Generative Reads to Think With…

Robin Wall Kimmerer

Kimmerer, R. W. (2013). Skywoman Falling. In Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants (pp. 1-21). Milkweed Editions.

This entire book is spell-bounding. I feel it opens my eyes to how interconnected the world is and how a simple shift in perspective on our relationship with nature can bring so much peace and clarity. In the opening chapter of "Braiding Sweetgrass," Kimmerer narrates the Haudenosaunee creation story of Skywoman Falling. Grounding us in indigenous wisdom, this chapter sets the stage for the rest of the stories Kimmerer shares and explores themes of gratitude, reciprocity, and the interconnected relationship between humans and the natural world.

While the chapter "Skywoman Falling" doesn’t directly speak to connections with nature and art education, it has inspired me to work on my own relationship with the land on which I reside and to seek a deeper understanding of the people who have called this land their home for thousands of years. I wish to take what I am learning, to shift my perspectives on how I create a sense of reciprocity and respect for the land through art education by introducing students to indigenous ways of knowing. 

Julia Bentz

Bentz, J. (2020). Learning about climate change in, with, and through art. Climatic Change (n.p).

I found Julia Bentz 'article to be extremely informative, generative, and directly links to my inquiry. She discusses the role of arts education in addressing climate change, speaking to the limitations of traditional approaches that often focus on scientific aspects and present the issue through a lens of fear. Bentz brings forward a framework that distinguishes three levels of arts-based engagement with climate change and explores their potential in regards to teaching.

Bentz talks about how the ultimate goal is to empower students and help them feel capable of addressing aspects of complex environmental challenges and contribute to the discourse on climate change.

Maxime Greene

Greene, M. (1980). Aesthetics and the experience of the arts: Towards transformations. The High School Journal, 63(8), 316–322.

In this article, Greene speaks that art may "make nothing happen" in a utilitarian sense, informed engagements with art provoke unique awareness and provide new vantage points on the taken-for-granted aspects of life. The arts, including poetry, paintings, plays, and musical pieces, are seen as transformative experiences that go beyond utilitarian purposes. They create occasions for new beginnings and elicit unpredictable effects.

Although Greene doesn’t speak directly about encounters with nature, I feel that she touches on how aesthetic encounters can bring about moments of profound meaning and transformation - in the same way I feel nature has the same kind of potential. 

Celeste Snowber

Snowber, C. (2017). Living, loving, and dancing the questions: A pedagogy of becoming. In S. Wiebe, E. Lyle, P. R. Wright, K. Dark, M. McLarnon, & L. Day (Eds.), Ways of being in teaching: Conversations and reflections (pp. 1-5). Sense Publishers.

Celeste Snowber reflects on her early exposure to the natural world, how this influenced her love for questions, discovery, and greater contemplation. She also refers to the idea of  the “lived curriculum” and speaks to the interconnectedness of everything. Snowber speaks to teaching moments when she takes her students outside into the world as the classroom and how these moments of being become launching points of inquiry, reflection, and appreciation of the small things in life. 

I feel that this text presents to me a pedagogy of how immersing oneself in nature, teaching in the small “mundane” moments, and artmaking as a form of wonder can be truly meaningful for everyone- students and teachers alike. She emphasizes that the most impactful teaching moments often come unannounced.

I see connections between the pedagogy of becoming as it leads to nature being transformative - and always seeing and noticing the world around you and leads to constant asking questions and inquiry.

Sylvia kind, Kit Grauer, Rita Irwin, and Alex de Cosson

Kind, S., Grauer, K., Irwin, R., & de Cossen, A. (2005). Medicine Wheel Imag(in)ings: Exploring Holistic Curriculum Perspectives. Art Education, Sep., 2005, Vol. 58, No. 5 (Sep., 2005), pp. 33-38.

In this article, Kind, Grauer, Irwin, and de Cossen delve into the exploration of holistic curriculum perspectives through the lens of the Medicine Wheel. They examine the potential of the Medicine Wheel as a framework for developing inclusive and culturally sensitive educational practices that integrate multiple ways of knowing.

This article provided me with greater insights into holistic curriculum perspectives and provides a framework that intertwines cultural understanding, environmental awareness, and diverse ways of knowing. By incorporating teaching of the medicine wheel and these perspectives into art education, I believe that educators can inspire positive connections with nature among students, but most importantly, guide students to seeing how everything is connected to one another providing a more grounded and holistic educational experience.