Thinking Through Art

Our school programs build relationships with teachers and students through multiple visits, focusing on the process of learning to look and making meaning from works of art. Since 1992, the Gardner Museum has partnered with Boston Public Schools to make the experience of responding to works of art an essential part of school culture. Thinking Through Art, our multiple-interaction program for Boston Public Schools, empowers teachers and students to practice critical thinking and communication skills through discussions about visual art.

Thinking Through Art is a yearlong graduate-level course on teaching and learning through visual art for Boston Public School teachers. Participants learn an innovative, rigorous discussion method called Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) to integrate group discussion and reflective practice in their classroom. By prioritizing students’ observations and prior knowledge, Thinking Through Art helps students explore works of art and make meaning on their own terms. As a result of regular group discussions about the works of art, students of all ages and abilities demonstrate measurable growth in their ability to reason with evidence, think flexibly, and communicate their ideas in conversation and in writing.

Due to public health concerns around COVID-19, the Gardner Museum is temporarily closed. Thinking Through Art will take place for the 2020-21 school year, with some components held online via Zoom. We will continue to share updates and look forward to welcoming you and your students to the Museum when we reopen.

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. These results persist over time, making one year of Thinking Through Art affect students’ college and career readiness.

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

Learn to facilitate open-ended discussions of works of art using Visual Thinking Strategies, a method proven to develop students’ critical thinking and communication skills. Learn how to choose artwork tailored to the needs of your students, and how to assess student learning in the context of group discussion. 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 / 30 professional development points 
• Summer Institute Options (online via Zoom):
  • August 10, 12, 13 & 14, 9 am–12 pm OR 2–5 pm, and Teaching Practice Session August 11, 1–2:30 pm, 2:30–4 pm, or 4–5:30 pm
  • August 24, 26, 27 & 28, 9 am–12 pm OR 2–5 pm, and Teaching Practice Session August 25, 1–2:30 pm, 2:30–4 pm, or 4–5:30 pm
• Gallery Teaching Practice Session Options (in person at the Gardner Museum):
  • September 24, 4:30–7:30 pm
  • September 26, 9 am–12 pm
  • October 1, 4:30–7:30 pm
  • October 3, 9 am–12 pm
  • October 8, 4:30–7:30 pm
• Fall Workshop Options (in person at the Gardner Museum):
  • November 5, 4:30–7:30 pm
  • November 7, 9 am–12 pm
  • November 21, 9 am–12 pm
• Spring Workshop Options (in person at the Gardner Museum):
  • March 20, 9 am–12 pm
  • March 25, 4:30–7:30 pm
  • April 10, 9 am–12 pm
• One-year Gardner Museum Friend-level membership for participating teachers

Museum Visits

• Two guided visits to the Museum for each class, led by skilled Museum Teachers
• 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 must be teaching in Boston Public Schools or at a Boston-area community college. We encourage participation by cohorts of teachers from the same school.

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. Teachers who have multiple classes may bring all classes/sections to the Museum
• Complete all assignments:
  • 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

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. Reflect on your own teaching and learning, while adopting tools to mentor your peers. Build on your expertise with Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) 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 
• Summer Institute Options (online via Zoom):
  • August 11, 9 am–12 pm
  • August 19, 2– 5 pm 
• Fall Workshop Options (in person at the Gardner Museum):
  • October 22, 4:30–7:30 pm
  • October 24, 9 am–12 pm
• Fall Workshop Coaching Session Options (in person at the Gardner Museum):
  • November 5, 4:30–8:30 pm
  • November 7, 9 am–1 pm
  • November 21, 9 am–1 pm
• Spring Workshop Options (in person at the Gardner Museum:
  • March 11, 4:30–7:30 pm
  • March 13, 9 am–12 pm
• One-year Gardner Museum Friend-level memberships for participating teachers

Museum Visits

• Two guided visits to the Museum for each class, led by skilled Museum Teachers before Museum open hours
• 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 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
• Bring at least one class for two guided visits to the Gardner Museum. Teachers who have multiple classes have the option of bringing all classes/sections
• Complete all assignments:
  • 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

Fee

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