Start with what you already know

I am a teacher at heart.  I was given the opportunity to observe a teaching situation with my young nephew just a few days ago.  

The 7 year old wanted to draw a complex six armed surfing buddha.  He was used to having a tracing template at school.  And he wanted it to be “perfect” the first time.

Hmm how to help him?  I gathered the right tools, pencil and a soft eraser and lots of practice paper.  Then we broke the drawing down into shapes that he already knows, circles, smiley faces, triangles, sloping lines and more triangles.

I was able to see his drawing technique transform right before my eyes in just minutes!  At first he tried to draw the whole image from memory. Then as we drew the circles and smiley faces and triangles, he started to look at the picture for reference.

I told him we would transform the circles into “wave hands later.”  He was willing to wait and trust that he could do a rough drawing and transform it as he went along.

When you learn a new skill do you:

• gather the right tools
• lots of practice materials
• start with what you already know
• listen to a gentle teacher
• willing to be imperfect

I suggest you give yourself these gifts the next time you set out to learn a new skill.