Three Exciting Professional Development Programs Combining Art, Math and Science

Hi all,

Several years ago I was invited to take part in an nationwide initiative to create professional development workshops that would have relevance for both teachers of the arts and teachers off other academic subjects.  The initiative was sponsored by the Kennedy Center of Washington DC and the training was rigorous.  In Ohio thirty-two teaching artists from all disciplines  were chosen to participate in a two year process.  Our goal was to fashion professional development workshops where the arts are co-equal partners with other subjects in the learning process--a far cry from when the arts sought justification in the curriculum through subordination to math, science, history, social studies, etc.

The first PD workshop I created through the Kennedy Center process was "Deepening the Understanding of Symmetry with Mosaics".  Perfect for me, a ceramic artist who uses math in his work.  This PD workshop highlights how the concept of symmetry is shared by visual art and geometry as well as science and nature.  Workshop participants first view a PowerPoint that covers the four types of Symmetry, the history of mosaics, and examples of symmetry from nature, art, math and science.  Teachers then plan and assemble a glass tile mosaic using symmetry as a design theme.  They also experience hands-on mosaic installation techniques. Teachers then reflect on their learning and review the possible use of other materials for the project.  Participants take home their finished mosaic project, a PowePoint and a teacher's guide with glossary, applicable math curriculum standards, bibliography and resource list.  I've presented this workshop a dozen times to teachers of all disciplines.  The following pictures were from workshops in Dayton, Wadsworth and Beavercreek Ohio.

The next PD workshop I created using the Kennedy Center model was "From Geometry to Escher: Teaching Tessellations in Math and Art". This professional development workshop explores the intersection of geometric tessellations with the work and design techniques of popular graphic artist M. C. Escher.  For math teachers it shows how to add a new, exciting application to the geometry their students are learning; for art teachers it explores the geometric basis upon which Escher created his perception challenging tessellations.  Teachers from the Wayne County Ohio area made the following tessellations.

My newest professional development workshop moves away from combining art and math and into that branch of physics called aerodynamics: the science of flight.   What better way to teach principles of motion and lift than to use the creation, decoration and flying of kites. Kites soar thanks to the same principles as aircraft fly and they offer wonderful surfaces for bold decoration.  All of this and more is contained in the workshop "Up, Up and Away! The Art, Science and Geometry of Making and Flying Kites".  Teachers working in the Akron Public Schools made the following Kites

One of the joys of presenting professional development workshops to teachers is knowing that they take the concepts and techniques learned back to the classrooms to reinvigorate their instruction.  I also enjoy the challenge of combining art with at least one other academic subject in a meaningful way to show the relationship between different parts of the curriculum.  Of course I also present professional development programs on purely art subjects like my popular "Sounds From The Earth" workshop in which we create three musical instruments from clay (this of course could be seen as combining the arts with at least one science, that of acoustics-- the physics of sound).

Call me at 216 225 0368 to discuss presenting a professional development workshop in your district .  Email me at gwoideck@tileandclayart.com.

George Woideck
 

 





George Woideck is a ceramic artist specializing in tile and mosaic.  View his work as artist-in-residence at tileandclayart.com .  See his recent public art projects on the Behance Network.