One week from today, the fourth grade team will have a valuable experience at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. The program is explained online:
A week-long professional development session that will introduce teachers of all subject areas to the methodology and process of teaching from works of art. Incorporating art in your classroom curriculum can enhance student outcomes in many areas including communication, interpretation, inference, visual literacy, and knowledge acquisition. In this intensive and immersive session, teachers will acquire the skills and tools necessary to teach their students using works of art through an engaging and meaningful dialog.
Our week at Crystal Bridges is part of a generous offer by the museum to partner with the fourth grade at our school. Teachers will be reimbursed for our travel from Joplin, provided with all meals for the duration of our visit, and given lodging. The 21c Museum Hotel in Bentonville, a short walk from Crystal Bridges, will be home base when we are away from our training room.
The 21c may be an experience in itself. According to their own website:
The 21c may be an experience in itself. According to their own website:
Located on the northeast corner of the Bentonville town square and a short walk to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, 21c Museum Hotel Bentonville is a 104-room boutique hotel, contemporary art museum, cultural center and home to The Hive restaurant, led by executive chef Matthew McClure.
What can you expect to see when you visit 21c? Nothing expected, that’s for sure.
Upon arrival, you’ll be greeted by two dramatic pieces-Orange Tree, a large-scale sculpture, and Making Change, Fleetwood Cadillac limousine covered in thousands of coins. From there, explore the current exhibition; dine next to BuzzKill, an immersive installation at The Hive; or get swept up in A Sudden Gust of Wind, our site-specific installation.
The guest rooms and suites are spacious with high ceilings, large windows and a decidedly residential feel, providing a comfortable respite from the thought-provoking art and activity that fills the museum galleries. Outfitted with custom-designed furniture, comfortable beds, plush robes and Malin + Goetz bath amenities, we hope you’ll feel refreshed, restored and ready to explore.
While all of these amenities are certainly welcome to a group of people who might struggle to afford them on our government salaries, I look forward to spending a week with material that has always been foreign to me. My own education includes almost zero percent of art.
At this point in my life, I actually look forward to learning about something in which I am basically ignorant. As a blank slate, I am ready to make mistakes and contribute another point of view during the training we will undergo at Crystal Bridges. The physical facility itself is world-class, the collection is impressive, and I would expect the profession development for educators to be top-notch.
Beyond a doubt, I appreciate the hand extended to us for this opportunity to learn without an air of condescension. Predictably, the Crystal Bridges staff will partner with us and others in an alliance for the purpose of creating richer experiences for our students. This is more than a visit to a pretentious art museum; it promises to allow us to bridge social and economic cultures in such a way that we find mutual purpose. We look to find similarities where there are similarities, and respectful conversation where there are areas of difference.
- Elementary - I had no art class growing up. We colored, both inside and outside of the lines, but that's about the extent of it.
- Middle School and Junior High - No art classes were offered; at least if they were, I chose other tracks to follow.
- High School - Art was a newly-offered class, but not one that appealed to me. I felt I didn't have the background for it, and I was more interested in writing, speech, and band.
- Bachelor of Arts in Communication - The liberal arts university required core classes that combined culture, arts, and history. Conceptually, these classes might appeal to me now, but at the time, I did not appreciate the projections and discussions about the artwork of ancient and foreign societies.
- Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education - I was required to take one class where I "studied" art methodology. In order to expedite my degree, I took this as a correspondence course from the University of Oklahoma. I read about techniques, then created my own pieces using those methods. I quickly checked all the boxes and mailed everything to a teacher I never met.
At this point in my life, I actually look forward to learning about something in which I am basically ignorant. As a blank slate, I am ready to make mistakes and contribute another point of view during the training we will undergo at Crystal Bridges. The physical facility itself is world-class, the collection is impressive, and I would expect the profession development for educators to be top-notch.
Beyond a doubt, I appreciate the hand extended to us for this opportunity to learn without an air of condescension. Predictably, the Crystal Bridges staff will partner with us and others in an alliance for the purpose of creating richer experiences for our students. This is more than a visit to a pretentious art museum; it promises to allow us to bridge social and economic cultures in such a way that we find mutual purpose. We look to find similarities where there are similarities, and respectful conversation where there are areas of difference.
