Teaching Is Like Going On A Fly Fishing Trip

The Analogy of Fly Fishing
I am not a hobby or amateur angler. The only time I had any association with fishes was when I had gold fish as pets many years ago. But I have read about and watched programs on fly fishing. I know that an avid angler for fly fishing would use all sorts of fly-resembling baits to attract fishes like trout, salmon, steelhead or bass. The angler would be by the river or on a boat for hours, repeatedly casting the line with a bait-fastened hook. Teachers, in many ways, are like anglers.

My Day Out Fishing at Springbrook High
I returned to Springbrook High on my weekly visit as scheduled. My buddy teacher Chas was very kind to have brought forward the figure drawing class from Friday to Wednesday as I had earlier expressed interest to co-teach in a figure drawing lesson.

The Fish Identified...
Chas asked for a volunteer from the class to be the student model and a boy eagerly volunteered. I would call him Paul in this post, which is not his real name. A few others volunteered too but Paul was like an eager beaver, jumping up and down with his arm raised high. I could see that the volunteers are mainly students who usually would not want to do much in the art class, and being the model of the day certainly gives one the licence to literally sit there and do nothing. Chas did not pick Paul and picked another student who did not even raise the hand. Paul was very annoyed that his scheme fell flat and openly expressed his displeasure declaring "That's it! I am out of here!" Then he perched himself on the counter at the back of the art studio instead of gathering around Chas to watch the drawing demonstration. After the demonstration, a few classmates tried to nudge him to start work but he refused. After some coaxing from Chas, he set up a drawing board and paper but still would not commence work.

The Angler Prepares The Bait...
I told Chas I would act as the artist-in-residence for the day by setting up an easel to draw alongside the students. I thought I would try the old school approach of 'master-apprentice in a workshop', where the master artist demonstrates techniques to the apprentices through his/her own work.

I deliberately set up easel and my drawing board very close to Paul, just as an angler would prepare the bait next to the river full of swimming fish.

The Angler Cast The Line...
I started drawing and Paul turned and looked at me. Just as an alert angler, I quickly turned my head to establish eye contact. 

The Angler Patiently Awaits The Right Moment ....
Paul asked "Are you painting?"  
"I am drawing" I answered.

I knew I needed time to draw greater curiosity from Paul and should not approach him right away. If an angler pulls the rod too soon, it will scare the potential catch away. So I kept drawing, leaving the bait to sit in the river for just a little longer.

Another curious student came over to peep at my drawing and was excited by what she saw. I can not remember what she had said but her words got Paul's attention, and raised his curiosity.

The Fish Bit The Bait!
Paul looked over again and I asked him "Wanna come over and have a look? Come on.."

Paul got over and marvelled at the drawing. I have to say that the drawing is far from my best effort but this class had never done figure drawing and it wasn't difficult to impress them. It was like a young shoal of bass seeing a new bait for the first time!

The Angler Reeled In The Line.... 
I let Paul spend some time looking at my drawing then I told him I would show him how I did it. I explained to him I looked for negative spaces between the body and the limbs, and also analysed the figure using geometric shapes. I reminded him not to expect much drawing accuracy in first attempts and told him I have had a lot of practice. I assured him that if he tries, he would start to get it.

Releasing The Fish Back Into The River 
I went on to set up easel at another spot to make a new drawing, but I kept an eye on Paul, and was satisfied that he started to draw. I left him alone. The Angler turned her attention to other interested fish.  

Analogy Explained
This may be an unexpected or unusual analogy but I am drawing from a Greek text reference, which the work of translation into English was started by William Tyndale (1490 - 1536). According to the text, the first Apostles were to become 'fishers of men' (Matt 4:19, Mark 1:17). Keen observation, skill, good timing, and understanding of fish behaviour and movement is key to a successful fishing trip. Teaching, in many ways is like going on a fly fishing outing. A teacher often has to play the role of the angler in a classroom, looking for that 'dis-engaged' fish, and cast a line in hope to reel him/her in. The key element in my analogy is the angler's persistent attempt to get the attention of the fish. Fly fishing is an engagement not for those with a lukewarm heart in fishing. Just read an angler's blog or two, the sharing of knowledge within the blog community of fellow anglers and you get a sense of that passion. 

I have been doing the same in the digital art classes. I walked around looking for those 'dis-engaged or indifferent fish', approach them and excite them with a few Photoshop tricks, then tell them "Ok, now over to you. Go play with the features I just showed you." Each time I throw in the 'bait', my objective is simple - make them see what they never thought could be possible, luring them to begin participation in learning. I know I do not have 100% success rate, some fish sniffed the bait but did not bite. But just like an angler, he/she cannot expect to reel in fish with every cast of the line. 

Each year I teach several classes of Grade 7 and 8 students, each class with 40 of them. These are the last two years of compulsory art education in Singapore. Many are indifferent to learning art, not knowing that art develops their ability to see possibilities. They are like shoals of fish passing by me. If I do not learn from that spirit of an angler, I will just miss engaging with them. 

How Many Fish Have I Missed?
Once again I ask myself, if I have let many chances of reeling in 'disengaged fish' pass me in my 18 to 19 years of teaching. Given the nature of art as a subject, the need for close guidance, it is mostly 'one fish at a time'. In a school curriculum, the 'fishing season' is year-long, and I have to remind myself that I must be diligent in casting the line again and again for each lesson. 

I must remember: An angler never plans to go home without a catch.