I have realized over my time in taking art classes here at APU, that there are some horrible elementary school teachers. From what I have fathomed, (since my teachers were awesome (two of them even graduated from APU)) there are teachers out there that tell kids things like “Oh that drawing isn’t very good.” Or “That doesn’t look like a boat.” or any other comment that made the child think “Oh, I’m no good at art.” and then 20 years later, they take an art class and you can see the talent is there, and could have been mastered by now, but it has been shot down.
I remember something my 3D Design Professor (And Chairman of the Art Department) Bill Catling once said which was “Bad teachers will be judged harder than everyone else for corrupting the minds of the young.” Or something along those lines. I absolutely love talking to our Professors, they are the ones all teachers should be compared against as a great example of how to sculpt the minds of students.
So for those of you going into teaching, watch what you say! Don’t kill creativity.
