I have had several very talented students who lacked motivation. If they
cannot pass your class by fulfilling the requirements you set for all your
other students, how can they pass a college class? I had a student last year
who would only draw anime (SP?). I didn't mind if the assignment allowed for
freedom of subject matter, but he would draw his own thing regardless, even
if we were drawing still-lifes of glassware. So, he failed my class. He
wanted my recommendation for college, and I honestly told him that I could
not give him that recommendation, because he would not be going to college
to learn what they had to offer. I told him that he did a wonderful job on
his drawings, but that he had been drawing similiar characters since grade
school, and that if he truely wanted to be an artist then he must expand. I
let it go then - he was unwilling to break out of his box. Why stress
yourself - being an artist requires more than skill and passion - it also
requires dedication and hard work.
~Michal
K-12 Kansas Art Teacher
http://www.geocities.com/theartkids
> I was just wondering what great ideas you all have for a student with LOTS
> of natural talent, but a minimum of motivation. I have a high school
> student who's been at my school for 3 years now; it's always been clear he
> can naturally draw representationally, and he says he wants to go to art
> school after he graduates.
