Samples of Teacher Correspondence


1-20-96

Dear L---- D----

It is evident from your children's work that you are an excellent teacher. I know the effort and patience it takes to get the results you are getting.

Your own work is superb. If you maintain the same level of performance, you will be one of my top adult students.

J---- has very good control of his pencil pressure when doing exercises, but has problems on drawings. This is due to his habit of transferring higher levels of concentration into higher degrees of tension -- which tends to center in his hand. What he needs to learn is to rest periodically and maintain an unhurried pace. He seems to want to keep working until he "gets done" with the task at hand and because of that keeps pushing himself -- with an accelerating anxiety -- until he finishes. Instead he should take breaks at arbitrary times when he's working on something difficult -- a 10 second rest every minute for example -- during which time he should let all the tension drain from his body, particularly his hands. In spite of this temporary problem, he is doing beautifully. His work ethic is admirable and his drawing accuracy excellent.

M----- is also doing very well. His straight lines are outstanding and his curves excellent. He needs to practice the flex motion a little more and increase his stroke speed.

All in all, a very fine performance by all of you. Keep up the great work!


7-6-95
Dear J---- D----

I am still very impressed with J----'s ability and have noticed some improvement in his concentration, but I feel he still needs some improvement in his work ethic. I cannot graduate a student from a worksheet or project if the graduation requirements have not been met. I made some exceptions for J---- this time, but am requiring him to complete the assignments (make corrections, do additional work, etc.) that are written in red on the worksheets and projects. The more talent a student has the more I ask of him not the less. I will graduate John under the condition that he complete the work and make the corrections I have asked for. Level 5 contains significantly higher challenges and I want to be sure John is prepared for it.

I look forward to hearing from you both.


4-30-94
Dear N---- D----,

You are doing a very good job under the once-a-week circumstances. T-- and R--- are doing well, but could use more monitoring. I would like to see them do fewer drawings and take more time on them especially as they move into the more difficult drawings. All three of them are very talented and would be among the top students in my private program. D--- is doing extraordinarily well for a six year old -- even an eight year old, but because he is only 6 he needs more one-on-one monitoring. Have T-- and R--- monitor his work. In fact all the children should check for errors in each other's work. I suggest you encourage them to do this. You should work personally with D--- and take him carefully through Worksheets L1 and DX2. Then let him move slowly through the curriculum. The standards of this program are very high because it is the only way to give proper honor to the abilities and potentials of students like yours. Only by meeting the highest standards on lower level work, will the kids gain the patience, concentration, and endurance they will need to master the higher level work.

Have them all go back to the worksheets and drawings that need to be improved and start work on them this time looking to each other for the hard-headed criticism they need to progress towards mastery.

As for the optical problems they are having on the DX worksheets, its good practice in disregarding visual distractions. Tell them to close their eyes for a few moments to rest them when they have problems. As for review, go back over the first part of the worksheet video (starting with "How to hold a pencil") from time to time and the worksheet DX2 demo. The section entitled: "Common Drawing Problems and Their Solutions" is helpful as well. In fact, I would start every lesson with a video review.

Keep up the good work and I am pleased with the fact that the kids are getting art history lessons as well. Tell them I feel they are very talented and because of that I will be raising the standards for them each time I see their work. Thank you for participating in the program and I look forward to seeing the children's work in the future.

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