Discussion of Chapter 13 Eco-Wall of Hope

Hello everyone!

Today, we are going to be writing and reflecting on chapter 13: An Environmental Art Project for Children with At-Risk Tendencies: The Eco-Wall of Hope. The most important concept of this chapter was the idea of children learning empathy and compassion.

The major concept of the chapter was to realize how important it is for children to learn and practice empathy. By developing an art curriculum that includes a connection to empathy and compassion could help children not to develop antisocial behaviors. Involving older students and adults allows for children to have people to look up to. These adults and older students become mentors and role models to these children. Creating the Eco-Wall of Hope allowed students to pick an endangered animal and create a tile that highlights that animal. The students collaboratively assembled the wall for all the tiles to be displayed.

Why is it important, who benefits, and how do you create a curriculum that allows children to develop empathy and compassion?

• Children labeled "at-risk" can be more likely to experience a lack parental support,  may not be encouraged to focus on academic success, have negative thoughts about school,  could have below average social skills, and low self esteem equating in destructive and careless behavior.
• One of the main goals for the Eco-Wall of Hope was to help students gain empathy for one another and also the animals they individually researched. “Ultimately, the goal of this study was to discover and understand the nature of experiences and the meanings attached to them by the participants, focusing on their empathetic understanding and actions,” page 99.
• While working on the Eco-Wall of Hope the main ideas was not just the endangered species being studied, but also the collaboration of high school students with the elementary students. The high school students became mentors, teachers, and role models for the younger children.
• As art teachers it is very beneficial to create curriculum and lessons that develop strategies and techniques to promote empathy and compassion to prevent antisocial behaviors. Remember that it is very important to include adults and older students because they are able to demonstrate empathy. It is important to connect this chapter to the intergenerational learning we learned about last chapter because of the impact adults can have on children. Also, look back and see how many interdisciplinary connections were made during this lesson: Language Arts, Science, Reading, and Social Studies.
• Using Anderson’s art criticism methodology helps students realize that art can be interpreted and talked about in many different perspectives and there is no one right answer. Below is a link to Tom Anderson’s book.

Resources:

• Tom Anderson’s Using Art Criticism Strategies in Ethnographic Research
• Michelle Creel’s Eco-Wall of Hope Article
• This link is full of great information about at-risk children and what factors cause children to be at-risk. At-Risk Children
• Lee Jeffries’ Website http://leejeffries.500px.com/
• Artist who takes pictures of powerful images of homeless people to show empathy for those in need.

Since we have finished recapping chapter 13 please answer the following questions in your blog.

1. After you read Chapter 13, you see that the teacher involved believes creating empathy is important. Why is this an important part of teaching? When thinking of your future classroom, what is a lesson that you could do that helps your students understand and develop empathy? Provide an overview of the project and explain how the project would help students develop empathy. Consider the Eco-Wall of Hope project that we read about.

2.              It is always important to incorporate artists into our lesson plans. Research an artist, one whose work relates to the topic of empathy or one whose work relates to eco-justice (like the endangered species theme). How would you use Tom Anderson’s Art Criticism Methodology in your classroom when talking about artists’ works?

3.              What is the definition of at-risk children and why do we label children at-risk? How is it or is it not benefiting teachers and students knowing their students are at-risk? Would you want to know if any of your students are at-risk? 

Activity: Empathy means placing yourself in someone else's position. Face swap yourself with an endangered animal in order to “put yourself in that animal’s” position.  :) Have fun!  

Mikayla swapped with a Panda Bear

“Art encourages creativity, emotional expression, appreciation of diversity, and social skills that enable alternative perceptions and multiple perspectives that enhance the awareness and acceptance of the difference in others” (Gardner, 1994).