Ridgefield Academy Teaches Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Through Art Written by Ridgefield Academy
With faces and expressions obscured by protective masks, young students in a year of COVID-19 can have difficulty connecting with others.
Ridgefield Academy art teacher Michelle Manning created a self-portrait lesson featuring the innovative art of Matisse and Picasso to inspire her students to learn about themselves and their classmates, and develop critical problem-solving and resiliency skills that will help them with future challenges of all types.
Students began the project with a mind-mapping exercise. Each student was asked to reflect on the things that make up their individual identities, such as their unique physical features and their passions. As projects began to take shape, students found it challenging to create artwork that was unique and personal to them.“There was considerable emotion,” commented Manning. “Some students told me ‘I’m no