On Teaching Art – Art Is Hard to Educate by art teacher Matthias Reinhold: Art teacher Matthias Reinhold believes in self motivation, freedom, and individuality. Questioning skills can be a barrier and once this barrier is removed the flow can find its way.
I have a strong belief in self motivation, freedom, and individuality. As soon as you give somebody the time, space, tools and materials, they will create something with it. Young kids usually do that intuitively and directly, whereas the older students involve their brain and may question their skills before they do something, which can be a barrier to making a picture. Once this barrier is removed the flow can find its way in any age. The older students get, the harder it can be to free them, or to help them free themselves, from conventions and prejudices. Education in schools often does not trigger intrinsic motivation but, rather, trains the ability to fulfill standardized tasks posed by the teacher. This is often conditioned by the sheer number of students in the classroom and their willingness to be constructive. What can you do with a class of thirty teenagers who feel the urge for rebellion rather than for collaboration with an authority figure?