Teaching Tips
Choosing works of art focused on a theme
School Programs at the Whitney uses a theme-based approach to teach in the galleries. This approach allows us to connect different types of artwork focused on a specific theme and discuss topics and issues that are relevant to the world we live in. Our artist-centered themes encourage students to think like artists and challenge them to consider the multi-faceted role that artists play in American culture and society.
A student uses a viewfinder to look at an artwork in the gallery, 2010. Photograph by Tiffany Oelfke
Tips
Whitney educators put a lot of thought into planning a one-hour guided visit that connects with classroom learning. Museum educators consider the following ideas as they choose and sequence works of art:
- Identify and develop an age-appropriate theme that is relevant to what you are teaching in the classroom and interesting to your students.
- The theme should be broad enough to invite multiple perspectives and encourage diverse viewpoints about a work of art but also narrow enough so that the discussion stays focused. It’s a fine balance!
- The theme should be visually evident in the work. If the theme is not visually apparent, you may end up having an unfocused discussion that is irrelevant to your curriculum. Consider what questions you might ask that will lead students to discover the theme. What information might you introduce to focus and deepen the discussion?
- Choose works of art that challenge students to explore the theme in different ways. Consider how each artwork selected introduces a new idea or presents a different aspect of the theme. How does each work deepen or expand students’ understanding about the theme/topic? Avoid having the same conversation at each work of art.
- Select and sequence the works so that they become more visually and conceptually complex as the discussion progresses.
- While still focused on the theme, remember to keep the questions open-ended and encourage students to develop their own ideas and interpretations.
- Consider how a theme can support and encourage interdisciplinary connections.
Learn more about School Programs Themes.