Creating a Culture of Thinking
- 1. Creating a Culture of Thinking: A New Kind of Docent Education Program Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums Annual Meeting October 25, 2010
- 2. National Gallery of Art Teacher, School, and Family Programs Heidi Hinish, Head of Department h-hinish@nga.gov Elizabeth Diament, Museum Educator e-diament@nga.gov Christine Stinson, School Docent Candidate christine.stinson@gmail.com
- 3. The Big Question • How can we create a docent education program that models the same kinds of teaching and learning that should happen on school tours?
- 4. In Our Session In Our Session …In • An overview of Cultures of Thinking and the eight cultural forces that define and shape a group’s experience, as defined by Ron Ritchhart (researcher at Harvard Project Zero). • A case study of how Ritchhart’s framework informed the National Gallery’s new approach to docent education. • Using a Project Zero thinking routine, discuss how these ideas could be applied to your learning setting .
- 5. Cultures of Thinking Project • Ritchhart’s research focuses on understanding how to develop, nurture, and sustain thoughtful learning environments. • Part of a larger initiative called Visible Thinking led by researchers at Harvard University’s Project Zero. • Culture of Thinking projects are taking place in schools in Australia and the U.S. These projects look at the process of creating a school-wide culture of thinking that supports the development of students' thinking dispositions.
- 6. “Cultures of Thinking are places where a group’s collective, as well as individual thinking, is valued, visible, and actively promoted, as part of the ongoing experience of all group members.” (Ron Ritchhart)
- 7. The 8 Cultural Forces • The modeling of the group leader. • The way time is allocated. • The way language and conversation are used. • The interactions and relationships that unfold. • The expectations that are communicated. • The opportunities that are created. • The routines and structures that are put into place. • The way the environment is set-up and utilized.
- 8. Modeling • “It is who we are as thinkers and learners, and what we do, that helps create a culture of thinking?” (Ritchhart) • As a learner, how can I understand a work of art? As a teacher, how can I help students understand a work of art? (school docent candidate education throughline)
- 9. Time • “..thinking requires time.” (Ritchhart) • “Without the time to engage properly with an object or idea, an opportunity for thinking can feel hollow.” (Ritchhart)
- 10. Time Time for: o Prolonged looking o Building descriptions o Wondering and puzzling o Developing interpretations o Creating conversations
- 11. Time • “..thinking requires time.”(Ritchhart) • “Without the time to engage properly with an object or idea, an opportunity for thinking can feel hollow.” (Ritchhart) • Less really is more: by slowing down and looking carefully at a few works of art, students have the opportunity to think creatively and critically. (www.nga.gov/education/school/)
- 12. Language • Inclusive language • Language of thinking • Language of personal agency • Non-judgmental feedback • Language of art
- 13. Relationships and Interactions • “In museums, collaborative learning has been shown to enhance the meaning students make of objects.” (John Falk) • Now I realize the group can be more enlightening and enlightened than the individual, and we all bring our life experience to the seeing and understanding of a work of art. (school docent candidate)
- 14. Docent Perspective: Was the tour observation form helpful? • Framework or lens through which to examine the tour • Helpful by having specific criteria to look for • Cognizant of time
- 15. Docent Perspective: Did we learn anything from the exercise? • Observed great variety in tours • Thinking must be flexible and nimble • Thoughts of lecturing dissipated
- 16. Docent Perspective: Did the form help generate discussion about tours and teaching? • Excited discussion of what worked • Shared activities, what had meaning to children • Making Thinking Visible
- 17. Docent Perspective: Did a culture of thinking about art and teaching develop? What did that look like? • Informal coffee before class, wide-ranging discussions • Group hungers to hear from each other • Candidate are starting a web site to share ideas • Ask questions, culture of trust • Thinking in the wild
- 18. Connect│Extend│Challenge • How do the ideas presented today, including the 8 cultural forces, connect to the work that I am already doing? • What new ideas have surfaced that extend or push my thinking in new directions, as a result of today’s session? • What are some challenges involved in taking these ideas back to my museum? What questions or puzzles do I have now?
- 19. "For classrooms to be cultures of thinking for students, schools must be cultures of thinking for teachers.” (www.ronritchhart.com)
- 20. For school tours to be cultures of thinking for students, museums must be cultures of thinking for docents.
- 21. Thank you for coming! Heidi Hinish, h-hinish@nga.gov Elizabeth Diament, e-diament@nga.gov Christine Stinson, christine.stinson@gmail.com