I Like Purple and Orange Santas

So, I have been substitute teaching.  There’s a lot I could (and probably will) say about this experience.  But for today, I’ll say this: Let’s allow our children to be the creative, curious individuals they instinctively are.

Last week I subbed in a large class with another long-term sub.  For part of the day we also had an aide (what a blessing, most classes I’m in do not have this).  I was thrilled to have the extra hands, although part-way through the day I started to witness little moments that were bothering me: condescending remarks to the kids, chastising the wrong kid when a few weren’t getting along, etc. 

But this moment stuck the longest: The kids were given a color-by-number Santa head to color.  It was boring.  There were only three colors involved, one of them being white (and might I add, the largest portion of the picture).  First off, most of the kids couldn’t read, so didn’t get the color-by-number concept anyways.  Secondly, there were only two colors for the kids to use.  Again, boring.  Not to mention there weren’t enough of these particular two colors (red and “peach”… when have you seen a peach crayon?) for each child.

So most of them began doing their own thing, coloring Santa how they saw fit.  Fair enough.  And might I add, the results were fascinating.  I didn’t interrupt the kids.  It was nearing the end of the day, they were happy and engaged… good enough for me.  I could care less if they didn’t color Santa the “right” way. 

I was alone in this opinion.  The long-term sub and aide both began to get after the kids about using the correct colors.  And when several of the kids began asking what color “peach” was, both the aide and sub would answer, “You know, skin color.”  I won’t even get started right now on that comment.

I’m torn in these areas.  I understand wanting kids to grasp a concept, to follow instructions, blah, blah, blah.  I’m just not sure how insisting that each kid color Santa the exact same way (and inside the lines, mind you) is serving a benefit.  To watch these kids color the way they want to when given the freedom is a gift itself.  So much of their young personalities spill out onto the page when given free rein.  They are all so particular in their coloring technique, their style, their strategy.  Shouldn’t this tell us something? 

What are we doing to these young imaginations by insisting they all color the exact same way?  Who wants to hang the exact same 30+ Santas on the wall outside the classroom?  Isn’t it much more interesting to have them all start from the same point and see where they end up?  Don’t you think they have much more pride and a feeling of ownership when they can quickly point out and identify, “Hey, that’s my Santa!”

It seems like a small point to fixate on, but I came home that day so discouraged.  We are so groomed to fit in, to conform, to do the “right” thing for most of our lives, and it starts young.  But let’s not take away the joy of coloring freely on a page from these abundantly creative minds.  We should all want to see what they come up with.  It’s stunning.

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P.S.  I wanted to write a holiday-themed post, and this wasn’t my initial intention, but since this experience stuck with me (and at least had a Santa angle), I decided to share it.

That being said, I wanted to wish you all a warm Christmas with family and friends.  When the little ones you cross paths with break into those fresh boxes of crayons (as Eli and Sophie have already done) give them encouragement to express themselves however they see fit.  Don’t worry about the lines, the right colors.  I can guarantee they will show you a new way of seeing things.  One of the many gifts kids give us each and every day, if we’re paying attention.