Studio Thinking 3

The first edition of this bestseller was featured in The New York Times and The Boston Globe for its groundbreaking research on the positive effects of art education on student learning across the curriculum.

Studio Thinking 3 is a new edition of a now-classic text, a research-based account of teaching and learning in high school studio arts classes. It poses a framework that identifies eight habits of mind taught in visual arts and four studio structures by which they are taught.

This expanded, full-color edition includes new material about how the framework has been used since the original study, with new perspectives from artist-teachers who currently apply the Studio Thinking Framework in their own practice. It also reviews how contemporary organizations, educators, and researchers outside the arts have utilized the framework, highlighting its flexibility to inform teaching and learning.

New chapters for Studio Thinking 3:

• Students as Contemporary Artists: Building Agency in the Studio highlights how studio teachers support learner autonomy, including the ability to create increasingly self-directed artworks.
• Artist-Teachers examines how artistic practices and teaching practices intertwine and how the Studio Thinking Framework can nurture the relationship between them.
• Assessment is a Conversation introduces the practical ways that teachers are using Studio Thinking to assess and evaluate students’ work, working processes, and thinking in the arts.
• Studio Thinking discusses how the Studio Thinking Framework has informed teaching and research in visual arts, theater, dance, music, arts integration, STEAM, and other contexts.

Studio Thinking 3 will help advocates explain arts education to policymakers, support art teachers in developing and refining their teaching and assessment practices, and assist educators in other disciplines to learn from existing practices in arts education.

Book Features:

• An explanation of “art as thinking” that unpacks and clarifies how teaching art is the process of teaching thinking.
• An account of what Studio Thinking looks like in diverse contemporary settings.
• Models of studio arts instruction that illuminate what educators are doing to support students’ learning in the arts and why they are doing it that way.
• Full-color images with examples of student art throughout the book.

Kimberly M. Sheridan is an associate professor in the College of Education and Human Development and the College of Visual and Performing Arts at George Mason University and is co-director of the Mason Arts Research Center. Shirley Veenema is an art teacher (elementary and high school), a researcher at Project Zero from 1987-2007, and a visual artist. Ellen Winner is professor emerita of psychology at Boston College and a senior research associate at Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education. Lois Hetland is professor emerita of art education at Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

Praise for Previous Editions of Studio Thinking―

"Winner and Hetland have set out to show what it means to take education in the arts seriously, in its own right."

― The New York Times

"This book is very educational and would be helpful to art teachers in promoting quality teaching in their classrooms."

― School Arts Magazine

“Studio Thinking is a major contribution to the field."

—Arts & Learning Review

"The research in Studio Thinking is groundbreaking and important because it is anchored in the actual practice of teaching artists …The ideas in Studio Thinking continue to provide a vehicle with which to navigate and understand the complex work in which we are all engaged."

― Teaching Artists Journal

“Reading this third edition of Studio Thinking, I am reminded of the power behind the original concepts…As we are all on this journey of continual growth and development, I am happy to see this work evolve and grow. I believe that by employing the ideas outlined herein, we can also ensure that the art room/studio and our practice is designed for inclusivity and equity for our learners and communities.”
—From the Foreword by Mario R. Rossero, executive director, National Art Education Association (NAEA)

“Studio Thinking 3 invites teachers to examine and critically reflect on how and what the arts teach in order to help their students engage with the visual arts in a way that goes beyond mimicry, step-by-step projects, and canned assignments. It invites teachers and their students to examine process over product, and what process actually teaches.”
—Joe Fusaro, visual arts department chair, Nyack Public Schools

Contents

Foreword to the Third Edition by Mario R. Rossero  ix

Foreword to the First Edition by David N. Perkins  xi

Preface to the Third Edition  xiii

Acknowledgments  xv

1.  Making the Case for the Arts: Arts Education Is Not Just a Luxury  1
The Framework of Studio Thinking  1
Why a Frame for Studio Teaching and Learning?  2
Conclusion  5

Part I. Studio Classrooms: The How of Studio Teaching

2.  Elements of Studio Classrooms  13
Creating a Studio Culture  13
Focusing Thinking With Studio Assignments  15
Teaching Through Artworks  15

3.  Studio Structures for Learning  18
The Demonstration–Lecture  18
Setting Tasks: African Pottery Project (Example 3.1)  19
Illustrating Concepts: Tile Project (Example 3.2)  20
Modeling Processes, Approaches, and Attitudes: Light and Boxes Project (Example 3.3)  21
Students-at-Work  22
The Critique  23
Variations in Use of the Studio Structures  25
A Fourth Overarching Structure: Exhibition  26
Features of Exhibition  27
What Can Be Learned from Exhibition  27

Part II. Introducing the Studio Habits of Mind: A Dispositional View of What the Arts Teach

4.  Develop Craft: Technique, Studio Practice  31
Technique  31
Teaching the Theory and Practice of Color: Inventing Colors Project (Example 4.1)  31
Studio Practice  34
Teaching the Practice of Maintaining the Studio: Self-Portraits in Colored Pencil Project (Example 4.2)  34
Teaching the Studio Practice of Keeping a Portfolio: Light and Boxes Project (Example 4.3)  34
Structuring a Class to Focus on Both Technique and Studio Practice  35
Teaching Care of the Wheel and Throwing Technique: Introducing Centering on the Wheel (Example 4.4)  35

5.  Engage and Persist: Committing and Following Through  41
Designing in Clay: Completing the Tile Project (Example 5.1)  41
Finishing the Process: Making Puppets Project (Example 5.2)  43

6.  Envision: Thinking in Images  48
Places for an Imaginary Creature: Inventing Colors Project (Example 6.1)  48
Designing in Clay: Beginning the Tile Project (Example 6.2)  50

7.  Express: Finding Meaning  53
Drawing for Feeling: Figures in Evocative Space Project (Example 7.1)  53
Drawing for Meaning: Imaginary Creatures Project (Example 7.2)  56

8.  Observe: Really Seeing, Not Just Looking  59
Seeing with New Eyes: Using the Viewfinder (Example 8.1)  59
Seeing the World and Putting It on Paper: Light and Boxes Project (Example 8.2)  60

9.  Reflect: Question and Explain, Evaluate  67
Question and Explain  68
Drawing Yourself as Mythical: Imaginary Creatures Project (Example 9.1)  68
Building Objects in Relation: Coil Sculpture Project (Example 9.2)  68
Evaluate  70
Drawing Values in Color: Self-Portrait in Colored Pencil Project (Example 9.3)  71

10.  Stretch and Explore: Taking a Leap  77
Introducing the Medium: Sketching in Clay (Example 10.1)  77
Building Form: Repeating Units Project (Example 10.2)  79

11.  Understand Art Worlds: Domain, Communities  84
Domain  85
Considering Representations: Figures in Evocative Space Project (Example 11.1)  85
Drawing Inspiration from Images: African Pottery Project (Example 11.2)  85
Design Inspired by Objects: Ceramic Sets Project (Example 11.3)  86
Structuring a Whole Class to Focus on Domain: Cubism Project (Example 11.4)  87
Communities  90
Creating a Library of Molds: Coil Sculpture Project (Example 11.5)  91
Focusing on Strength and Form: The Egg Drop Project (Example 11.6)  91

Part III: Integrating Studio Structures of Learning With the Studio Habits of Mind

12.  Demonstration–Lecture and the Studio Habits of Mind  97
Fostering Particular Studio Habits of Mind Through Demonstration–Lectures  97
Integrating Studio Habits of Mind in the Demonstration–Lecture  100
Teaching the Theory and Practice of Color: Inventing Colors Project (Example 12.1)  100
Design Inspired by Objects: Ceramic Sets Project (Example 12.2)  101

13.  Students-at-Work and the Studio Habits of Mind  104
Studio Habits of Mind Are Taught in Clusters  104
Introducing Throwing: Centering on the Wheel Project (Example 13.1)  104
Connecting Worlds: Secret Ritual Vessels Project (Example 13.2)  105
Individualizing During Students-at-Work Sessions  105
Differentiating for Students of Various Ability/Experience Levels: Abstraction Project (Example 13.3)  106
Individualizing for Multiple Agendas: Creating Hat and Vest Project (Example 13.4)  109

14.  Critique and the Studio Habits of Mind  110
Teaching Studio Habits of Mind Through Critique  110
Integrating Studio Habits of Mind Through Critique  111
Comparing Works: Contour Drawing Project (Example 14.1)  112
Critiquing Throughout the Process: Figures in Evocative Space Project (Example 14.2)  113

15.  Exhibition and the Studio Habits of Mind  116
Using Exhibition to Teach Studio Habits of Mind  116
Integrating Studio Habits of Mind in the Exhibition  119
A First Show (Example 15.1)  119
A Sophomore Show (Example 15.2)  119
Junior Shows (Example 15.3)  120
A Senior Show (Example 15.4)  120
End-of-Term Exhibitions (Example 15.5)  120
A Senior Show (Example 15.6)  121
Korean Student Show in Korea (Example 15.7)  121

16.  Students as Contemporary Artists: Building Agency in the Studio  123
How Teachers Support Student Agency  123
Students Are Contemporary Artists  127

Part IV: Studio Thinking in Contemporary Practice

17.  Artist-Teachers: Using Studio Thinking to Connect Artistic and Teaching Practices  131
Artistic Practice Informs Teaching  131
Teaching Practice Informs Artistic Practice  131
Two Practices: Nurturing the Relationship  132
About the Artist-Teachers  133
David Ardito: Mistakes as Portals of Discovery  135
Kimberley D’Adamo: Finding a Fit  136
Danielle DeVellis: Making a Room Into a Studio  137
Natalia Dominguez: Words Matter  138
Bryce Johnson: Balancing Craft and Expression  138
Trena Noval: Using the Studio Habits as Process  139
Jaimee Taborda: Nurturing a Community of Artists  140
Seeing Studio Thinking Across the Artist-Teachers’ Stories  141

18.  Assessment Is a Conversation  143
Assessing Visual Art  143
Assessment Defanged: Learning and Assessment in the Arts as a Form of Conversation With Todd Elkin  145
Assessment Moments That Support Individual Development With Kimberley D’Adamo  147
Assessing the Thinking Process With Studio Habits With JoE Douillette  150
Conclusion  154

19.  Studio Thinking  155
A Common Language in the Arts  155
Studio Thinking Beyond the Arts  161
Reinventing Studio Thinking  162

Appendix A: Project Examples  164

Appendix B: Conducting the Research  165

References  167

Index  170

About the Authors  176