Inquiry Project

Inquiry Project:

What I Know:

Art is communication.

Art is storytelling and literacy. 

Rationale:

It is my belief, as an educator and human being, that we better understand ourselves and others through looking at and discussing works of art.

Art work is itself a form of storytelling, with visual language that moves, us all in unique ways, based on our own experiences, our own schemas. Works of art do not come alive simply by sitting on a wall or existing in an open public space, rather art works gain meaning when we try to understand them, and in the conversations we have with others, art comes alive, develops its evolving story and produces meaning in our lives. 

I believe through offering a safe respectful space where students can experiment with language, connect and develop their own ideas in both visual, written and oral ways, they can better access learning, content and find autonomy in their educational journey through creative expression and meaning making. 

What I want to Know
Question:

How can I better support my students in their acquisition of visual and written language, through the use of research journals, sketchbooks, and artistic critique as an artistic adaptation of Socratic seminar?

How do I create the space and environment necessary for students to feel comfortable sharing in a group critique that is modeled on a Socratic seminar? How do I find text and visuals that support and scaffold this advanced level of discussion and meaning making?

How do I help students use their research journals/sketchbooks as a way to organize their thoughts and ideas?