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3 Things Craft Teachers Should Always Tell
Their Students
It always saddens me to see the number of teachers who go through the
process of ‘doing’ a project without taking advantage of building other
important skills and understanding.
It all depends on the angle you take when you approach your
teaching. If you’re merely filling in time then perhaps the
additional building blocks to confidence take unnecessary time and
effort. But if you are a teacher in the real sense of the word
then you’ll relish taking time to tell your students much more than how
to follow the steps.
So what am I talking about?
1.
Encouraging your learners to take part for the sake of learning rather
than just doing.
If your attitude is one of encouragement then your learners will feel
supported in what they are doing. Going through the motions isn’t
enough in the wider picture of crafts. It’s important to know why
you are doing something and what results you hope to achieve.
That is – over and above merely finishing the task, or creating a
lookalike model.
Ask yourself what is the point of the project? How will
re-creating a replica help your learners to develop other wider, social
learning skills?
- Has your encouragement helped them to
believe in themselves and their ability to be creative?
- Do they feel that they really can
achieve the end result – with your help?
- And are you willing to give them
the RIGHT kind of help.
It’s all too easy to give in to doing it ALL rather than taking a back
seat and cheering on from the sidelines.
How does more input on your part really help your learners to achieve
some of these things?
2. You can
do it.
If you really believe that someone can do something then your words,
and your body language really should show that too.
When I was working in a day centre I had many students tell me that
they couldn’t do what I was asking of them. It was only when I
had more confidence that I felt able to push them. But as well as
confidence I needed to have the right kind of information about
THEM. I needed to know what THEY really could do. And
that’s different from what they themselves believed they could do!
Confirming that YOU belive in THEM is vital as a teacher for it is
human nature to live up to expectations. Continued affirmation on
your part must be offered alongside those mundane instructions.
Get into the habit of using the opportunity to sell more than the
project to your class. Use your voice with energy and enthusiasm
to really convey your belief. And at the same time remember to
nod in agreement as they get stuck into their work.
3. I’ll
help you
In telling learners that they CAN do it, you need to be fairly sure
that you are able to push them AND give them the support they
need. It’s no good encouraging someone, raising their self belief
and then not having the time available to cement their efforts.
If you’re stretching someone to achieve better or higher, then you may
need to have a greater staff:learner ratio.
If you are able to give the help required, tell them, frequently.
This may be necessary at the beginning, and continually throughout the
project. Watch for signs of anxiety – visually and
verbally. Is their behaviour showing that you need to sidle up
rather than step in?
( more details on assisting V doing see ‘So whose project is it anyway?)
Stepping in at the right time can really turn someone around.
Leaving it too late and they may lose more self belief.
Really make sure that everyone understand not just what to do but that
- you really believe that everyone can
achieve something of value in the doing process
- you are there to assist (not do)
- finishing the project is only part of
the benefit of taking part
These 3 things will help you to lead successful projects and to develop
more confident creative learners.
=====================================================
Geraldine Jozefiak is passionate about
crafts and their place in
education. Be part of raising standards in teaching and learning
by offering the best possible creative opportunities.
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Looking for
craft
projects, books, teaching manuals or courses? Need ideas on what
to teach and how to teach it?
"The Craft Teacher" can save you time and stress in teaching and
learning crafts.
Click Here => http://www.the-craft-teacher.com
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