Art Integration Fosters Empathy in the Middle School Classroom

Abstract

In this article, I highlight findings from a nine-day unit embedded within a larger, four-month long qualitative action research study set in a public middle school. My goal in conducting this research was examination of relationships between visual culture and art integration as a method of fostering students to find voice while taking risks. A collaborative process was central to the unit in which the non-art educator and I developed and taught persuasion using art and art history. Students engaged in creating collaborative ecological installations, the integration of visual culture bridged art and other curricular areas while creating spaces for authentic learning. Through making art, students built shared knowledge, engaged in safe discourse, and expressed empathy.