Beth's questioning process

Below are some questions I thought of, I also did an activity this week. Thursday, I spoke to my students briefly about modern and conceptual art.  We talked about what the word modern might mean. We also brainstormed about what artists today might make art about, social issues, etc.  I also talked to them about Spaces for Possibility, how I am still a "learner", and the ultimate goal I had of pushing them to make more art from their own personal experiences, etc. I wanted to give them a framework of understanding of why we were doing these activities, etc.  I wanted to also let them know we would be "exploring and generating" different concepts /ideas, and there wasn't a definitive "ending project" to the project yet. They were intrigued!

Next, I had my grade 5 students write down a sound or 2 that makes them feel uncomfortable, then 2 sounds they associate with comfort. Initially they were not comfortable about having to divulge this private information, but I tried to frame the activity in a "safe" way, allowing them to submit their responses anonymously.  I encouraged them to be creative, and gave them a few extra unique/weird/visceral examples from my own personal experience. Next students randomly pulled their peer's responses out of a bowl, and took turns reading them aloud to class.  I thought this would be a lighter way to gather candid information, and encourage a dialogue, while allowing all students to participate without feeling too intimidated. The idea of anonymity really appealed to them and there was complete participation and engagement!  Every child was sitting on the edge of their seat, listening to responses, (probably listening for their own as well, and curious about WHO would read their's, and how it would be received). With the unique social dynamics of being a fifth grader, this was something they seemed fascinated with:) So The students were accepting of each other's ideas and overall it was a positive, dynamic, initial experience. I video taped part of it.

What is a sound that makes you uncomfortable?  What is one that makes you comfortable?

Do you fear anything that most people would think is irrational?

When was the last time you felt embarrassed?  What happened?

Name something you think is disgusting or gross. 

Who is the person you feel most comfortable around and why? 

Name a moment when you felt ashamed.

Name a part of yourself or something about yourself you are uncomfortable with.

When was the last time you cried?

Have you ever done something you weren't comfortable with because you felt like you had to? Why?

What color would you associate with comfort?  What about discomfort?

Ideas where comfort becomes uncomfortable-

Can you think of a time, like a party, a vacation or holiday, that was "supposed" to be a fun/joyous/comfortable event, that may have turned out to be an uncomfortable experience?

ideas of discomfort "transforming" to comfort...

When you are feeling upset, what makes you feel better?

Is there a part of yourself, or life that you used to feel uncomfortable with that you now embrace?

I thought of a few other ideas as well, but thought I would sit on them for a bit. Either way, I am going to connect last week's activities to this week's, in some way, just not sure how yet! Let me know if you have thoughts!

Continuing the conversation

At our last meeting in January Olivia gave us a sheet of paper titled "Some Glossary Language from Next Generation Standards Draft" with "Identifying Objectives" on the back. Here is a reiteration of what this sheet says for those who do not have a copy.

Some Glossary Language from Next Generation Standards Draft 
By Olivia Gude 2014.

Formal and conceptual vocabularies:
In diverse, multi-cultural, dynamic, globally aware contemporary societies, there is not a single set of words, ideas or terms that can sum up the many possibilities for understanding, making and interpreting works of art or design. Throughout the Next Generation Visual Arts standards, the term vocabularies is used to suggest that words to describe, plan and analyze works of art and design can be drawn from many traditional, modern, contemporary and continually emerging sources.

Artistic investigations
Making art is a form of inquiry and exploration. Through artistic investigations, artists go beyond illustrating pre-existing ideas or following directions; students generate fresh insights, new ways of seeing and knowing. Artistic practice: Processes, techniques, media, procedures, behaviors, actions and conceptual approaches by which an artist or designer makes work.

Contemporary artistic practice
Processes, techniques, media, procedures, behaviors, actions and conceptual approaches by which an artist or designer makes work using methods that , though they may be based on traditional practices, reflect changing contextual, aesthetic, material and technical possibilities of today's world. Examples of contemporary practices include such approaches as artwork made with appropriated images or materials, social practice artworks that involve audience, performance art, new media works, installations, and artistic interventions in public spaces. Art-making approaches: Diverse strategies and procedures by which artists initiate and pursue making a work.

Formal and structural characteristics
Range of attributes that can be used to describe works of art and design. Terms can be drawn from traditional, modern, and contemporary sources to create vocabularies that aid students in experiencing and perceiving the qualities of artworks, thus empowering them to create their own work and to appreciate and interpret the work of others. Vocabulary sets that will be useful to 21st century art educators and students include (but are not limited to) visual elements (such as line and color), principles of design (such as repetition and movement), postmodern terminology (such as appropriation and layering), words associated with academic drawing and painting (such as perspective and chiaroscuro), craft specific vocabulary, words associated with photography and film (such as depth of field, point of view, and shot), terms from new media (such as interactivity and responsiveness) as well as unexpected forms and structures created by the wider range of art making approaches used by artists in contemporary times.

Identifying Objectives

Conceptual

Aesthetic

Language

Technical

Perceptual

Behavioral


To see how this language gets played out in a lesson visit Olivia's Manual Barkin award speech and view pages 29-32.

I'm wondering if anyone is using this sheet to guide their process around creating their contemporary art curriculum? I'm also wondering how you are doing? It's a bit quiet out there now. I can imagine that you're all busy. I did get an email from one of our group members regarding how she led her students through an anonymous process of questioning. The students really enjoyed the process of answering a series of questions without knowing who wrote the questions. I'm curious how others have invited students into the questioning process. Where are you stuck and what is working for you?

I like this image of a high school student learning to type on a manual typewriter at the Guggenheim's education workshop. Students wanted to know where the screen was. Talk about discomfort. I bet they felt pretty strange typing on such a clunky machine.

We're going to meet on Thursday January 26th from 4:30-6:00 p.m. at the Center to share how our curriculum development is going. This is a time to research and share ideas. Come with questions, concerns and ideas. 

Beyond the rubric - Subjectivity

Last week we had an invigorating session with Olivia and presentations from two curricular theme groups, SILLY and DISCOMFORT. Here is a brief recap of the evening. Olivia shared a pecha kucha about the New School Art Styles developed through Spiral Workshop. Next, Olivia invited teachers to follow various prompts around picking the "most aesthetically pleasing", "most beautiful" and "most artistically significant" cracker out of a packet of nine crackers. People worked in small groups to determine the criteria for selecting their crackers. Each group presented their findings and then Olivia asked a member of each group to "execute the judgment" by smashing the remaining crackers. This exercise is modeled after a Fluxus score.

Determining which cracker is "most aesthetically pleasing", "most beautiful", or "most artistically significant"

Presenting the criteria to the whole group

"Executing the judgment"

Following this activity, Olivia presented several provocations - "What is our job as art teachers?" and given various forms of criteria ("beautiful", "aesthetically pleasing", etc.)  "What is the teacher's task in writing a rubric with regards to judging student work?" This provocation led us to think about how difficult it is to fairly assess student art work.

Olivia suggested that we cannot objectively judge student artwork. Subjectivity and context are key to any on-going assessment. Olivia pointed out the difficulty and perhaps impossibility of assessment as an exercise in objectivity. She suggested that the subjectivity of assessment is not arbitrary, it's contextually based. This is a very complicated conversation. It might be worth while for everyone to read Olivia's Manual Barkin award speech presented at the NAEA last year in San Diego.

We invite you to comment on your experience with the Fluxus exercise. How do you respond to the ideas presented by Olivia? Please post your ideas!!

Following this conversation, the SILLY and DISCOMFORT themes presented their pecha kuchas. We responded with feedback suggestions and ideas for extending their curricular work. The evening ended with each thematic group developing next steps.

We look forward to the next series of pecha kutcha presentations in February and March to see how the curricular themes are developing.

PLAYING

Try beginning your theme curriculum with a related Surrealist Play activity.

There can be many approaches to 
Playing in the Art Classroom Studio,
However.....
Be careful not to turn Play into an Exercise 
by saying "You MUST do this or that...."
"I'm going to ASSESS this or that...."
The only criterion is BECOMING ABSORBED.

Here's your SLO:
Student will be able to shift from ordinary consciousness to engaged, focused, purposeful experimentation materials, words and ideas.

For many years, the first class of every Spiral Workshop season was devoted to Surrealist play. Often the activities (both image and text based) were designed to relate to the theme/media of the group.

Playing, Creativity, Possibility 
Playing, Creativity, Possibility by Olivia Gude

The article (click link above) includes lots of examples of playful curriculum based on actual documented activities that the actual Surrealists used to "unleash the unbridled imagination." They didn't just sit around trying to "think of things that don't go together." They played together.

I didn't make an a priori decision to begin Spiral Workshop courses with Play. 
We tried some Surrealist activities one year and noticed that:

1. A number of students found it very difficult in the beginning, but later "warmed to the activity." 
2. The activities seemed to generate a relaxed experimental climate. 
3. The process created a shared vocabulary for the students and teachers to talk about experimentation, process, and risk taking. 

On the Spiral Workshop NAEA Digication ePortfolio there are examples of the theme-based curriculum of over a dozen Spiral groups. Each curriculum begins with some variation of Surrealist play activities. Here's the link:
Spiral Workshop Theme Groups

Emerging Themes & Thinking about Violence

I've read through your posts with great interest, contemplating the emerging themes. I feel so interested and honored to be part of this learning community. 

The issue of Violence has come up several times as we’ve talked about possible themes on which to base curriculum. I think that we all agree that violence in our communities is a major issue facing many students, families, and teachers.

As a dialogical educator, I find that the first formulations of a theme often aren't sufficient to generate truly productive dialogue. Paulo Freire used the term "generative themes" because in dialogical education teachers and students come together to make something. 

The theme and resulting dialogue (often art making in our work) are generative because they make something and they make something happen. Freire terms this making in dialogue a "new naming." To name the world, to interpret and understand it, is to change the world because we now see it differently and this creates new possibilities for reflection and action.

A theme exercise such as the one we did in the first and follow up Spaces of Possibility workshop is a way to open an initial conversation, to signal to students that you as a teacher are committed to creating spaces in which students’ ideas, interests and concerns are relevant and welcome. However, developing and strengthening these spaces of possibility within the curriculum will take time. Teachers and students can’t grant each other TRUST a priori. Trust in this work is built through working together.

The problem with focusing on violence or crime may be that it doesn't necessarily create the possibility of a new naming of experience.

 Teachers talked about reasons why talking about violence doesn't seem possible--including that in places where violence is endemic, neither students nor teachers can feel safe to have these discussions. 

This is where curriculum becomes art. 
Art allows us to reframe experience in a way that supports conceptual, perceptual, emotional movement for makers, participants, and viewers. 

Profound change begins with slight shifts, with altered reverberations, unsettling moments that become altered spaces for reflection and action.

In highly emotionally charged situations, I believe that it is the work of the dialogical artist educator to find a place and to initiate a practice/process that generates fresh visualizations.

As I’m writing this I am thinking of the challenge of visualizing “non violence,” too often this is described only as an absence, of what is not happening, not what is or may come into being.

A phrase that keeps recurring in my mind is a Surrealist juxtaposition: 

TOUGH GENTLENESS. 

Could an artistic investigation begin with creating a series of such juxtapositions and then explore these new (perhaps quirky and sometimes nonsensical) metaphors through various media?

What new images of possibility might emerge?

Just thinking….

Try Something New

This is what has been on Roxy's mind since our last meeting...

I've kind of been struggling with what I want to base my theme on. Part of me wants to be pulled into the crime/violence theme group because of what my students go through on a daily basis…. the other part of me wants to try something new. 

I'm totally interested in Deborah's Banksy project and I can't wait to try it with my students. My floor at school is under utilized so they are closing it in the next few weeks. My plan is to use this idea of school street art as a good bye to the floor! 

For now I'm going to keep thinking and talking to my kids to generate ideas. 

I really enjoy coming together and sharing stories/ ideas. It has definitely been something I look forward to.

Protection, Printmaking, Presence

Tess shares three takeaways from the Nov. 20th work session...

Three takeaways:

1. I got some really good ideas for other lessons that I could delve into later on in the year. 

-Parents that are too protective

-What are you protected from? For what? By what?

-Which led me to thinking about vice versa: what should kids be protected from (student's perspective)?

2. Printmaking

What's worth repeating?

Idea - print on different things, then go back and add collage

3. Present of the Presence

The act of giving and receiving - still need to think more about this but very fascinating concept.

Helpful to Receive Feedback

This is what Dan had to share after our last work session...

It was great to hear everyone's approach on developing curriculum in their classroom. I appreciate the opportunity to hear how other art teachers approach making work with their students. It was helpful for me to receive some feedback on my current printmaking project. It helped me realize choosing a medium that is conducive to the concept of a project is import.  As far as a theme I am still working some ideas out. I am thinking of experimental processes of making art, spontaneity, and the role that chance plays in creating an artwork. I also like the idea of Comfort zones.

Reality of Working with Young People

Here are some thoughts Jess had after our Nov. 20th meeting...

I thought it was a very productive evening- and a great opportunity to share.  One of the ideas that stuck with me is that there is so often a distance between our expectations/hope and the reality of working with young people. 

The theme generation was hard- my students really wanted to stay at (what I felt was) a more surface level place and I wanted them to think more deeply, not because they are incapable, but because these are the things that are truly on their mind. It seemed many in the room experienced a similar situation. I definitely had to gently guide (push) my students to think a little more deeply about the ideas they were developing. I really benefitted from hearing others discuss their process and their thinking.  

I am very excited to continue thinking and developing ideas with the group!

Discomfort is: something or somewhere that doesn't make you feel like yourself

The above is a short thought from one of my students on the idea of discomfort.   I think it's a good place to start the conversation around the idea of a comfort or discomfort zone.   I am feeling some anxiety and discomfort at the moment because I haven't narrowed down any concrete places to go yet...I have some ideas, maybe?

This theme emerged from some gentle guiding of students in my after-school art program whose thoughts naturally drifted to food, TV, and home during the idea generating activity.  The students made some connections between these things and the idea of feeling relaxed, so I nudged them towards the idea of comfort.  Since then, we have had a few conversations around the idea of what is comforting/comfortable vs. what is uncomfortable/discomforting.  I have a few mind-maps they worked on and some questions around the theme that I will upload and share later.

We did one activity on Monday- we are working on quick performances (which is completely out of my comfort zone, both in teaching and in general).  The image below came about after a discussion on "actions of physical discomfort"- these students don't feel comfortable in confined spaces with others.  They don't look so uncomfortable, but I am super excited about the idea of documenting these quick actions with my students.

5 Thoughts and Big Ideas

Here are some things our meeting on Nov. 20th has Cory thinking about...

I teach choice-based/TAB in my room, and like Kitty, I want to find a method where the students are helping develop and taking the lead on inquiry into a theme. I tried the "5 thoughts" method that Olivia had us do with a few 4th grade classes, and initially I thought they were too young for the method to work. After having another session with Olivia and thinking about it more, I think I will try to tease out some common themes that they came up with and see where it goes (short aside: I am integrating art w 4th grade classroom teachers, and our goal in co-teaching is to have the students explore ideas and themes in my room that they're learning in their classroom). That's my long-term plan, as we have the next month or so mapped out for that grade level. 

In the short term, I'm thinking I will do the "5 thoughts" activity with either a 6th or 8th grade class. My older students already work within overarching themes/units, but I can modify their next units to work in more student voice about what it's about. 

Olivia addressed the fact that for choice-based teachers, our curriculum might look different, with smaller groups of students going down different paths within a larger theme, a situation that I'm comfortable teaching. I think it makes sense to have students develop "big ideas" and then I can refine them and think of "guiding questions" or short art-making activities they can use as starting points for a larger, longer-term piece.

Conversation and Idea Development

Josh shares some takeaways from our Nov. 20th meeting.

I have a few thematic investigation ideas.  A few are "Home", "Coming Home", "Neighborhoods", and "My Chicago".  

As far as takeaways, I'm starting to think about how the chalk-talk approach to coming up with ideas for themes relates to TAB and how it fits into other artists' approaches to art-making, including my own.  I'm also becoming curious about how the activity relates to motivation in art-making and how a sense of community is activated through conversation and idea development.

When I conducted the chalk-talk approach to theme brainstorming, the students I teach brought violence and gangs into the conversation.  Both topics are serious issues for artists to explore legitimately, but it's not safe in a school setting to explore both issues because it's dangerous due to gang relations among the student body.

Artist as Investigator

Here are some of Kitty's takeaways from our meeting on Nov. 20th. 

Thanks for a thoughtful evening. My take away is the way in which I can structure student inquiry and Olivia gave us the idea of terming ours as "artist as investigator." We also looked at the idea of uncertainty which fits nicely with my choices based classroom. 

I also learned that the term identity is too big and stagnate. Identity is changing all the time. Basically, it's not so straight forward. I found partners to share with.

Going's On at Curie w/ the X Kids

Ms. X and her Happenings.

I am going to connect you to two of my other blogs (as I can't always keep track of the posting I do).

1. Guerrillaart4.blogspot.com
This is the student run (mostly) blog for our guerrilla art class. Currently working on a project connected to the "Bowie Is" exhibit at the MCA. We are collaborating with Lee Blalock, a sound/video/performance artist. We have just started our big project. Check it out as it progresses...

2. http://teachersafterhours.blogspot.com/
This blog is more teacher-centered. I post about, reflect upon, new things I am trying in classes. Sometimes, just get into teacher issues or discussions. Also an ongoing series of posts about my trip to Finland with the NAEA delegation. Very exciting!
Speaking of: the trip got written up in another teacher's blog about the Finnish system of education.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-m-eger/the-smartest-kids-in-the_b_6168348.html

Valerie Xanos

Social Commentary Graffiti Project

Deborah Ryder at Kennedy High School reflects on a recent project...

I designed my Social Commentary Graffiti Project because I wanted my students to experience the power of public art to raise consciousness, provoke discussion and visually impact their school environment. I guided a discussion and asked them to make lists of issues that were on their minds. They chose working partners and formed small groups of 2 -4 and they decided on the issue they wanted to present. 

Graffiti has broad general appeal and interest with my students. As they were planning their works, I showed them a lot of Banksy. I found some really interesting videos about Banksy on YouTube (including a hilarious bit from Steven Colbert). They created 5' tall graffiti works inspired by Banksy. Like Banksy, I told them they could use appropriated imagery from popular culture and Banksy himself, but they needed to create new juxtapositions to design their images. They also wrote Manifesto statements about their topic that would put up with their graffiti. 

Students traced their designs on clear plastic sheets and projected their graffiti designs onto large pieces of kraft paper. They used black acrylic paint and had the option to add white and one accent color. They cut them out and in one day during their art class period they "stealthily" wheat pasted their graffiti any where in the school they wanted. 

My students were incredulous that they had permission to present works that were personal and sometimes controversial. I told them I didn't ask permission. We were just going to do the project and I would accept the consequences. That earned me a little cred with my students, even though I figured the work would be well received by every one at school, including administration. 

At first my students were skeptical. They thought their work would be destroyed by other students in the school or at the very least the principal would tell me to take them down. Then the talk started. "This is so cool. Who did this, etc, etc" They started seeing their work on Facebook, Instagram and SnapChat. Their teachers were talking about it and creating spontaneous lessons inspired by their graffiti.

The graffiti stayed up for 3 weeks and were on display during report card pick up for parents and visitors to view. Then we took them down. Teachers are sorry to see them gone and have expressed their appreciation for the project and are asking me what we are going to do next.

Looking forward to meeting with teachers on Thursday November 20 to continue the collaborative conversation. 

Everyone is welcome--those who attended October night and those who did not.

Time/space for small group and large group collaborative ideation and processing. 

What People are Thinking About

Below are comments we collected from the teachers who were present during the Oct. 23rd workshop with Olivia. Who else can share their ideas? What questions or comments do you have regarding Chrissy, Deni, Jeanne and Jeanette's ideas below? Please let us know what you are thinking about...

I find as art teachers we are very isolated and we have to seek out communities to share ideas. These ideas seem to more receptive because we WANT to be in the community. Many teachers of core subjects are forced to be in these conversations. I am eager to get ideas and collaborate with art teachers I have long respected. I feel like I take away information every time.

I was pleased to discuss ideas with the teachers I paired with because I feel our students have similar pressures regarding the high school admissions process. They often feel they are wrongly assessed though they have many attributes that can't be measured.

I'm intrigued by the idea of how they are measured and how we associate behavior in relationship to color and numbers.

Our group also discussed the idea of behavior management in general. How students seem to feel the consequences of their peers. These are teaching opportunities we feel for them to work collaboratively towards a goal.

Takeaways

1) There are so many themes...how to choose

2) The themes we ultimately chose had a broad base for interpretation...

3) While I can't dedicate an entire quarter to the theme, I am excited to work with the 7th grade.

My 3-4 takeaways from the 10-23 event:

1.  Healthy relationships seem like a real need.
2.  Navigating the terrain between talking about issues, making art
about issues and then what?  Is raising awareness and talking about
issues enough?
3.  The quote: "All violence is the result of unmet need." is a basic
tenet of restorative justice.  I think naming the needs and then
finding/assisting students to find the resources to meet the needs is
a good thing to work on.
4.  Asset Based Inquiry is another good angle to pursue in the search
for solutions.

My takaways:

Wow, this is really tough work? This seems like it takes a long time? Lots of planning, contemplating, and thinking? It wlll be great to have this group to work with to figure this new way of teaching. I love the connections that can be made to contemporary artists and their work.

Interesting how the elementary kids have such issues with being silent in the halls. What must their life be like, constantly being told to do stuff that goes against their natural nature? How does this experience in elementary school influence how they behave when they get to me freshman year? They go from such control and structure to much more freedom, no wonder they struggle to handle it.

I am so glad to live in a place that offers opportunities like this. I am so honored to be included in this group and look forward to the journey ahead.

Why does life have to be so stressful, for us as adults, for kids, kids shouldn't be this stressed.

Art is so important to understanding life, each other, ourselves, the world, to make the world better, to make ones self better.

Every problem is a curriculum problem, how can I apply this to the problems I am beginning to have in my 4th period freshman art class?