John+Barrell's+reflections

Following a very interactive session during which participants observed, and analyzed real sunflowers and then compared them with van Gogh’s rendition of the same flower (9/28/10), these educators identified several questions for their year-long project of collaboration: 1. How do we create a culture where teachers feel comfortable asking probing questions of each other? How do we build a culture of risk-taking within this study group? 2. How do we enhance students’ curiosity within our classrooms? What kinds of choices do we give them to exercise their questioning abilities? 3. How do we assess students’ inquiry? What kinds of observational measures might be productive? 4. How do we learn to work successfully with other teachers [from different subjects]? These questions supported the project’s primary goal: to determine “the commonalities” when art and science teachers “have their students observe, question and critique” objects of art and nature. Subsequently, teachers engaged in other kinds of close observations of other objects in nature (maple seed pods) as well as art objects (in a local museum). During each sharing of experiences these teachers variously raised questions about art and science: “What is the definition of discovery? How do we solve problems? How do we improve creativity? What is the story behind a work of art? What kinds of metacognitive processes do students use in science?”
 * //5/9/2011//**
 * Session 1:**


 * Session 2:**

These process questions (11/18/10) are most important, because they help teachers and students become more aware of and, therefore, more in control of their own thinking, feeling and learning. Understanding relationships between artists and scientists, between the products of each, is fostered by becoming more aware of how we create artistic products and how we arrive at scientific conclusions. Imagination is key to both endeavors. Science is as much a human activity involved with play and imagination as is art, according to noted scientist-art observer Jacob Brownowski, author of //The Ascent of Man// and many other books. During these professional development sharing opportunities, teachers began answering one of their questions: we create a **culture of sharing** where we have fun, explore ideas and engage in a team effort. Here there was “an atmosphere of acceptance of all ideas,” no judgments being offered. Other elements participants discovered in creating a culture where creativity, imagination and curiosity will flourish included the following: “High levels of challenge [involving intellectually challenging tasks]. . . Sufficient time to explore. . . Using objects/artifacts that were fascinating and intriguing. . . Free from grading and evaluations. . .” Along the way, teachers reported on various classroom experiences (3/1/11). They were learning: How to push students toward deeper expressions through use of more direct probing questions. How to use more time for observing, questioning and critiquing into their daily lessons. How to incorporate students’ sketch books and journals for more reflective thought. The effects of experimenting, making mistakes (from which we can always learn). How to involve students in writing scoring/assessment rubrics. How to encourage students to make more interdisciplinary connections (remembering that it’s the connections students make that are remembered more effectively, not the ones students memorize.) That as they question more deeply, students are responding with enhanced complexity. That students engage in more peer-to-peer interactions as teachers challenge them to respond to questions such as “What do you think of ---? Why?” and “Who agrees/disagrees with --- and why?” As one teacher noted, “We hear them asking each other questions.” Such peer interaction fosters deeper understandings, engagement and achievement. And, That using the metacognitive question “Tell me how you arrived at this design/structure” often reveals the depth and quality of students’ understanding of aesthetic and scientific reasoning. On 5/5/11 participants demonstrated what they have understood from their explorations of the relationships between art and science as ways of knowing and interpreting the world. Their products included PPT presentations, videos, collages and dramatic presentations of their apprehensions and successes about the rational for this project. Here are some summary observations about their learning and how it relates to their original questions (see above): A. Teachers demonstrated a deep understanding of how one creates a **culture of exploration, investigation and discovery** in both science and art. They spoke of the “Questions that guide our thinking (e.g. “What if?” and various kinds of probing questions such as “Why do you think that?” and “What do you see that makes you say that?”) These kinds of questions attest to some teachers’ thorough understanding of the role of shared classroom dialogue amongst all participants and the importance of the follow-up questions in creating such an interactive environment. B. “We got questions we never expected!” This attests to the nature of open inquiry with a risk-free environment Thus, teachers learned how to **foster more curiosity** by providing students with more spaces within which to inquire: spaces of a physical, emotional and intellectual nature. C. Many participants would echo this reflection: “I gave the students **time** ” to explore, experiment and be curious. Together with spaces elaborated in B above, affording students with time to observe, question and critique artifacts that reflect important concepts/principles and/or skills within a unit is vital importance. Without key artifacts and the time and space to investigate we will not be able to engage students intellectually and emotionally (and, perhaps) physically in the essential questions and concepts posed in each instructional unit. Without these key elements we will not enable students to act on their natural **curiosities.** By inference, we can conclude that teachers realized during the professional development process the key role played by instructional planning. We need to plan for time and uses of various spaces in order to foster students’ curiosities, their productive investigations and thinking about worthwhile curricular goals. D. Teachers learned the ups and downs of more directed and intense **collaboration** between two different disciplines, art and science, thus answering one of their original questions, “How do we learn to work successfully with other teachers [from different disciplines]?” E.. Another key ingredient they identified is **students’ control** of their own learning. As one teacher noted, she had difficulty with the underlying principle of this project—that is, fostering more intellectual curiosity by relating the arts and sciences. But, as an experiment, she gave her art students this **problematic situation** : “If you were a Pharaoh, what would you value and treasure? What rules would be important? What would you want to take into the after-life?” These open-ended, intellectually challenging questions opened her art classroom to very intense discussion, debate (especially about rules) and sharing of ideas. F. “I find myself asking better questions,” noted one teacher. Several others noted an increased awareness of the kinds of questions they were asking. This is an exceptionally important element in fostering the **culture of inquiry—the process of reflection.** Teachers must be learners as well as those in possession of certain knowledge. We must model our own growth, change and development as we expect our students to do the same. G. The presentations that teachers created reflected what they have learned from this grant-sponsored integration of the arts and sciences reflect another important aspect of creating a culture of collaboration, personal control and enhanced curiosity: Each presentation reflected a collaborative **demonstration of understanding**. From the PowerPoint Presentations to the videos, collages and personal testimonies teachers exemplified what the arts and sciences are at their core: imaginative modes of personal self-expression and models/metaphors to communicate our understandings of the natural world. What teachers realized was that every student has a unique way of expressing her understanding of the subjects investigated, just as artists and scientists use their imaginations to share their views and perceptions of the world. //In conclusion, when the group considered “Next Steps,” one teacher presented this conclusion: We should “allow students time to pursue their own passions.” This involves more self-direction, persistence in searching for answers to their own questions, resolution of problematic situations and time for reflection at appropriate times.//
 * Session 4:**
 * Session 5: overall summary and reflection upon the process**

//This professional development process exemplified what every sun flower does in the Spring, it opens itself to the sun and continues to follow that sun during the course of the day receiving needed nourishment and focus. Similarly, these teachers opened themselves to new worlds of experimentation with time, space, commitment, collaboration and the amazing world of discovering students’ wonderful curiosities once they feel comfortable in safe, non-threatening environment. Imagination and curiosity thrive when we share control of decision making with students allowing their energies to follow their own suns.// Respectfully submitted, John Barell Professor, Emeritus, Montclair State University NY, NY 212-744-582 [|www.morecuriousminds.com] [|http://morecuriousminds.blogspot.com] [|http://antarcticdreams.com] The Essential Question for the STEAM Grant Project: //When art and science teachers have their students observe, question, and critique work, what are the commonalities and what can be learned from the practices of each discipline that will improve instruction and student learning// **//J. Barell//**  ||   **//Notes//**   || North Hills Admin. Team Fox Chapel Area Admin. Team ASSET || Introduction: Survey Results Discussion Goals Wrap-up including: Reflections, future readings, study-guide questions, establishing participant leaders for future sessions || || ! Surveys will be sent out before the first meeting with a pre-meeting completion date || 11/18/10 ||  TBD   ||   Questioning   || Chapters: 4, 6 with study-guide || ! Intentionally address the connection between the session’s focus topic and student notebooks ! Participants should apply their //take-aways// from this meeting, with their students, between the second and third meetings || 1/12/11 or 1/18/11 ||   Children’s Museum Team   ||   Observing Using Visual Thinking Strategies  || Chapters: 5, 10 with study-guide || ! Debrief: participants should share out what they learned about **questioning** as they worked with their students between meeting two and meeting three ! Intentionally address the connection between the session’s focus topic and student notebooks ! Participants should apply their //take-aways// from this meeting, with their students, between the third and fourth meetings || 3/1/11 or 3/3/11 ||  TBD   ||   Critiquing the Art and Science Peer Review || Chapter: 11 with study-guide || ! Debrief: participants should share out what they learned about **observing** as they worked with their students between meeting three and meeting four ! Intentionally address the connection between the session’s focus topic and student notebooks ! Participants should apply their //take-aways// from this meeting, with their students, between the fourth and fifth meetings || 5/5/11 ||  TBD   ||   Wrap-up   || Chapters: 1, 2, 3 with study-guide || ! Debrief: participants should share out what they learned about **critiquing/peer review** as they worked with their students between meeting four and meeting five ||
 * Author** : **//Developing More Curious Minds//** (2003); **//Why Are School Buses Always Yellow—Teaching Inquiry PreK-5//** (2007); **//Problem-Based Learniong—An Inquiry Approach//** (2007); **//Teaching for Thoughtfulness//**, 2/e (1995 **//); “. . . EVER WONDER. . ?”//** (1992 **//); Opening the American Mind//** (1987); and **//Playgrounds of Our Minds//** (1980).
 * **//Meeting Session//**  ||   **//Facilitators//**   ||   **//Focus//**   ||   **//Readings//**
 * First Mtg. 9/28/10 || Riverview Admin. Team
 * Second Mtg.
 * Third Mtg.
 * Fourth Meeting
 * Fifth Meeting