Thinking Through Art

Recognizing teachers as the levers of change, Thinking Through Art brings together educators from across Boston to learn about and through the Gardner and its collection. Thinking Through Art is a graduate-level course on teaching and learning that uses a student-centered discussion method called Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS). By prioritizing students’ observations and prior knowledge during these conversations, students of all ages and abilities measurably improve their ability to reason with evidence and think flexibly. They build confidence communicating in conversation and in writing, develop cohesion as a classroom community, and an appreciation for the unique perspectives that each individual brings to a work of art. Thinking Through Art uses culturally and linguistically sustaining practices and art from around the world to empower students to explore visual art and make meaning on their own terms.

Since 1992, the Gardner Museum has partnered with Boston Public Schools to build relationships with teachers and students, focusing on aligning with BPS standards and curricula with the process of learning to look at art. We invite teachers and their students to join us and connect with the Gardner Museum as a resource and respite.

Applications for Thinking Through Art 2022-23 are now closed. The application for Thinking Through Art 2023-24 will be available in April. Please email ThinkArt@isgm.org with questions.

Learn to facilitate open-ended discussions of works of art using Visual Thinking Strategies, a method proven to develop students’ critical thinking skills and promote social and emotional learning. You and your students will experience the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum as a place of learning, inspiration, and community.

Components and Benefits

Professional Development

• Two graduate credits / 40 professional development points 
• Weeklong Summer Institute, three-hour Fall Workshop, and three-hour Spring Workshop (in person and remote options available, see application for 2022-23 dates)
• One-year Gardner Museum Household-level membership for participating teachers

Museum Visits

• Two guided visits to the Museum for each class, led by skilled Museum Teachers(in person and/or virtual)
• The Museum covers transportation costs
• One-year Gardner Museum family passes for participating students

Classroom Curriculum and Student Assessment Tools

• Six digital lessons of developmentally appropriate of visual art, for monthly discussions led by classroom teachers
• Writing and discussion-based tools to measure growth in critical thinking and communication skills

Requirements 

Teachers and their principals must sign a memorandum of agreement acknowledging the following program requirements. They will: 

• Attend all professional development workshops
• Bring at least one class for two guided visits to the Museum (in person and/or virtual)
• Lead six classroom Thinking Through Art lessons during the school year, each including 2-3 works of art
• Write a one-page reflection following each classroom lesson
• Write a 5-7 page paper following final Museum visit (for graduate credit)
• This year, accepted Thinking Through Art teachers will be part of our Thinking Through Art Research Study. Read the Executive Summary of the study here. Participation in the Thinking Through Art Impact Study includes collecting parent/guardian consent from one class of students, administering student survey and student responses to visual art, and allowing researchers to video up to two classroom discussions.

Fee 

$100 materials fee per teacher, plus $150 for teachers seeking to earn graduate credit. 

Through rigorous professional development and a supportive community of educators, deepen your facilitation skills and become an advocate for student-centered teaching and arts integration within your school. Build on your expertise with Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) as a peer mentor, and use the Museum as a resource for designing lesson plans and student assessments that cultivate open-ended inquiry in your classroom.

Components and Benefits

Professional Development

• One Graduate Credit / 20 Professional Development Points 
• One-day Summer Institute, two three-hour Coaching Sessions, three-hour Fall Workshop, and three-hour Spring Workshop (in person and remote options available, see application for 2022-23 dates)
• One-year Gardner Museum Household-level memberships for participating teachers

Museum Visits

• Two guided visits to the Museum for each class, led by skilled Museum Teachers (in-person or remote)
• The Museum covers transportation costs
• One-year Gardner Museum family passes for participating students

Classroom curriculum and student assessment tools

• Four digital lessons of developmentally appropriate visual art, for monthly discussions led by classroom teachers 
• Writing and discussion-based tools to measure growth in critical thinking and communication skills
• Support and structure for designing your own Thinking Through Art Extension Project lesson plans and assessment methods

Requirements

Teachers must have completed Thinking Through Art Level 1 or have participated in the Gardner Museum’s School Partnership Program for at least one year. Teachers and their principals must sign a memorandum of agreement acknowledging the following program requirements. They will: 

• Attend all professional development workshops (in-person or remote)
• Bring at least one class for two guided visits to the Gardner Museum (in-person or remote)
• Lead four classroom Thinking Through Art lessons during the school year, each including 2-3 images
• One-page reflection following each classroom lesson 
• Design and implement a Thinking Through Art Extension Project
• Write a 5-7 page paper about the Extension Project including an evaluation of the Project design (for graduate credit)

Fee

$100 materials fee per teacher, plus $75 for teachers seeking graduate credit. 

Apply Now

The Gardner Museum has conducted many studies on the effect of multiple-visit, discussion-based programs in Boston. Our research with elementary, middle, and high school students shows that students who participate in regular Visual Thinking Strategies discussions with works of art double their critical thinking skills, including supported observations and flexible thinking, compared with peers who do not participate.

Learn more about the Gardner Museum's educational research projects.