This week my master teacher devoted considerable time to talking about art with the students. They didn’t get much time to work on their assignments. Sometimes this felt frustrating because it’s so easy to think that art education only happens when students are using art supplies. However, I was reminded that two of the most important supplies that students have are their eyes and their minds. Students need to be taught how to look, especially in a culture that has so much visual stimulation. I think that one of the ironies of living in a visually rich time is that we have taught ourselves to NOT look at things. We wait until things are thrust in our faces. Art can help teach children how to look, look carefully and notice subtlety. I also think it is really important to empower students with evaluation skills. These skills are transferable to all products that children are asked to make. We can give them a place to learn how to answer for themselves, “is this good?”
