Copyright by Hannah Rose Baker 2015
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Copyright by Hannah Rose Baker 2015 The Thesis Committee for Hannah Rose Baker Certifies that this is the approved version of the following thesis: To See to Read: Dyslexic Students’ Journey Through a Visual Thinking Strategies Museum/School Partnership APPROVED BY SUPERVISING COMMITTEE: Supervisor: Melinda M. Mayer Paul E. Bolin To See to Read: Dyslexic Students’ Journey Through a Visual Thinking Strategies Museum/School Partnership by Hannah Rose Baker, B. F.A. Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Austin in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts The University of Texas at Austin December 2015 Dedication This thesis is dedicated to that little girl sitting on the rug in first grade with her father who is struggling to read a Bernstein Bears book. Acknowledgements Thank you to my parents for believing in me, even when I could not believe in myself. I especially want to recognize my mother who has fought dyslexia with me over the past 29 years. I also what to thank everyone who has helped me edit, or, as I say, translate my writing, including Morgan Catalina, Eva Hershaw, Claudia Calhoun, and my little, big sister Kim Baker. I want to acknowledge Sarah O’Leary and the education staff at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston for their inspiration and guidance. Melinda Mayer who kept me motivated to continuously reach for higher goals. For those days when I did not want to write, Berangér LeFranc kept me motivated. And finally, L.L.L. for your continuous love. v Abstract To See to Read: Dyslexic Students’ Journey Through a Visual Thinking Strategies Museum/School Partnership Hannah Rose Baker, M.A. The University of Texas at Austin, 2015 Supervisor: Melinda M. Mayer Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) is a teaching method that provides for an open- ended discussion of visual art objects. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) utilizes the VTS curriculum for their Partnership Program with the Boston Public Schools (BPS). Although extensive research has been conducted on the benefits of VTS for school students, no study has looked into specific advantages for those who are dyslexic. This study examined the MFA’s VTS Partnership Program in regards to four pertinent areas to dyslexic students’ academic success. These include student engagement, critical thinking, language skills, and social skills. Within this study, the voices of the participants', from students, to teachers, to museum educators, are prioritized. Sources of data collection were interviews, field notes, and documents from the MFA education department. The data provided indications on how VTS affects dyslexic students socially, emotionally, and academically. In addition, my experience with dyslexia was the starting point for this research. I present an autoethnographic sketch narrating my experience as a dyslexic student in the public schools. My history also renders transparent the biases I hold so the reader can discern how this informs my data analysis and interpretation. vi Table of Contents Table of Contents .................................................................................................. vii List of Tables ........................................................................................................... x Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ...................................................................... 1 Introduction to the Study ................................................................................ 1 Central Research Question ............................................................................. 2 Problem Statement .......................................................................................... 2 Motivations for this Research ......................................................................... 3 Speculations About This Investigation ........................................................... 4 Methodology ................................................................................................... 5 Definitions of Terms ....................................................................................... 6 Limitations of the Study ................................................................................. 9 Benefits to the Field of Art Education ............................................................ 9 Overview of Chapters ..................................................................................... 9 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 10 Chapter 2: My History .......................................................................................... 11 First Memories .............................................................................................. 11 Discovering What it is to be Dyslexic .......................................................... 15 How to Move Forward ................................................................................. 17 Fighting for a Way to Succeed ..................................................................... 21 Chapter 3: Review of Literature ............................................................................ 25 Chapter Introduction ..................................................................................... 25 Dyslexia ........................................................................................................ 25 Subcategories of Dyslexia ................................................................... 28 Dyslexia’s Social and Emotional Impact on People ............................ 29 Museums and Disabilities ............................................................................. 32 Museum/School Partnership ......................................................................... 34 Visual Thinking Strategies ........................................................................... 36 vii History ................................................................................................. 36 Stages of Aesthetic Development ........................................................ 39 Effectiveness of VTS ........................................................................... 42 How We Learn ............................................................................................. 43 Rudolf Arnheim ................................................................................... 43 Lev Vygotsky ...................................................................................... 44 Summary ....................................................................................................... 45 Chapter 4: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston VTS Partnership Program ................... 47 History of the Partnership Program with the Boston Public Schools ........... 48 Initial Shift to the Thinking Through Art Partnership Model ...................... 49 Thinking Through Art Partnerships: 1996-2007 .......................................... 50 VTS Throughout the MFA’s Education Department ................................... 51 Going to Greater Depth: The Partnership Program from 2007-2011 ........... 52 2011-Present: Strengthening the Whole-School partnership model ............ 55 Chapter 5: Methodology ....................................................................................... 59 Introduction to the Methodology .................................................................. 59 Case Study .................................................................................................... 60 Autoethnography .......................................................................................... 62 Selecting the Site and Participants ............................................................... 63 Data Collection ............................................................................................. 66 Data Analysis ................................................................................................ 67 Chapter Summery ......................................................................................... 68 Chapter 6: Data Collection ................................................................................... 70 Narrowing the Field ...................................................................................... 70 Interviews with Gallery Instructor Liaisons and Gallery Instructors .. 71 Josiah Quincy Elementary School ....................................................... 73 Josiah Quincy Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Teachers ............................... 76 Josiah Quincy Fifth-Grade Students .................................................... 77 Data ............................................................................................................ 80 viii Student Engagement ............................................................................ 81 Critical Thinking ................................................................................. 91 Language Skills ................................................................................... 99 Social Skills ....................................................................................... 105 Conclusion .................................................................................................. 110 Chapter 7: Conclusion ......................................................................................... 111 Summary of Research ................................................................................