To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2009 23:52:04 GMT
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Difficult Workshops


The success of any workshop depends on both the teacher and the participants.

Just getting attention can seem impossible in some groups and you cannot force anyone to be interested in something. THAT has to come from them.

But an experienced teacher can develop means to capture the attention. In your case it sounds like the group had decided in advance that the project was beneath them. The challenge is to convince them otherwise. Sometimes you can discuss with them WHY they demean an activity---reverse the roles and make THEM the teachers, ask how THEY would approach and explain.But if their brains are empty there is no fuel.

I don't know if you showed examples or explained the purpose of the class, but you have to catch their interest.

Often when I do simple shadow workshops, I start with a sample performance of this low-tech process---it saves a lot of classroom blah-blah, gets them hooked to possibilities for self expression. But on a rare occasion I had kids who were too young to use scissors, had no self confidence, no exposure to the arts, no sense of community, so I had to find new projects they COULD complete. At least it was a start. But how shocking to find such cultural deprivation! No wonder it takes so much DEDICATION to teach some kids. First they have to WANT to learn. If they don't get that desire at home, where will it come from??


-----Original Message-----
From: Mary Horsley
Sent: Saturday, January 24, 2009 3:25 PM
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 Ren=EF=BF=BD" <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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