To top off the excellent end of the week PD, I spent Monday at the National Gallery of Art with some of my students. It was a magical experience. Our wonderful friends at the NGA were able to bus us from Ballou downtown. We started off at the McDonalds in Chinatown where we grabbed a bite to eat and shared french fries and funny stories. On our walk down to NGA two of my boys gave their leftover food to some homeless men on the street, it was a really sweet moment.
At the NGA we received a wonderful tour by an energetic tour guide who attempted to focus the students' attention on various 
artworks and engage them in conversations. Never having been to an art museum before, the students were easily distracted and kept running from painting to painting. Even though at times I think we might have tested the patience of our tour guide, I was excited to see their enthusiasm for the art, even if it wasn't always the art they were 'supposed' to be looking at. Nevertheless, I think they got something out of the tour and our guide handled them well.
artworks and engage them in conversations. Never having been to an art museum before, the students were easily distracted and kept running from painting to painting. Even though at times I think we might have tested the patience of our tour guide, I was excited to see their enthusiasm for the art, even if it wasn't always the art they were 'supposed' to be looking at. Nevertheless, I think they got something out of the tour and our guide handled them well.For the last hour, I allowed the students to self-guide in the east wing. I gave th
em sketching assignment sheet, but aside from sketching and gathering information on the object label, they were free to wander the galleries and enjoy the beautiful space that is the east building. It was fantastic to see them wandering through the galleries and making discoveries. They recognized works by Chuck Close, Henri Matisse, Frank Stella, and Georgia O'Keeffe, among others. In case you didn't recognize the first artwork at the top of the post, it is a Jim Dine sculpture that I spent some time studying with one of the girls. On the bus ride home one of the boys told me he was glad he was selected to go on the trip and that he appreciated being allowed to look at art on his own. It was great. THANK YOU NGA!
em sketching assignment sheet, but aside from sketching and gathering information on the object label, they were free to wander the galleries and enjoy the beautiful space that is the east building. It was fantastic to see them wandering through the galleries and making discoveries. They recognized works by Chuck Close, Henri Matisse, Frank Stella, and Georgia O'Keeffe, among others. In case you didn't recognize the first artwork at the top of the post, it is a Jim Dine sculpture that I spent some time studying with one of the girls. On the bus ride home one of the boys told me he was glad he was selected to go on the trip and that he appreciated being allowed to look at art on his own. It was great. THANK YOU NGA!
No comments:
Post a Comment