Teach Them To Strut Their Stuff - Self-talk and Faith

Sometimes when your are teaching kids Art either at home or in the classroom - fights break out! Kids often tell each other that their work is "shocking" - ouch! and "You're no good." There can be a combination of reasons why kids (and people in general) do this.

• People tend to put down what they can't understand.
• It seems to be a natural tendency to put others down if we don't feel good enough.
• Sometimes people just don't know how much work is required to produce good art - and so they devalue it.
• When someone is not educated about art they often haven't developed their awareness and so actually can't really "see" the same things you can see.
• Sooooo - some of the lil' kids say stuff like, "That's not as good as mine," and fights break out.

  Here is what I say to the kids when this happens.

  "Art is a personal journey. Every drawing is just a small step along the way to developing a style. If everybody's drawings were all the same - then the Artworld would be boring. So I like to have confidence in myself and have faith that when I work on my Artwork it is 'worth it', has value and is uniquely my own."

  It is not a good idea to say "You're just jealous!" Even when you are insulted, it is bad manners to poke out your tongue, lash out or do anything bold like that. Rather, just hold your head up high and be prolific.

  PROLIFIC! Huh? What's that?

  The word prolific matches the word fertile. It means productive. It doesn't just mean produce lots and lots, though. It means create abundance through nurturing and tending. A very fertile farm, for example, is well-watered and is supplied with lots and lots of plant food. This of course means that there is plenty of animal food - one thing leads to another and in the end there is plenty for everybody, even enough to take some off to the markets.

  This is how we should treat our talent. Attend your talent like it is a garden. Everyday for at least five minutes draw energetically. Practice your skills. Focus on techniques such as perspective, depth or colouring. Try to see evidence of how these things work in the world around you.

  As people see you grow and improve, and as they get used to your style, they become convinced by what they see of you work. Admiration will build for the conviction with which you accomplish and create. But more to's the point - so will you!

  Yesiree! You will be engaging in valuable self-talk. Everyday you will be telling yourself,

  "My talent is valuable and I am going to look after it!"

  Just like a farmer you will be able to sit back and watch that garden grow! And grow! And grow!
  The copyright of the article Teach Them To Strut Their Stuff - Self-talk and Faith in Kids' Art Activities is owned by Jo Murphy. Permission to republish Teach Them To Strut Their Stuff - Self-talk and Faith in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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