How not to make orange

A beginner’s guide

Scenario; year 4 girl with statement for special educational needs works with support worker colour mixing.

Adult; ‘Right, it’s our job to make orange, what colours do you think we need to make orange?

Let’s start with yellow, what shall we add to yellow to make orange?’

Child picks up brush and heads straight for the blue

Adult; ‘remember, ( pause ) we are making orange

Child looks at the adult and without losing eye contact moves toward the black with the brush.

Adult, showing slight signs of panic in her voice, ‘Black? (pause) In yellow? ( tries to control her horror) Oh that would make a messy colour wouldn’t it?

Child still hasn’t said anything or made a mark on the paper

Adult; how about you trying some red?

Child dips in red and mixes orange

Adult breathes sigh of relief and says to the child, ‘Yes, well done you did it!’

Objective achieved?