Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2009 18:25:03 -0500
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Difficult Workshops


Any pictures, Mathieu? I am interested in your subject: experimental paper
sculptures.....

Mary H. 


On 1/24/09 6:27 PM, "Mathieu René" <creaturiste-AT-primus.ca> wrote:

> Yikes, I just had a weird day.
> 
> Today I gave the most chaotic workshop I ever thought possible.
> Not a puppetry workshop, it was about experimental paper sculptures.
> 
> But this thread I'm starting will hopefully encourage workshop instructors
> here to share some horror stories, and hopefully some suggestions and
> solutions to "zombie participants from indifference land"!
> 
> Details:
> Most participants had limited artistic experience, snobish attitudes about
> techniques they were considering more "arts and craft", and seemed
> unappreciative of the efforts I made to completely change the class content
> to suit their desires.
> 
> Within 10 minutes of starting, I felt their complete lack of enthusiasm for
> the technique I had built the whole workshop around.  So I opened it up to
> all approaches I could think of that involved the materials we had.  I even
> changed the subject matter. And still after that, most participants ended up
> spending the time trying other things. mostly unrelated. Two of them came up
> with marvels, so that could have been one good thing out of it but then they
> themselves didn't seem to enjoy it or realize what they had achieved.
> 
> Some of the fault might have lied in the descriptive text which probably
> left too much space for interpretation, but most of it seemed to come from
> people's close-mindedness and lack of motivation.
> 
> Live and learn. Next time I teach a group within someone else's
> organisation, I'll insist on a workshop description so extremely defined
> that it will make it impossible to interpret. Flexibility be darned, people
> don't seem to appreciate it.
> 
> The other teacher, which gave another workshop (this one seemed very
> successful) in the next section, summarized it in these few words: "some
> people are spoiled."  She should know, she gives a lot of workshops, done it
> for years.
> 
> 
> It's like they are demanding: make me a genius now, but I don't want to do
> the work, nor even try most of the techniques presented.
> 
> Eventually, I had to realize there was nothing I could do to change their
> own moods.
> Encouragements, suggestions, mind-numbing flexibility didn't seem to make a
> dent in the wall of disapointment.  For the first time in my career as an
> instructor, I eventually gave up the race (an hour before the end), sat down
> and chatted with them, answering the very rare tech questions when they
> came.
> 
> I might sound very bitter in this email form, but actually I'm just
> disapointed.
> And confused. Besides the way the techniques didn't sink in or inspire, the
> people were nice and interesting, and I got some inspiration from their
> stuff (even if they themselves didn't).
> 
> Thankfully, this never happened before, I gave my all so I've nothing to
> feel guilty about (although I still do, irationally) , and I hope the
> adjustments I'll make will prevent other situations like this.
> 
> Any tips?
> Theories?
> Horror Stories?
> Solutions? 
> 
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