TEACHER RESOURCES
From Looking to Seeing: The Art of Observation
The focus of this workshop is developing observation skills through art. We’ll spend time in the galleries observing and discussing works of art and learn how art is used as a stimulus for Higher Order Thinking. This workshop will cover the evidence and research for the benefits of developing observation skills through looking at art, curriculum connections and hands-on activities.
Exploring Public Art
The UConn Campus provides a wide-ranging source of public art to explore. We will lead you in the exploration of public art and making connections across the curriculum for middle school and high school levels in social studies, science, technology, math, language arts and visual arts.
In-service Training
1. In-service training may be requested and scheduled for Pre-K-12 educators from a variety of disciplines and are designed to meet school curriculum and teachers’ needs. Teachers may request a focus on artworks from a specific portion of our collection or an introduction and overview to our collection. We will work with you to connect the collection to your curriculum needs. Our workshops stress inquiry-based teaching, critical thinking, and visual literacy skills.
2. Arts Integration. Many teachers believe they are not artistic. This Arts Integration Workshop provides the opportunity for teachers to experience art for themselves and realize the arts are for everyone. Arts integration is an approach to teaching that interweaves arts education with standard curriculum to help create a richer context for learning and can deepen student engagement. Teachers will gain a greater understanding of the experiences they can provide their students by utilizing art as a vehicle for learning. The idea behind arts integration is that it opens a new door to understanding and can be an effective way to differentiate instruction and break through with students who are struggling. Research has shown arts integrated lessons provide clear improvements in comprehension and retention. Teachers will learn how to look for a natural fit with curriculum content and develop integrated lessons.
Contact our education department at benton.education@uconn.edu if you are interested this training.
Image Credits: Georges Braque, Job, 1911, etching and drypoint on Laid paper. Museum Collection