Join the Two Writing Teachers blog for March Slice of Life Challenge.
I am taking a watercolor class. Like most art classes I’ve taken, the first few classes are frustrating for me. I feel defeated. I criticize myself over and over. This is very unattractive behavior, and my teacher is patient. He doesn’t praise me, though. He tells me that these techniques build upon each other. I am learning. It’s a process.
On Tuesday, I had my 4th class. It has taken me a while to create something I wanted to share with others. I finally pulled together the techniques into one art piece that I actually liked. My teacher pointed out the things I did well. The thin lines for branches, the shadows, the light. But still he held back. I said I was pleased with it, but he did not give out a great deal of empty praise. In fact, he told me to practice.
Watercolor pine tree by Margaret Simon
Sound familiar? How we try to lead our students through the writing process. We teach techniques. We look at models. We praise when we see a craft move. These lessons build a writer, but the process can be slow. It can be frustrating. Eventually, the writer will feel good about the product.
The motivation has to move away from teacher approval. The writer/artist must own the process to feel success.
My students have started the classroom Slice of Life Challenge. They are practicing. They are trying craft moves. They are noticing techniques in each other’s slices.
The creative process is a curious thing. We need to learn techniques. We need the guidance of teachers. But in the end, it’s just you and the paper. I believe in techniques, but I also believe in magic. Sometimes magic happens when you continue to show up.
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Reflections on the Teche 
Thank you for the reminder that sometimes magic happens when you continue to show up. That seems to be a reminder I need to hear at this moment. I’m going to write that one down. Best wishes on your art project. I’m glad you keep showing up!
I think I borrowed that from Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic. I recommend reading it to help you understand that showing up matters.
Margaret – I love your painting. A long, long time ago, I began college thinking I was going to major in studio art. I ended up moving away from it because of the advisor I had – I think I was looking for too much teacher approval and didn’t receive it. I loved those classes and art history classes! I never learned to paint with watercolor – but I would love to learn now. You are an inspiration!
So much of writing is like art and leans on technique, and so much of what we do as teachers is a balance of compliments, naming techniques, and pushing for just a little bit more. I love the way you captured the bark of your tree Margaret. There are layers within it!
You articulate why practice is so important and why it thrives in the presence of techniques gained through mentors. I love the comparisons between writing and (what to me I’d call) your impressive artwork after just 4 lessons! Same great process requiring the practice of techniques.
Thank you also for your help weeks again to encourage my use of kidblog. I am blown away by what my 23 3rd graders have done in just not even one week!!! Because they can read others’ writing and are commenting, they are naming the techniques and then are pushing themselves to write using what they see their peering doing!! After just the first 3 days, we collectively had 140 comments and 35 published pieces!!! They love having a place to show their technique and tell a story and have others read it!! My district doesn’t want their writing to go beyond our classroom so for now (due to their age) so we share just among ourselves (or I’d share it with you!) but still, writing and sharing in a community is so powerful. I already see our technique improving and it has just been days!! Next year, I’ll be using the kidblog as a tool from day one! Thanks again for your support to nudge me to try something I’ve never tried before…I guess this is “art lesson”!!
Sally your comment pleases me so much. Kudos to your kids. Nothing like the practice of writing every day for an audience to move students forward. Thanks for sharing.
Yes. You are where you are. There is good and bad as there is with everything. But in the end, if we can’t enjoy it or critique it for ourselves, we will always need someone else to tell us we are ok.
PS Love the tree. love the thin branches–they say so much about how we grow.
Margaret, your words are so true. As we go through these experiences, we learn not only from our own process, but from our teachers and mentors as well.
[…] Check out Margaret’s comparison of writing to watercolor painting in her post “Technique” ! […]
I believe the most important thing is practice, practice, practice. I know for myself, I find it hard to simply practice without having a specific goal in mind. I hope to one day get to the point where I can say, “today I’m going to work on color, tomorrow I’ll work on line, the day after that composition…”
This:
“The writer/artist must own the process to feel success.”
If we can lead our kids to this, we have done our work well.
“But in the end, it’s just you and the paper.” – I like this reminder.
I like your painting, but as you’ve communicated, the important thing is how do you like it? What parts are worth a second look, etc. I love this part, Margaret: “The motivation has to move away from teacher approval.” It was important to me that my students take this as their responsibility, to self-assess. Then I knew they were keeping the learning in their own brains, not depending on me to tell them what worked well. This is an important post, and I also enjoyed the connections from your own learning.
[…] Thanks for the inspiration Margaret! Read more DigiLit Sunday posts here. […]
It strikes me that using a technique is also about belief. Belief in the technique, belief in the process of practice, belief in teacher and belief in ourselves. We all want the end result but it takes a lot of faith to get there. Complicated every step of the way.
Margaret, I am learning that techniques do build upon each other as your teacher says. It’s a process of trying out ideas, reflecting on them, and being bold enough to add to it when a little more is needed. I love the way your tree is evolving. Thin branches reach out as new growth while old branches are filled with layers. The greens are muted to give prominence to the tree itself. The work pops and it gives rise to another painting to accompany it. This post has evolved into a statement on the importance of process in our writing lives.
My piece will not be completed today because I have to prepare to travel to my state conference tomorrow.
[…] that I know how to do it, I might make more chalkboard list posts. I’m also linking up with DigitLitSunday […]
The best art teachers are those that leave you frustrated, wanting to accomplish more. Empty praise is the WORST! It makes you feel as if you have plateau’d- this is it, the best you can do. Just like with all subjects of teaching, it’s the job of teachers to keep the students motivated and hungry to do better.
That being said, your tree is beautiful. I love the technique you used for the leaves!
I love your tree, Margaret, and the paraphrase of Elizabeth Gilbert: “Sometimes magic happens when you continue to show up.” You are making magic, my friend!
Your comparisons are very apt. As a teacher I try always to be mindful of what I say about their effort. I want to support and never crush them. Students always no when you are conning them with empty praise.
I would love to see your next painting.
I love the colors in your tree painting and am so impressed that you are taking art lessons along with everything else you do! Experiences like that take us closer to the creative process kids go through every time we ask them to write and/or create new things. Sometimes it’s frustrating, sometimes laborious, sometimes fun, and hopefully rewarding – all the things you are going through in your class.