The philosophy, artifacts, and pedagogy of Mister Fish, art educator
CTQS2
Teachers establish a safe, inclusive and respectful learning environment for a diverse population of students.
ELEMENT B: Teachers demonstrate an awareness of, a commitment to, and respect for multiple aspects of diversity, while working toward common goals as a community of learners.
You Got This: Keith Haring Mural
This lesson examined not only the art and activism of Keith Haring, but also responding to their school community as a whole. After learning about Haring's mission of connecting art with community and its power to convey aspirational messages, they were tasked with creating a poster mural of their own in the spirit of these ideals. This was able to engage the Colorado Visual Arts Standards of Envision and Critique to Reflect, and Relate and Connect to Transfer by responding to the voices of their student community that is outside the arts classroom and creating an artifact that evokes positivity and promotes a collective mindset of change.
The student government classes were given a prompt to write a message to their school that encouraged students upon returning from spring break to stay engaged for the remainder of the academic year. These messages were presented to the AP Arts History classes, and each class then voted on the message they felt was one their peers needed to hear most. They chose the message, "You Got This," flanked by two red hearts, which they described as being the perfect slogan to motivate themselves during the last 6 weeks of the school year. The mural project was scaffolded by students watching a video on Haring's art, then presented with samples of his visual language for them to utilize. Each student was encouraged to create images that spoke to their own ideas as artists, while working towards a cohesive visual landscape. The classes then worked in teams to create the mural measuring 15' in length, which showcased their message and was supported by the visual language of Keith Haring. The Mural was then hung in the front foyer of the school, where the entire school population was able to enjoy and be motivated by.
Throughout the project, multiple classes, both inside and outside the arts department, worked together to identify themselves as a community. Students engaged their own artistic voices and identities while developing a concept that spoke to their collective ideals and common goals. Seeing their diverse backgrounds and experiences as their greatest strength as students of East.
Lesson Materials
Slide Deck
