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.

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.

See the application for program dates

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)

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.

See the application for program dates

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. 

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.