August 07, 2010

A Comment Concerning My No-No Board

You will have those that do not believe in what you do.  You will have those that question your methods, styles, and teaching.  This is part of being a teacher, and also a part of putting yourself out there for the world to see (be warned bloggers).  I must say, I have only received a few comments like this over the past few years.  When people disagree with you...it allows you to reassess what you do & decided if the practice needs to be changed...or if you are right in what you are doing.  Let me present this to you.
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Comment from Evelyn Concerning My No-No Board:

  This is disgusting!!!!! If my child had this in their class I would pull them out immediately! Why don't you try inspiring your students with what they CAN do instead of shutting them down with what they CAN'T do!!!!! Make a board with good examples that you can encourage them to follow instead of just telling them that they are wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm a teacher and I would never use this!!
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How does someone respond to such a comment?  Well, the first reaction is anger.  HOW DARE THEY QUESTION ME!  That passes quickly though.  I remind myself that they have never met me, never been in my classroom, have never seen me teach, have never seen my love for my students & my subject matter, do not know my students, and probably from their comment.....are not an art teacher.  This places the comment into a category that I can now handle/deal with.  They are speaking out of a one sided ignorance.  I'm not saying they are without right to their opinion or that they are ignorant...or that I should just dismiss what they say.  I'm saying that they are speaking from their side of the screen & their experiences. 

So why do I have a No-No Board?!?  Well, I'm guessing that Evelyn will never agree with me.  I'm ok with that.  I'd say many teachers that come from a Montessori background may not agree with me either.  I'm ok with that as well.  My No-No Board allows the children to know what I'm looking for in their work.  I'm an art teacher...I'm there to teach art.  I teach my students how imagine, how to draw, art history, how to paint, colors, elements of art...etc.   I am not there to give my students paper and let them make whatever/however they want.  That would make me nothing but a baby sitter with supplies.  Saying no to a child does not kill their creativity.  I never say no to anything without saying yes to something else!  Does letting a student know they have misspelled a word, used punctuation wrong kill their creativity in writing (I'm terrible at spelling & still love to write)?  No, because as a teacher you teach them how to spell or punctuate correctly.

Anyways?!?!?!  To each their own.  I have 13 years worth of proof
No-No Board has never killed any one's creativity. 


WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?? 

29 comments:

  1. I whole heartedly agree with YOU. I do teach art and was planning on my own kind of No-No board. It won't be the same thing but I love the idea of putting pictures of my most often repeated quotes on a board. How many times do I have to say the same thing over and over? Plus I will have an all new school of students and they need to see what my expectations are from the first.
    I am waiting, excitedly, to see your art room pictures for 2010!
    Thanks for being an inspiration to me. :)

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  2. Thanks Kszwahl! I can't wait either!?!?! SO MUCH TO DO SO LITTLE TIME!!! ha ha

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  3. Well said. Love the argument against being a babysitter with supplies! There are many who insist on never telling a student "no", and to phrase everything in the positive. I suppose I can see some value in that; it just comes down to a difference in philosophy. However, I think your no-no board also encourages students to become more creative, to go beyond conventional symbols and find other ways to express their ideas. Symbols are easy; challenging them to try new ways can only help. Keep up the good work!

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  4. Ted- I am so proud of how you responded to this. I have seen No-No Boards in art classrooms and completely understand the necessity. Most kids will draw stick people, "m" birds, and puffy clouds if not given the guidance of what-not-to-do. I never had an art teacher guide me in this way and I still draw in that kindergarten manner. :( Good for you!

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  5. Ted, you know that I also have a NO-No board, and have encouraged other art teachers to create one for their classroom. This is a way to create boundaries, after all, a regular classroom teacher has rules, whether or not the student can use pen or pencil, where they can and can't stand etc. This really isn't any different. In 13 years of teaching, I have never had a parent get upset, in fact they come into my classroom and laugh about how they would not do well in my room. I assure them that I would teach then the correct method, and they agree with me.

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  6. The other thing hard to see on your blog is that you approach it with great humor,and that humor more than the word no is what sticks with the students, and reminds them to always do their best. Students need clear boundaries, and expectations of what a teacher is looking for, and that is exactly what your NO NO board does. Nothing more frustrating than being in an art class, and not being clear on teacher expectations.

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  7. That was a very kind way to respond to that person's comments. And, your explanation makes perfect sense. I remember once getting cussed out by a parent just because I put an unhappy face on her paper. I didn't mean it in a bad way...only as a sympathy, but I've never done it again. She sure got her point across (nasty woman). Ha! It's important to know both sides of an issue.

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  8. I am intrigued with the No-No board. Would you further explain or direct me to the original post?
    Dennis
    Gig Harbor

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  9. The way this person commented was so emotional, I'm sure it was hard not to react in kind. Anyone who works with kids knows that one size does not fit all - that said, I have seen over and over how upfront boundaries (no-nos) prevent conflict, and both guide and push students beyond what they think they can do. Even if they grumble right up to the end. :) Good post.

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  10. I have to say, I LOVE your no no board ;) I had to go back and find it...but I seriously think its great. I have the exact same rules in my classroom. I often even tell the kids that I don't want to see 'corner suns'...I kind of hate them, too haha. And we joke about floating people and I tell them we are NOT magic and don't make people levitate! So, I whole heartedly agree with the sign. Afterall, we are TEACHERS and letting them draw stick figures forever is NOT teaching them art. Also, (just remembered), I tell the kids I don't want to see "M"'s in the sky bc it looks like an advertisement for McDonalds. They laugh, and they get the point!

    Kudos for sticking up for yourself.

    Katie
    Oodlesofart.com
    [ps: taking the year off with my sweet baby girl, so there wont be too many posts from me!]

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  11. Ouch...I enjoyed reading your response to that disturbing comment. I find your lessons wonderful, and your blog generous & inspiring. We all come across criticism in various forms and your response is a beautiful reminder on how to handly it gracefully. Thanks, Mr. E.
    (P.S. Maybe "Evelyn" isn't real; just a blogmucker trying to cyber-mess w/ you. Do real people use 26 exclamation points?)

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  12. This is what got the post started!?!?! :)

    http://artwithmre.blogspot.com/search/label/No-No%20Board

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  13. Mr.E I have been very impressed with the wor kyou do and try to regularly check in ... I too teach elementary art and have many times repeated the endless No NO's of art, that many don't understand unless they are teaching it. I have a very high standard for my students, they very rarely let me down, by showing them and explaining to them your expectations and teaching through demonstration your No No board simply acts as a reminder through visuals. For those who feel this may be a negative way of illustrating these things, let's think of this... a name written on the board with checkmarks by it, a poster with gold stars or maybe not so many gold stars, the racecar still sitting at the starting line half way through the nine weeks, all could be seen from an outsider as a negative way of managing a visual reminder of behavior or effort, and in most cases poor behavior, how do we feel that this might stunt or be unmotivating to students who are less than the best? The No No board is providing useful information on how to rise above and get that race car moving round the track! Mr. E keep it up you are s oinpsirational and keep me up at night thinking how I can get where you are!
    Shelly

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  14. I teach ART and I love the NO, NO Board!! You are not pointing out anyone or their art ability, you are pointing out common drawing
    faux pas. True, some are developmental, but I agree...we correct their spelling so why not their art? I teach primary age now so there is a fine line with correcting anything with that age. I feel I am there setting the foundation and helping to develop a love for art, so I do not want to discourage in any way. But when I tell them we are going to do something the art way, they usually follow. I do have days where they are allowed to make things their way, to explore, but I also have projects where we do it, well...my way so they at least see how some things should be done, and of course, meeting the standards.

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  15. I think I would add a Yes! Yes! Board to go along with the No No board. Gang symbols which are a problem at my school (even in elementary art work) would be on my no no board and all my art room expectations would be on the Yes Yes. The most important - Take an artistic risk.

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  16. Mr. E, I was curious about this comment so I went to see your original posting and discovered it was a year old. So I think it's interesting that you even noticed or discovered Evelyn's comment, on something posted a zillion posts ago!
    As for the No-No board - I've been teaching over 30 years and must say I've never heard of it before, but that doesn't mean I don't necessarily approve. I usually demo and show kids the right and the wrong way, but also am understanding of developmental abilities. And while a face doesn't belong in the sun in a realistic landscape, there may be a time or place when it is appropriate, and it is up to us as art professionals to help develop that discriminating ability in our students. If you are studying Klee, for example, you may be using stick-like body images, etc. Anyhow - keep your sense of humor and don't let Evelyn get to you!

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  17. Phil...thanks for your thoughts. The comment was just made though a day or so ago...I get email notifications when comments come in. How she found it...I don't know?!? Concerning developmental appropriate work...I've got the same training & understanding..and do give grace for those not there yet. The board is just an over all...hey..watch out for these things in your work. And as my friend Julie had said earlier..I present my board with great humor/fun..and it sticks with the kids.

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  18. Mr. E! I love your blog AND your no no board - it is one of the posts that I tagged as something I want to do in my ART classroom. There is nothing more infuriating than teaching an abstract tree lesson - all the students are doing great, making wonderful work, I have made a mental note of which ones I want to showcase in the county art festival and as I walk back around the room... The student has added a happy sun in the corner NOOOOOOOOOOO!! These perameters let the students know that we expect more out of them and want to push them beyond what they think they can do.
    English teachers teach the NO NOs of grammer why shouldn't we teach the No Nos of art?
    Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your world with us!
    -Tisha
    http://tishalou.blogspot.com/

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  19. Mr. E I love your blog and you NO NO Board. It is one of hte things I tagged as something I want to use in my ART classroom. I have also seen other teachers do a variation of it.
    These parameters teach kids that we expect more from them and they need to push themselves beyond the 'symbols' of art that they learned along the way. It is our job to do so! Keep up the good work and keep sharing!!
    I wonder if Evelyn's children even go to public school...

    -Tisha B.
    http://tishalou.blogspot.com/

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  20. I love the no-no board and have adapted it for my middle school classroom too... But I have the board labelled “Artists go beyond what is… easy… expected… and ordinary.” My kids weren't too happy when I added that to the studio, but when they want to make blue clouds and I tell them NO... we discuss WHY. I send them to the photo reference to look at all the different kinds of clouds that do exsist in landscapes. it always inspires a teachable moment and never inhibits their creativity.

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  21. I haven't read all the comments, and I'm not sure what a no-no board would be, but I've been thinking about an idea that I'm planning to put into practice. I'm planning a project in which will look amazing with the use of contrast, and awful without. I'm planning to make three examples. One all dark, one all light, and one with contrast. I will ask the students which one THEY like best, and we will discuss why that is. At the end I'll reveal CONTRAST as the magic word. I WAS too lazy to make three examples, but now I'm inspired to do so.

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  22. The No No board is a great board idea. Students WANT to know what your expectations are in class. I don't understand why some people are scared of the word no. You are doing a great job and I love your blog. Keep it up!

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  23. You were mentioned on my blog site today! http://bartz-mrszwahl.blogspot.com/

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  24. Hi Mr. E!

    I recently found your blog while searching lesson plans for my k-8 art classes. I am a first year teacher, fresh out of graduate school. I, too, was kind of taken back by the "no-no" board.... at first. I do not think it is a terrible thing or a teaching mistake or whatever that person commented.

    I have always been a big proponent of teaching what you WANT from the students (I've been teaching gymnastics for a few years and this is what I have always done) but there are times to tell them what you DON'T want. It is just another way of teaching the same thing.

    I don't think I will be having a no-no board in the future... but I did see my first stick figure of the year! Haha.

    Thank you for your wealth of knowledge! You have wonderful ideas, resources, and lessons.

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  25. Wow! I don't understand peoples reactions sometimes. So emotional. That's all I can say to her post.

    I know my students would love a no no board. They love being told what to do to the last detail. Only trouble is the kids are always TOLD what to do. Most classes walk down the hallway with their hands behind their back and one tile square between them. That's how strict we have to be. So they have trouble thinking for themselves. I'm a stickler for behavior rules (review them every week) but besides that I can't bear to go over any more rules. I do agree with many of the no no's in most cases and will discuss them individually with kids need be.

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  26. Your no-no board post is one I read during my first year of teaching art last year, and while I didn't make a no-no board, I used the idea in my classroom. And you are so right, I told them the no-no (no stick figures, for example) along with a yes and reason (because we don't look like stick figures and I know you can draw a person with form -- you have the skill to do that). The analogy to writing is so RIGHT. Classroom teacher's wouldn't think twice about telling students that their use of punctuation, etc. isn't correct and positivly give them the correct way to do it, why would art be any different (unless, of course, they do view us as babysitters). Love your blog!!!

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  27. I agree with you as well, as a first year Art teacher at a title 1 school our supplies are limited therefore I try to limit the drawing of "names", peace signs, stars, ying yangs, ect ect. In my opinion, they already know how to draw bubble letter names/peace signs and I am there to challenge them, they can do whatever else they want at home:-)

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  28. I can't believe this reaction, I think this is a great idea! How else do you point out these common misconceptions in drawing. If we didn't correct them and allow them to "see" it differently, our students would never learn and develop. It is our job to point out that the sky goes all the way to the ground and is not just a blue line on top of the the paper! That is not stopping creativity, it is teaching students to draw what they see not what they think they know. They have to be taught when they're developmentally ready. I don't say much when they are free drawing, but when it's for a project I always remind them, no floating things, no stick figures. I'm going to get tougher on the sun faces, ugh! I'm going to do a version of your board and I'm adding the "blue line sky" and another of my pet peeves, when kids sign their art in giant letters in the middle of the paper that takes away from the artwork.

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  29. I think your no-no board is quite comical. Any art teacher would agree as these are the things we are CONSTANTLY telling our students. Nice job!

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