire Bob Ross who they discovered on their own during the pandemic. I think it is great but also a bit disconcerting when my students use my own techniques against me (or is it for me).

I would like to offer free videos that anyone can view, then in depth videos with more specific videos for a small fee and patterns and one on one or small group classes.

I could easily arrange for patterns and ideas for each found object on the page to get students started in their thinking. Though I focus on students own creativity and learning I would like to delve into a deeper level and would like to not physically work so hard. I currently work on a cart and have to carry supplies to and from work as there’s not enough storage. I love working, I love teaching—but would like it to not have to take such a hard toll physically on my body.

My classes went online March 2020 and I immediately setup and was teaching online, I had my students, families and students from other schools joining. I would do a whole class assignment, and then teach individual group specific techniques. We would then have specific skills during the day that students could join that were requested by students. Who would knew crocheting The Golden Girls would be extremely popular among 7th grade boys (it was also requested and the kit bought by a 7th grade boy).

Thinking, creative thinking, critical thinking, abstract thinking, thinking thinking is what I teach my students and I would like to teach this process to others.

You’re wondering well, how does she teach others how to think? She’s talked about teaching how to think but, hasn’t told us how she does it. I can give an example but this is just an example, teaching others how to think does include struggling.

The short answer is: I pose a problem for example the water bottle, “what can you make from a water bottle”. Students will give examples from what they have seen. I will give them some skills on how to solve those problems, there is some struggling, there is a lot of dialog, research and learning.

There is a specific formula that we follow but because I spent too much time problem solving others’ problems and not enough time on my own dream this time I will have to wait to write down the formula in another story.