Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University Art and Design Theses Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design Summer 8-12-2014 A Catalyst Toward Caring: Middle School Art Lessons that Embrace the Value of Compassion Lauren Ashley Stovall Georgia State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/art_design_theses Recommended Citation Stovall, Lauren Ashley, "A Catalyst Toward Caring: Middle School Art Lessons that Embrace the Value of Compassion." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2014. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/art_design_theses/164 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Art and Design Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A CATALYST TOWARD CARING: MIDDLE SCHOOL ART LESSONS THAT EMBRACE THE VALUE OF COMPASSION by LAUREN STOVALL Under the Direction of Dr. Melody Milbrandt ABSTRACT This study discusses the importance of theories of care that are especially relevant to students in middle school art classes. Middle school students are going through an increasing number of changes emotionally, mentally, and cognitively that can be explored through an art curriculum that teaches them the value of caring for themselves and others, while also meeting their developmental needs. In this thesis research, teaching strategies are discussed that will cultivate an environment of care in the middle school classroom. This information will be used in the construction of developmentally sequenced art lessons that put these caring attitudes, strategies, and practices into action through art studio and criticism lessons incorporating the national art education standards. INDEX WORDS: Care, Caring, Compassion, Art education, Middle school art curriculum, Adolescent development, Art for life A CATALYST TOWARD CARING: MIDDLE SCHOOL ART LESSONS THAT EMBRACE THE VALUE OF COMPASSION by LAUREN STOVALL A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Art Education in the College of Arts and Sciences Georgia State University 2014 Copyright by Lauren Ashley Stovall 2014 A CATALYST TOWARD CARING: MIDDLE SCHOOL ART LESSONS THAT EMBRACE THE VALUE OF COMPASSION by LAUREN STOVALL Committee Chair: Melody Milbrandt Committee: Melanie Davenport Kevin Hsieh Electronic Version Approved: Office of Graduate Studies College of Arts and Sciences Georgia State University August 2014 iv DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this Thesis work to my parents, Tyree and Liette Stovall for their continued support, assistance and prayers throughout this work as well as throughout my life. I thank my father for tirelessly assisting me in proofing my work and being open and available to my needs. I thank my mother for always being emotionally supportive and an encourager in my scholastic endeavors. I would like to thank my sister and brother Dana Gilbert-Perry and Jonathan Stovall for their constant words of encouragement and help in this period of graduate school and writing process. I want to thank my aunt Talayah for assisting me with ideas and proofing. I would further like to thank my family, friends, and church members who continually pray, encourage, and support me in everything that I do. Most importantly, I thank God for being the biggest reason for any and all of the success I ever have or will have in this life. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to give special thanks to all of my committee members, Dr. Milbrandt, Dr. Davenport and Dr. Hsieh. Thank you all for being so supportive of me and for being available whenever I needed you. Each of you has played a special role in my journey to becoming an art educator and I am truly thankful for your contributions and enlightenment. Thank you to my committee chair, Dr. Melody Milbrandt for helping me throughout this process and offering key advice, material, and assistance during the writing of this thesis. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................. v 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................ 4 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE .................................................................................... 6 2.1 Centers of Care to Units of Care ......................................................................... 9 2.2 Incorporating Caring into a Curriculum ......................................................... 12 2.2.1 Modeling care ............................................................................................... 14 2.2.2 Supporting student interests ......................................................................... 17 2.3 Art for Life .......................................................................................................... 20 2.4 Authentic Instruction in Art for Life ................................................................ 21 2.4.1 High level thinking ....................................................................................... 22 2.4.2 Substantial conversation .............................................................................. 24 2.4.3 Social support for student achievement ....................................................... 25 2.4.4 Thematic Instruction .................................................................................... 26 2.5 Visual Culture ..................................................................................................... 27 2.5.1 Social justice visual culture .......................................................................... 30 2.6 Art History, Criticism, Aesthetics, and Studio Production ............................ 32 2.7 Why Middle School? .......................................................................................... 36 2.8 Understanding the Middle School Student ...................................................... 36 vii 2.9 Physical Changes and Puberty .......................................................................... 38 2.10 Cognitive Development .................................................................................... 38 2.11 The Search for Identity .................................................................................... 39 2.12 Relationships with Parents and Peers ............................................................ 41 2.13 Issues in the Home Life .................................................................................... 42 2.14 Influence of the School ..................................................................................... 45 2.15 Developmental Needs by Age .......................................................................... 46 2.15.1 Age 10 .......................................................................................................... 47 2.15.2 Age 11 .......................................................................................................... 47 2.15.3 Age 12 .......................................................................................................... 48 2.15.4 Age 13 .......................................................................................................... 49 2.15.5 Age 14 .......................................................................................................... 49 2.16 Conclusion ......................................................................................................... 50 3 CURRICULUM CONSTRUCTION ....................................................................... 52 3.1 Caring for Self: Album Art Self-Portrait Collages ......................................... 53 3.2 Caring Beyond Self, Friends, Classmates, and Communities: Messages to the Community Sculptures ........................................................................................................... 54 3.3 Caring for our World: World Cause Posters .................................................. 55 3.3.1 How these units connect to my plan for a caring classroom community ... 56 4 REFLECTIONS AND IMPLICATIONS .............................................................. 57 viii 4.0 Creating a Caring Environment in Your Own Classroom ........................... 60 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 63 APPENDICES ................................................................................................................. 65 Appendix A: Caring for self: 6th Grade Album Art Self-Portrait Collages ........... 65 Appendix B: Caring beyond self: friends, classmates, and communities: 7th Messages to the Community Sculptures ................................................................................ 78 Appendix C: Caring for our world: 8th Grade World Cause Posters .................... 94 1 1 INTRODUCTION It saddens me to see that the lives of human beings could be so easily devalued these days. It is almost as though as the years go by, we become increasingly insensitive toward each other. Lives are being taken over trivial matters, innocent children lose their lives in our schools, children are neglected and abused in their homes, and people are being