My stated rule is that we don't erase--we restate. And that by leaving
the "mistake" lines in they act as road signs to guide us where we don't
want to go next time since we tend to always go back to the same
"route". Erasers are used for cleaning up, not correcting.
Saint George's School
2929 W. Waikiki Road
Spokane, WA 99208
'Science and technology do not tell us what it means to be human. The
From: M. Austin [mailto:email@example.com]
Sent: Monday, September 18, 2006 3:04 PM
To: TeacherArtExchange Discussion Group
Subject: Re: [teacherartexchange] Erasers@#?$!
I have never used erasers in my elementary classes. We draw with
and mistakes are a chance for something exciting and new to happen. We
"practice" 2-3 times and then students choose their "best" one for their
final project to finish. I get frustrated waiting for kids to draw that
"perfect" circle, never getting to step two because they can't complete
one. They always have one that they are happy with. My perception is (at
elementary level) that students have an off-kilter view of perfection
will often get frustrated trying to achieve that idea. So no, I don't
you will damage their psyche by taking away their "eraser crutch".
K-12 Kansas Art Teacher
> So far - there has been minimal drama, and my kids are starting to
> lightly instead of digging into their paper with their pencils, and
> shredding the surface with the easers - but now I fear I may be
> their delicate collective psyche by not allowing for mistakes....