One of the most brilliant things a teacher can do is allow her little students to make big, messy mistakes.
At school when the kids paint, the table is invariably marked up. My lead said that we should make one table the "paint table" and tape it down with butcher paper, which will be removed (by the asst.) at the end of the day. I'm getting better at fighting these battles. I told her its a better lesson for the child to scrub up after himself. An otherwise obvious child may then become aware of his affect on the table and seek to control himself.
As the good doctor said, "It is well to cultivate a friendly feeling towards error, to treat it as a companion inseparable from our lives, as something having a purpose, which it truly has." (Dr. Montessori)
Can I turn white?
11 years ago
I try to use watercolors as an introduction to paint. The trays are small, and easy to carry to a table (we have no designated paint table). I cut the paper to be rather small. This makes the paper last longer and ensures that it will fit well within the underlay. Cleaning up only requires a sponge and some water. It still gets pretty messy, but not unmanageable. Perhaps you could suggest watercolors as an art extension that can be carried to the table. If it goes well, your lead may be encouraged to say goodbye to the butcher paper.
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