This framework outlines Auckland Art Gallery Primary and Secondary Schools team’s approach to teaching and learning with and through visual art. Our Gallery Educator-led programming and resources – hands on and dialogue based – have this framework as their basis.
Twenty-first century people need mastery of thinking processes, attitudes and values that support them to flourish and make a difference in our changing world. Schools are aware of this, and are working hard to build these capacities in students. Great artists cultivate and apply these competencies as they develop meaningful work. With this awareness, the Schools Team focuses on exposing students to authentic experiences with art through programmes that allow them to put these competencies into practice. In essence, we are encouraging each student to ‘think like an artist’.
Mastery of these competencies is a life-long journey, so the framework is designed for use by all ages (adults too!). However, how we might ‘describe’ at five will be different from how we do so at 18. It is up to the teacher to decide how to meaningfully engage their students in each component of the framework. Parts of the framework may also be more relevant for some students than others at different times in their learning.
Although engagement with art is a highly effective way of activating these competencies, one of the strengths of this framework is that the competencies are not owned by the visual arts alone. These thinking processes, attitudes and values are embedded in the curriculum – and our world - across all disciplines. Great scientists, actors, doctors, mathematicians, writers, engineers, musicians and beyond all need to master these competencies. And because they are shared they create a perfect space for cross-disciplinary collaboration. We look forward to working with you sometime soon!
Please note: the detailed version of the framework refers to the study of ‘texts’, not visual artworks specifically. This acknowledges the diverse range of texts – essentially tools for communication – available across disciplines. The framework is designed for use with visual artworks, but equally could be applied to other texts also.
