Teaching Tips
DISCUSSING IMAGES WITH STUDENTS
Students on a guided tour at the Whitney are encouraged to slow down, take time to look closely at a work of art, and share their observations. Here are some tips and examples of questions that Whitney educators often pose to encourage close looking and discussion. You can use them in the classroom too.
A student uses a viewfinder to look at an artwork in the gallery, 2010. Photograph by Tiffany Oelfke
Tips
- Always allow time for students to look carefully at the work before you begin each discussion as it is important for students to be given time to visually explore the work on their own before discussing it as a group.
- Ask students to share their initial observations and encourage them to be specific with their descriptions.
- When students share their observations or interpretations, ask them to support their ideas with visual evidence found in the work of art. Simple follow-up questions such as “how do you know that?" "what clues do you see in the artwork that give you that idea?" or "what do you see that makes you say that?" can help students deepen their initial observations.
- Ask if anyone would like to add to their friend’s observations or if they have a different idea to share.
Try This
Ask students to list words or ideas that come to mind when they look at this work of art. Why does the work of art make them think about those words or ideas? Again, ask them to be specific and use the visual evidence found in the work to support their opinions.
After the discussion, you may ask students if their initial impression about the work has changed or shifted. What helped to inform, expand, and change their first impression?