Conceptual Art / Creativity: Divergent & Convergent Thinking
I
Unit: Art
Theme: Conceptual Art
Introduction
Most
educational systems all over the world favor or sponsor academic
subjects over the arts. This makes practically impossible for teachers
to create a creative learning environment in which the arts could be
used to teach reading, writing, math and science. However, conceptual art is a genre that allows teachers to expose children to a creative environment with no budget at all. The conceptual nature of conceptual art makes it also a great medium to expand an art lesson into an academic one.
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II
Learning Objectives
- Understand the importance of creativity in the learning process
- Explain the meaning of conceptual art
- Gain an awareness of the role that conceptual art can play in teaching other subjects
- Experience the creation of a conceptual art piece
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III
Main Lesson
1
The Creative Process
According to Huberman
Andrew D. Huberman is an American neuroscientist and tenured associate professor in the department of neurobiology and psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. He has made contributions to the brain development, brain plasticity, and neural regeneration and repair fields.
In this video Dr. Huberman discusses cannabis (aka marijuana), including the biological mechanisms underlying its effects on the mind and body, its known medical applications, its impact on libido, creativity, hunger, hormones and more. We will focus on creativity since he explains the creative process from a scientific point of view. As the legal landscape for cannabis is rapidly evolving, this episode should interest a wide audience, including former/current cannabis users, those in the medical, sports, law enforcement, and educational communities and, of course, children, teenagers, and parents.
(1:17:00 - 1:25:53)
Question 1
According to Dr. Huberman, what are the factors that make creativity possible?
EXAMPLES
Elon Musk comments on the way his mind works
Alma Deutscher, British music prodigy on sitting down and developing the melodies ...
2
Do Schools Kill Creativity?
Sir
Kenneth Robinson
Sir Ken Robinson (1950 - 2020) was a British author, speaker and international advisor on education in the arts to government, non-profits, education and arts bodies. He was director of the Arts in Schools Project and Professor of Arts Education at the University of Warwick, and Professor Emeritus after leaving the university.
In this video, produced in 2007, Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.
https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity
Min. 3:45 - 6:12 / 8:50 - 9:34 / 11:20 - 12:46 / 15:10 - end
Question 2
According to Robinson, why is creativity important in education?
3
Brainstorming: Developing Ideas about your own Creative Classroom
Question 3
Write a brief response about Robinson's talk on Discussion Board.
Discuss your response with the members of your group.
Share with the rest of the class the ideas discussed in your group
4
Conceptual Art
Conceptual art, also referred to as conceptualism, is art in which the concept or idea involved in the work take precedence over traditional aesthetic, technical, and material concerns.
Question 4
Explain in your own words what is conceptual art. How does it stimulate creativity?
5
In
minute 1:47 - 2:00, the video shows a quote by Sol LeWitt. Explain in
your own words what is the main aspect of conceptual art that makes it
ideal for teaching and learning?
As an educator Julie Tamashiro presents her students with different art experiences, cultivating art appreciation. She has found that exposing children to art at an early age is more meaningful, inspiring confidence while their minds and attitudes are still in the initial stages of development. Julie believes that a huge opportunity exists at this stage, and hopes to inspire the adults of tomorrow to be fearless, take risks, and live out loud.
For over 15 years, Tamashiro has been a multiple-subject elementary school teacher. From Title 1 to the nation's highest performing schools, Tamashiro has taught every grade level in settings that represent the diversity of our public education system. Throughout her career, art has been the framework used to facilitate various learning experiences in her classroom. Her art curriculum has motivated students to tap into their creativity, challenge self-limiting beliefs, problem solve, and express themselves in extraordinary ways. Through the process of creating their own artwork, her students have learned to find their individual voices and have focus, determination, and courage.
Tamashiro currently teaches at Tulita Elementary School in the Redondo Beach Unified School District. She earned her BA from the University of California, Irvine. She resides in Redondo Beach, CA with her husband and two children. She comes from a family of public educators with her mother, Charlotte, being the most influential of all.
During the 2012-2013 school year, Tamashiro and her students were the subject of the inspiring documentary, Room 19. The documentary followed the students on a journey of learning through art, and captured their unique personal transformations as they moved beyond their own expectations. It has won Best Documentary Short - El Dorado Film Festival, 2014 and Uplifting Short Film Award, Awareness Film Festival, 2014 and also been nominated for Best Documentary Short, The Short Film Awards, 2014 and Best Documentary Short, The Short Film Awards, 2014.
In this video J. Tamashiro shares with the audience her teaching goals. Based on hr own testimony, what goals make Tamashiro's class a safe and creative learning environment?
- Gather with your groups.
- Use the chairs in the classroom to re-arrange them in a way that changes the perception of the class.
- Look at it and find the meaning of it.
- Write a short synopsis of what it means.
- Give it a title
- Take a picture or several pictures of your conceptual art piece.
- Post your pictures, your title and your synopsis on Discussion Board.
- dopamine: a chemical released in the brain that makes you feel good. Having the right amount of dopamine is important both for your body and your brain. Dopamine helps nerve cells to send messages to each other
- convergent thinking: It focuses on reaching one well-defined solution to a problem. This type of thinking is best suited for tasks that involve logic as opposed to creativity, such as answering multiple-choice tests or solving a problem where you know there are no other possible solutions.
- divergent thinking: a thought process or method used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions. It typically occurs in a spontaneous, free-flowing, "non-linear" manner, such that many ideas are generated in an emergent cognitive fashion.
- creativity: the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work.
- conceptual art: art for which the idea (or concept) behind the work is more important than the finished art object. It emerged as an art movement in the 1960s and the term usually refers to art made from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s.
- Creativity takes courage -- art In the classroom | Julie Tamashiro | TEDxRedondoBeach. https://youtu.be/omE7qaLzA70
Do schools kill creativity? | Sir Ken Robinson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY
The Case for Conceptual Art. https://youtu.be/VHLs76HLon4
The Effects of Cannabis (Marijuana) on the Brain & Body | Huberman Lab Podcast #92 https://youtu.be/gXvuJu1kt48
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IX
- To continue to keep having a positive outlook and joyful appearance with students.
- Once a teacher loses it with a class or student, it takes a long time to rebuild that feeling of safety and trust within those four walls.
- Step right outside the door and take a few breaths. It's worth it. Learning doesn't have to always be so serious, nor do we.
- The antiquated saying in the teaching profession is wait until Christmas to smile. This is just plain silly. Let the children see those pearly whites often and genuinely. The more smiles we offer to students, the more we will receive. Sometimes, when tensions are high, like during testing or when crazy things are happening out in the world or on campus, we need to laugh together. It's okay.
Take every opportunity to model kindness. Why? Everybody will feel comfortable having an open classroom and you never know what your students or other classmates can be going through so partaking in random acts of kindness can build a safe environment.
Centipede Chair
Connor Walsh, Tyler Egan, Rita Grinfeder, Spencer Lidov, Gage Ziehl, Kitty Dowd
Our piece shows the impact of distractions in the classroom. The focal point of the structure is the centipede on the top chair, even though the creature is miniature in comparison to the size of the chairs. Distractions, despite the size, can be fatal in a classroom environment.
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4
Tips on Creating a Safe Classroom
We think that the most important rule to follow in a classroom is to "use every opportunity to model patience" in the classroom. Having patience can contribute to a more positive and supportive classroom environment. If your students feel like you are giving them the space and time to really grow and learn then they will be more willing to engage in your class. Showcasing patience is the most important rule to set as an educator. To maximize creativity within the classroom, it is important that the students work in a positive environment so that they are happy, but at the same time the teacher must have control.
Installation Piece
Building Minds
Antonio Jimenez, Renzo Gonzalez, Michael McLaughlin, Joe Kennedy, and Edua Atu
Our piece represents how when we put our powers of creativity together, we can build strong stable pieces (such as the chairs stacked).
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5
Tips on Creating a Safe Classroom
Keep the vibes good, get to know your students, and sit with your students and build relationships with them.
On Creativity
Creativity is both convergent and divergent thinking and the right amount of dopamine (the sweet spot) brings you to divergent thinking which is the next step from convergent thinking.
Installation Piece
Become a friend with the student:- Connecting with the student, being one with the student through relating. Understanding the students background, needs, etc.
On Creativity
Creativity is split into two types, convergent and divergent ; Convergent is bound by ideas, bringing them together, while divergent is without bounds and creativity which you need more dopamine for.
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