Drawing

Drawing is often a child's first attempt to represent what they see.
Here is one of my first drawings, it's a self portrait:

Drawing is perhaps one of the most approachable art making forms for students. I find that drawing is free of pressure for children, it is something that a large amount of them are already comfortable with. I would definitely teach drawing because it gives space for correcting errors. They challenge themselves to draw and correct what they are doing with little pressure. When students draw, they enter their own world especially when they care about what they are drawing, or are given freedom to draw in their own way.

(Student work 2016)

For one of my units as a fifth grade teacher, we go over comic books and their set up. I remember one day giving time to my students to experiment with comic books and spend time creating their own. I only noticed a few minutes later that the room was completely silent and everyone was deeply involved in what they were drawing. Suddenly it hit me, I would soon have to break that silence, pull them out of their own heads, and move on to something else.

I would teach drawing by including it in a variety of topics. For example, students can sketch ideas, concepts, favorite art pieces, etc. Drawing would become natural and comfortable for all students. I feel that students who feel success in one area, let that feeling of accomplishment spill over into other areas. I am not sure how I would teach drawing in a great way, because I feel under qualified to teach how to draw. I think this comes from the expectation that drawing should be representational. I guess that that is how I would teach it in a great way, that it doesn't have to be exactly representational, that drawing is limitless and can be used in a variety of ways. I would label this approach as one of my
Drawing Foundations". Drawing does not have to exactly represent what you see.



Here is Tedx video about drawing, the really great stuff is at the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TXEZ4tP06c

When it comes to drawing:
"1. Have an open mind. 2. Just be prepared to have a go. So grab a pen and piece of paper."

--The very last part is really good!
"How many other beliefs and limiting thoughts do we all carry around with us everyday? Beliefs that we could perhaps potentially challenge and think differently about, and if we did challenge those beliefs and think differently about them, apart from drawing, what else would we be possible for us all?"