Guest column by Suman Ganapathy: Gilroy educators can bring art to students with free SJMA program
Multi-disciplinary approach to art hones the students’ skills of reasoning and analysis
Teachers use art interactively to help students learn how to have a personal connection with art through observation, critical thinking, and creativity, via large prints of artwork from across the globe.
Photo courtesy Suman Ganapathy
By Suman Ganapathy
Suman Ganapathy
“Let’s look at the art silently for a minute,” I tell the young students, holding a large artwork print in front of them. We have just finished a lively interactive discussion on art elements with props, and now they are excited to see the art.
“What is going on in this picture?” “What do you see that makes you say that?” “What more can you see?” These deceptively simple VTS (visual thinking strategy) questions elicit enthusiastic, creative, and even profound observations that just blow me away. As I paraphrase, assemble, and weave responses together into a verbal patchwork quilt of sparkling artistic observations, my heart leaps joyfully. What an ingenious way to engage students!
Since 2019, I have been privileged to be a volunteer docent for the San Jose Museum of Art’s award-winning Let’s Look at Art (LLAA) school-outreach arts education program. In May, we accomplished the momentous milestone of reaching one million students experiences just months after celebrating our fiftieth anniversary in 2022. Morgan Hill and Gilroy K-12 students were counted among those served during the years.
LLAA is the first exposure to the visual arts for 50 percent of students we reach. “Study after study has shown the importance of exposing children to the visual arts,” said Tony Misch, the LLAA president. “Regrettably, many schools lack the staff, resources, or room in the curriculum for arts education. LLAA exists to help fill that gap. This milestone gives a sense of scale to the immeasurable effect it has had on the lives of students in Santa Clara County.”
It is easy to request a free in-person or virtual LLAA presentation by any K-12 teacher in the county — private, public or home school — through sjmusart.org/lets-look-at-art. Trained docents like me are then assigned to come into the classroom. The program follows California’s Common Core K-12 standards, and all art selections are carefully researched to represent the Bay Area’s cultural diversity. You can also volunteer to be a docent. No art experience is required. Training begins in January. Email [email protected].
For grades K-5, we focus on art elements, and how to have a personal connection with art through observation, critical thinking, and creativity, via large prints of artwork from all over the world including SJMA’s permanent collection.
For grades 6-12, digital Art in the Dark presentations are closely tied to the school’s curricula covering history, social studies, language arts, science, and math. This multi-disciplinary approach to art hones the students’ skills of reasoning and analysis long past the duration of the presentations.
Every student receives a free family pass for a visit to the museum to engage and introduce family members to the joys of VTS and art immersion, too.
During the pandemic, LLAA adapted and trained docents to present remotely, and continued to reach thousands of students. Sadly, participation from Morgan Hill and Gilroy schools dropped sharply then. It is my wish to revive that program.
We are back to in-person visits but continue to offer remote presentations, too. If you are a teacher excited about LLAA for your students, please request a presentation. Parents, request your child’s teacher to contact us.
“Let’s Look at Art’s dedication and commitment make SJMA the largest provider of K–12 visual art education in Santa Clara County,” said SJMA Oshman Executive Director S. Sayre Batton. “They truly help make SJMA a borderless museum — extending educational outreach to new heights.”
Along with impacting the lives of students through art education, an added joy has been the social and personal enrichment opportunities for docents through informative lectures and day trips to other museums together, creating close-knit friendships and camaraderie. You can volunteer to be a docent too. No art experience is required. Training begins every January. Email vol4llaa@,sjma.org.
I can’t wait for fall when I go into the classrooms again.
Suman Ganapathy is a Morgan Hill resident. She sits on the city’s Library, Culture & Arts Commission and serves as president of AAUW Morgan Hill branch.
