The Student Art Exhibit: A Collaborative Journey
Keywords:
student art exhibits, museum education, engagement, collabortive pedagogy, authentic artmaking, Brooklyn MuseumAbstract
This study explores what happened when secondary students created an art exhibit within a flexible framework provided by the teacher. Burton (2006, 2004, 2001) identified student exhibits as opportunities for heightened and comprehensive student engagement and learning in art. Lackey (2008) acknowledged that student exhibits enhanced communication between students and adults. The findings in this article, with specifications, supported these conclusions. From visiting a model exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, to planning, creating, and exhibiting artwork, four themes emerged: 1. teacher as collaborator, 2. students as problem solvers, 3. museum exhibits as creative catalysts, and 4. student-led exhibitions as opportunities for school-wide collaboration.Author Biography
Maryann McCabe, MA in Art Education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania; PhD in Musicology from New York University; high school art/music teacher with the Department of Education, New York City; independent scholar
Maryann McCabe’s academic preparation includes the following: Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, MA in Art Education; New York University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, PhD in musicology; University of Toronto, MA in voice and historical musicology; Barnard College, Columbia University, BA in music, and German language and literature. A native of the Boston area, Maryann is a musician, artist, and independent music scholar. She has taught various subjects within music, critical thinking, and English and writing at a number of community colleges, colleges, and universities in New York City and New Jersey, and has published in the field of music. Currently, she teaches art and music at a Brooklyn, New York, public high school.
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