Culturally Relevant Teaching

Culturally Relevant Art LessonsJordan DeWilde

Oregon Elementary School

Judith Briggs

Illinois state University

Culturally Relevant Teaching (Ladson-Billings, 1994)

Teaching is an art.

Teachers have high self-esteem and hold their students in high esteem.

All students can succeed.

Teachers and students are in a collaborative learning community.

Students take leadership roles.

Bonds between teacher and student extend beyond the classroom.

Culturally Relevant Teaching (Ladson-Billings, 1994)

Teachers use knowledge of students to build curricula in which students see themselves and their real life experiences are legitimized.

Lessons involve active research that stimulate children to grow cognitively, socially, and emotionally.

Teachers value students for who they are.

Teachers recognize the battle students have to face against the status quo.

Ladson-Billings, G. (1994). The dream keepers: Successful teachers of African American children. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Cultural Diversity in Any Classroom

Not every classroom is culturally diverse.

Teaching cultural diversity is still needed.

Preparing students for the world beyond their community.

Provide positive representations of all people.

Oregon Elementary School Strong support of the

arts

Art classes meet twice weekly, 40 minutes

779 students, grades K-6

Two full-time teachers

Kehinde Wiley/Baroque Portraits

Combining Old and New

Sir Joshua Reynolds"Portrait of Samuel Johnson"

Kehinde Wiley“After Sir Joshua Reynolds' Portrait of Samuel Johnson”

Baroque and Student WorkAnthony Schoonjans“Self Portrait” Oregon Elementary Student

Baroque and Student WorkJohannes Vermeer“Girl with a Pearl Earring” Oregon Elementary Student

Jacob Lawrence Mosaics

Examples of Student Work

CollaborativeYearbook Design• Includes all students

• Teaches the value of collaboration

• Provides a learning experience to an “extra project”

• Encourages students to share their interests.

The Harlem Renaissance

Large unit I teach sixth grade students

Follows Cubism

Encompasses music, poetry and visual art

First student opportunity for open choice of subject matter and art media

Requires student to research

Music and Poetry

Music

Count Basie

Duke Ellington

Jelly Roll Morton

Josephine Baker

Poetry

Langston Hughes

Gwendolyn Bennett

Clarissa Scott Delaney

Claude McKay

Music and Poetry

Visual Artist Research

Directed research

Students answer questions and reflect

Choose one artist as inspiration

Focus on these 3 artists: Jacob Lawrence Romare Bearden Lois Mailou Jones

Applying Knowledge

Students are to:

Create an original artwork inspired by one of the three artists

Write a poem or story to accompany their artwork

Select a song that complements their artwork

More Examples of Student Work

Bloomington-Normal Boys and Girls Club

Youth enhancement program.

Year-round afterschool and summer activities

Serves needs of children ages 5-18 from disadvantaged backgrounds

Boys and Girls Club

Over 55% of the members’ yearly household incomes are $15,000 or below.

92% are children of color

73% are ages 12 and under

60% come from single-family homes

(Boys and Girls Club self-published data, 2012).

Location

40 to 70 members per day

Well-worn building over three miles from campus.

Next to public housing.

In shadow of a large manufacturing plant.

Noise and smell of chicken.

Volunteer Training

We trained volunteers to interpret each week’s lesson in a small group format for children of various ages and abilities.

We suggested ways that volunteers could successfully respect the community and meet the children’s needs.

Participants

Over the course of one academic year, 49 teacher candidates, Art Educators, Theatre Educators, and Elementary Educators, voluntarily participate in the BGCFAE that serve 20 to 40 members in each of its 14 sessions.

BGCFAE Project Goals

Promote an empathetic understanding of K-8 student learning through active teaching.

Promote teacher candidate-student on site social relationships using arts-based curriculum.

Promote a strong sense of social equity among teacher candidates

Expose and evaluate preconceived notions of low income students

Promote a desire for continued involvement with community service.

Multimedia Portraits

Kehinde Wiley Gees’ Bend Quilters

Resulting Student Work

Pose with Emotion!

Personal Symbol Graffiti WallJean-Michael Basquiat Banksy

Personal Symbol Graffiti Wall

Personal Symbol Graffiti Wall

Hero Portrait Collages

Romare Bearden Boys and Girls Club Child

Hero Portrait Collages

Bottle Figures

Joyce J. Scott Boys and Girls Club Child

Bottle Figures

Colorful Fabric Panels

Sam Gilliam Boys and Girls Club Child

Colorful Fabric Panels

Theatrical Masks

Broadway’s Lion King Boys and Girls Club Child

Theatrical Masks

Stories Remixed

John Steptoe Boys and Girls Club Child

Stories Remixed

Culturally Relevant TeachingEncourage all teachers to build curricula:

in which students see themselves and their real life experiences are legitimized.

with positive representations of all people.

with understanding of the battle students have to face against the status quo.