If we’re being honest, I’ve never actually been to the Seattle Art Museum* (SAM). This small fact doesn’t stop me from loving the SAM website, especially their educational resources and materials. They have extensive educational resources and it’s THRILLING. It’s a lot of good stuff.
It’s clear SAM really values art education and are committed to their mission of “connecting art to life”. They have programs for families, teens, and schools and educators, so everyone can get involved. Today we’re going to take a closer look at the programs for schools and educators, specifically the social-emotional learning related resources:
Side Note: If you’re in the area and can visit the SAM, please take a look at the Indigenous Matrix: Northwest Women Printmakers exhibit that’s on right now.
The Ann P. Wyckoff Education Resource Center
This seems like the logical place to start. The Ann P. Wyckoff Education Resource Center (ERC) is where resources and ideas are kept nice and safe. “The ERC supports inclusive and engaging art experiences through free resources–including a lending library–for families, educators, and youth at the museum, in the classroom, and at home.” When in doubt, I suggest starting with the ERC and going from there.
Educator Resource Lists and Guides
From the ERC, you will be led to the SAM Libraries and their Advance Search feature, which is a little overwhelming on first glance. You can always use the Libraries’ Simple Search, but it might take a little longer to find what you’re looking for. For your searching pleasure, click the links I’ve added to this post and things should be pretty seamless. Let’s get into the educator resources:
- Lists | Lists are curated collections of print, video, digital, and outreach resources found at SAM and the SAM Libraries. The lists are created around a topic, like a specific artist, exhibit, work of art, or broader cultural theme. I’m partial to the Emotions and Art list, which has a lot of good information “about the intersection of emotions and art: how art can be used by students to express emotions, how artists use emotions in their work, and how elements of art such as color can evoke emotions.”
- Guides | Guides, like Lists, feature virtual media from the SAM Libraries. Guides, however, go a step further than Lists by aligning with educational curricula and standards. I enjoy the Educator Resource Guide, Elles: Woman Artists from the Centre Pompidou, Paris, which accompanies the exhibition and explores topics such as Art as Narrative and Art as Identity. I’m also a big fan of this 19-page guide provides a thorough look at the Art of Empathy. The guide is broken up into different social-emotional learning themes such as social engagement, self-regulation, social awareness, and self-awareness. You can learn about different works of art, consider looking questions, and dive deeper with self-reflection. I LOVE IT and want to make my own.
Art of Empathy Live Virtual Tours
The Art of Empathy Live Virtual Tours are designed for school groups and are based on the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL)’s Core Social Emotional Competencies. There are two virtual tours in the Art of Empathy program and I really want to participate in them:
- Art of Empathy: Emotions and Self-Management uses “social-emotional frameworks to enhance student well-being. Drawing, movement, and breathing exercises are used as student identify and reflect on emotions while viewing contemporary artworks.” This description sounds like an absolute dream. I’m going to use this template [reflect on emotions while viewing contemporary artworks] in future posts because this exactly what They Heal is all about.
- Art of Empathy: Relationships & Social Awareness “offers a virtual way for [your] students to focus on social engagement through art. In examining high resolution images of artworks in SAM’s collection created by BIPOC or LGBTQ artists, students will be able to leverage their own voice, hear from others’ perspectives, and develop an understanding of historical and contemporary social issues. Small and full group open discussion promotes inquiry, respectful dialogue, and critical thinking skills.” Again, I’m all in on this programming. I firmly believe that we can learn a lot about ourselves and others by reflecting on art and the art making process.
*Museums can be problematic and harmful, and we need to recognize that a lot of art has been stolen from its original people. I’m still sorting out how to approach museums on this site in a thoughtful and responsible way.