Education

Created in 1992, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s School Partnership Program builds relationships with teachers, students, and administrators in Boston schools all within walking distance of the museum. This multi-visit program focuses on the processes of learning to look and making meaning from works of art—through professional development for teachers and regular, sequenced discussions about works of art for students.

The Gardner Museum’s approach to school programs is grounded in the philosophy of working with a small number of schools to build deep working relationships through numerous interactions with Gardner educators both in the museum and the schools.

School Partners for 2010-11:

  • Boston Latin School
  • David G. Farragut Elementary School
  • Maurice J. Tobin K-8 School

Educational Approach

The School Partnership uses a discussion-based pedagogy called Visual Thinking Strategies or VTS, which prompts students to make observations and provide evidence for their ideas through 3 main questions:

What’s going on in this picture? What do you see that makes you say that? What more can we find?

Rather than impart large amounts of information to the students, VTS is used to help the students explore works of art in a way that allows them to connect with their previous experiences and knowledge—in other words, students make meaning on their own terms.

Through these open-ended discussions, students develop visual literacy, flexible, rigorous thinking skills, and strengthen their language and listening skills. In addition, VTS nurtures problem-solving abilities, and builds confidence and willingness to participate in group thinking and discussion processes. These skills and abilities are essential in most contexts, both in school and out. Partnering schools receive intensive, ongoing professional development for teachers, who share the teaching responsibilities with Gardner Museum staff, helping the VTS teaching method become part of the school’s culture.

Kindergarten through 2nd grade classes 3 visits by the Gardner staff that usually last about 30-40 minutes each. Partnering teachers in grades 3-5 bring their students to the museum for group discussions and a related studio project in up to 3 museum visits and at least 2 classroom visits by the Gardner’s School Partnership educators. Students, teachers, and their families enjoy free family admission to the museum throughout the year with the use of their School Partnership buttons.

Connecting with Families

The accomplishments and artwork of students involved in the Education Department’s School and Community Partnership programs are featured in a series of evening events held at the museum at the end of each school year. Each partnering school helps to organize a “Family Night,” during which the students share with their families and friends what they have learned at the Gardner. Groups involved in Community Partnerships also participate in a festive culminating event called “Community Creations.” Each group displays artwork students have created in response to the Gardner’s collection; past exhibitions have included paintings, sculpture, and installation art. Family and friends from the neighboring community attend the gala opening night. The exhibition then remains on view at the museum for a week, offering all visitors the chance to see the Gardner Museum through the eyes of these young people.

Teaching Intern Program

The School Partnership Program Teaching Internship provides higher education students with opportunities to learn about gain practical experience in art museum education through intensive teaching and research with urban schools. Interns are trained and teach using the Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) method both in the museum galleries and in partner school classrooms two mornings every week and explore relevant learning theories and research with School Partnership staff. An unpaid internship, students frequently secure course credit for their internship time.

Primary responsibilities include:

  • Participate in Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) training, on-site observation, readings, discussion of theory and practice, evaluation, and independent research that relates to the museum's collection
  • Work closely with School Partnership Manager and Director of School and Teacher Learning assist in preparation for Partnership school programs, with the ultimate goal of being responsible for teaching a specific cluster of classes at partner school(s)
  • Develop a research project that documents his/her experiences in the internship, and/or write a final paper to complete requirements for course credit through the cooperating educational institution

For further information about the Teaching Internship, please contact Director of School and Teacher Programs, Michelle Grohe, at mgroheisgm.org.