About Trace

I have a group of 3 third-grade boys that love to trace on their Chromebook screens. Two weeks ago, I warned them that it would be their last week of tracing because I didn't want them relying on it like a crutch. I had it in my mind that they were "cheating" and looking for an easy way out, and I thought that taking the option to trace away would encourage them instead to develop their observation skills. I DID add some stencils to my drawing center before I visited them again, thinking that this would somehow satisfy their desire to trace and my desire to wean them off of it.

The long story short is that one of the boys did not take it well at ALL. He got up shortly into the next class and left the room. One of the other boys seemed fine with the challenge, but the last one was pretty down on himself and his abilities the whole time. And then he asked me, "What's the difference between a stencil and tracing?"

I knew as this whole thing was unfolding that this wasn't the TAB philosophy, but that question was what broke me. I knew I messed up but still felt unsure of what to do: is tracing and stenciling cheating, or is it necessary?

I came home that afternoon and did what I always do: I searched for my latest issue in the amazing TAB support group I have. I found an entire conversation dedicated to tracing and read through all of the wisdom and advice. Afterward, I knew what I needed to do.

I returned to their class last week and approached the boys with a new outlook. If they felt that tracing or stenciling helped them express themselves, then they could absolutely pursue it. I did let them know that they should put a unique spin on their work to claim ownership and that there may be times that I ask them to step outside their comfort zone to try something new. However, if they felt that tracing or stenciling worked for them right now, I would support them.

My artist, who a couple of weeks before stood up and walked out, created the art below. He is passionate about fishing and identified 3 of the fish he found in the stencils. He asked me how to spell a word or two. He added details to the fish as well as shading to make them “look more real” all on his own.

Tracing is necessary for some children as they build their confidence or develop an understanding of lines and shapes. Art-making of any kind opens communication and fosters relationships that otherwise may not develop. Sometimes, kids have so many ideas that they need to get them out onto paper quickly, and using a stencil helps them realize those ideas more fully than painstakingly freehanding them.

Kids know what they are doing. If art-making is happening, and a student is engaged, THAT is the sign that authentic learning is taking place. Tracing is not cheating - for some, it is a necessity.