Teaching is Learning!

Today I went to a local junior high school to help a teacher with a bonsai program. There were 9 young eager students with their junipers and elms. I walked around and asked each child how they were going to style their tree? I always tell adults to let the tree tell you what style to make the tree into. However, today I decided to let the kids tell me what they thought. They each came up with styles that they wanted for their trees. Many chose to do their trees into informal uprights, a couple wanted to do cascades and a few others decided on windswept. A few of the trees presented a challenge to do into a windswept because the branches were all over the place. As we worked on the trees, the kids were excited about their choices and were really involved in the process. The trees turned out quite nicely and better than I had expected. What I learned today after years of teaching bonsai is that it would be much easier to do the tree in the style that the tree dictates. However, if the person is involved in deciding the style, no matter how challenging, they will be more involved with the tree. Their excitement is infectious and they will get more out of the experience and will more likely be involved with continuing with bonsai. Today the students were the teachers. George

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This post was written by George