Collins, F., & Ogier, S. (2012). Expressing Identity: The Role of Dialogue in teaching Citizenship Through Art. Education 3-13, 41(6), 617-632. DOI:10.1030/03004279
Keywords:
Identity, safe classroom, dialogue, citizenship
Abstract:
This article focuses on a Comenius funded project, Images and Identity (2008-2010), in which six European Union countries explored the cross-curricular links between Citizenship and Art Education with both primary and secondary age pupils Most of the participants are bicultural, enhancing a deeper sense of community as the children uncovered surprising commonalities between each other. Exploratory talk allowed participants to take risks, share ideas, and move into new avenues of thinking. The role of talk and collaboration, facilitated by a safe classroom environment, is evident in fostering identity. As Zander argues, when working on an artistic production, a creative community is established whereby pupils develop a shared meaning through dialogue, which in turn becomes an inherent part of the understanding of their own creative output.
Relevance:
Importance of identity: understanding of oneself and relationships, community
How identity can be explored in the classroom: safe environment, dialogue, art making
Quotes:
Hicks argues, the confidence that children acquire through working collaboratively with their peers and their teacher develops a positive self-esteem, amongst other interpersonal skills, as the children feel able to identify their ideas and to voice their own opinions. These skills can be seen as essential in developing a sense of oneself in society. (619-20)
This [assumption making exercise] supplied a very good starting point for further exploration of stereotypical views and children’s later independent research in beginning to question their assumptions and knowledge about Europe. (622)
They were able to communicate their understanding from previous discussions, and their own developing awareness of themselves, within a wider community. (625)
Through this activity the children came to realise that they had multiple identities: an individual identity; a family identity; class/group identity; a school identity; a national identity and a EU identity. (629)
Artists Mentioned:
Gillian Wearing and Cindy Sherman
Problems:
Primary school case study.
Europe based but can easily be translated to Canadian culture.