I want my students to learn to see.
When you learn to draw you help your brain understand that the clip-art image in your head is not the same as the object in front of you. To observe an object and render it accurately on paper shows careful attention, close observation, and the questioning of prior assumptions. You put in the time, and in return, you better understand a tiny piece of the world.
If you put a still-life in the middle of a room and sit all the students around it, no two drawings will be the same. We all see the world differently, at its very simplest in that no two people can stand in the same place at the same time. Every point of view is true and valuable. To express your perspective beautifully and clearly is to overcome fear and contribute a piece of yourself to the world.
Furthermore, sharing yourself is to make yourself vulnerable. A culture of trust and respect is needed. When you are open, when you trust, you are also more open to other perspectives. Art (in its largest, encompassing definition) allows us to stand where others have stood. Our world grows.
I speak of this in terms of drawing, but this is true in reading a story and sharing your analysis, solving an engineering challenge, writing an essay, discussing history, or discovering alternate ways to solve a math problem. We need the skills and practice to clearly see and to express our vision. Furthermore, we need the support and right environment to not only confidently share our visions, but to learn to deeply appreciate the viewpoints of others.
