To: "Puptcrit" <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:17:26 +0000
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Difficult Workshops


My goodness, Mathieu, it wasn't you or anything you did. As a former teacher, I can tell you that each class has its own personality. I don't know why that is, but it's true. Perhaps the "alpha" person used a "oh, deliver me" attitude way back in kindergarten...who knows? But pity the teachers who has this class all year! And pity the child who has his enthusiasm slowly killed by peer pressure. You didn't say what grade. It sounds like a heavily female-loaded sixth or seventh grade...
    And as far as horrors, the worst I had was for teachers. The principal made the following introduction: "I know that no one in this room wants to be here, you are stuck here until 4:00 o'clock, and don't even think of leaving early. Now let's welcome our workshop leader, Nancy Sander" Not one of my most successful workshops. I bring this up because one of the things you didn't consider is what went on before.  Did the teacher build up an enthusiasm for the project? Did the teacher feel that the workshop was a waste of time and infringing on her time? Was the workshop the one that children chose, or the one that was assigned when the real first choice was filled? Just stay the course and take the money. That way, you can stay in business to do the stuff you love. I sympathize. Nancy
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-----Original Message-----
From: Mathieu René <creaturiste-AT-primus.ca>

Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2009 18:27:44 
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Subject: [Puptcrit] Difficult Workshops


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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