Expanding Learning Beyond the Classroom

The MAG RCSD Expanded Learning Collaboration is a program that brings students from three different city schools to the Memorial Art Gallery for both hands-on art projects and to learn about the collection in the museum. Students from Francis Parker School #23, Adlai E. Stevenson School #29, and Mary McLeod Bet­hune School #45 come to the program, beginning as early as first grade.

They spend a portion of their time looking at a piece of art in the collection and take part in a discussion about the art, guided by one of the museum's docents. This talk connects to the art they will then make back in the Creative Workshop. It's a program that seeks to teach students not only how to make art, but how to look at and talk about art and how to experience it in the context of a museum.

The program coordinators work closely with the teachers and principals at the schools to make the lessons relevant to the work being done back in their classrooms, but part of the success of the program is bringing them outside of the classroom to experience something new. In addition to enhancing their knowledge of art, it has also had a positive effect on behavior. Students learn how to interact in the museum in a polite and respectful way toward one another, and teachers notice how this impacts their attitude beyond their time at the MAG.

Organizers hope to expand the program beyond the three schools currently involved, and for it to become a model for programs in other cities across the country.

Supported by the Rochkind-Wagner Foundation, the Max and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation, the Sands Family Foundation of the Rochester Area Community Foundation, and the Wan Jou Family Foundation in memory of Shi-Ling C. Hsiang. Additional support is provided by KeyBank, Cecelia Miller Horwitz and an anonymous donor.

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