Within art it is important to spur excitement, and that does not just pertain to students, but to teachers as well. When teachers have an interest and a strong knowledge base of what they are teaching, they are able to transfer that excitement to their students. During our interview, Ms. Fields suggested museums could implement an outreach program to spur engagement with students. Museums could connect with surrounding schools and give a list of potential pieces in their collection for the teachers to discuss in class. They could give an introductory course about the history of the piece and its artist, the medium used, and how it is relevant to the teacher’s class. The artwork could be viewed through its historical context or its techniques depending on where the teacher wants to gear focus. Then, once the teachers have been able to share this information with students, schools would be invited to come and see the piece in person and interact with it. They could practice close looking exercises and reinforce what they learned in the classroom with a museum guide, and expand on their knowledge beyond the classroom. This dual look form of engagement may strengthen their understanding of the piece they worked with and be a valuable memory for how learning can be guided inside and outside school.
Another idea to get students to engage with the art is a traveling exhibition. A select number of museum curators could travel to schools throughout a county or district within a designated time period (probably a month) and teach to different classes at different schools throughout the day. They could have several rotations throughout the day and hold information sessions, potential painting exercises (or work with other mediums depending on the piece), and allow students to interact with art they may not have otherwise been able to see. Not all students have transportation to get to art museums. Perhaps their parents work long hours, or don’t have a car, or perhaps they are unable to pay certain entrance fees. Instead of encouraging students to go see the art, bringing it to them would make it so they had a chance to see it and engage with it.
There would definitely be obstacles concerning both inviting students to the museum and a traveling exhibition. In regards to inviting schools to museums to engage with the art, teachers and faculty may run into issues some of the red tape that Ms. Fields described. Even if the field trip was a joint collaboration with the county and the local art museum, there may be a significant amount of paperwork to go through. Not to mention everything that comes with field trips such as transportation and chaperones on the school side, and space and timing on the museum side. In regards to traveling museums, an important first step would be to hire experts to teach to different schools. These experts would be traveling for up to a month and their outsourcing may hinder museum progress. There would have to be plans in place to ensure the museum could function in their absence, perhaps by bringing in interim curators. Another obstacle would be the transport and preservation of the pieces being shown. Often paintings and other artifacts need to be in temperature controlled environments to make sure the materials are preserved. There would need to be specific vans or to make sure the artifact made it safely from location to location. This lending out of equipment may be costly. Having a traveling trailer may be a worthy investment for the museum to engage schools and communities farther away, but it is important to consider the financial impact a traveling exhibit would entail between the design of a specific bus or vehicle, gas, and equipment to maintain the integrity of the piece.
Something further to be taken into consideration is how students interact with the art. Ms. Fields talked about students not knowing how to behave in museums and that lack of appropriateness causing apprehension on the part of museums to invite students. To teach students how to interact with art, there should be a brief museum etiquette lesson. Students need to be taught not to touch, but also why they should not touch the artwork. They can be told about the oil and dirt on their fingers and how that can damage paintings, metal, or clat by wearing down the medium. They should also be told that not being careful and aware in a space can result in accidentally scratching the piece or breaking it. Students should understand the importance of the history of the pieces and their construction. In being transparent with students, hopefully there is a greater understanding of accountability and realizing they are in a mutual space of learning and respect.
Ms. Fields suggested two solutions to a lack of engagement with art through museum and school collaboration. These ideas are new and innovative, and could change the way in which students are exposed to art. Especially now with schools pulling funding from art programs, the importance of the introduction to art and its historical and cultural significance cannot be understated. Art should be equally prioritized to STEM because it brings something new to the table. It is a way to engage with history and a way to prompt creativity. These skills can be applied to any subject students choose to pursue. Therefore, it is important they be cultivated. Supporting community engagement, teaching kids how to behave in new spaces, and having them learn beyond textbooks, papers, and exams, is a great way to further continued engagement and progress.
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