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Senior Citizen Art Education

A Descriptive Case Study of:

The Keller Senior Activity Center

Keller, Texas

Natalie Dellavia (nee’ Davis)

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Table of Contents

Introduction ……………………………………...…………………………………….….…3

Supporting Literature ……………………………………………………...…………….…4

Overview ……………………………………………………………………………….….…6

Description and Discussion …………………………………………………………………8

Implications for Art Education ……………………………………………………………11

References …………………………………………………………………………..………14

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Introduction

Within the next five years, it is estimated that 20% of the American population will be 65

years or older. Some describe this marvel as the “silver tsunami” (Boulton-Lewis, 2010). As

more baby boomers retire, the demand for senior activity classes such as painting, ceramics and

quilting will also increase. The majority of art programs for the elderly take place in community

center locations such as the one illustrated in this case study document. However, there is also

elderly art programing that occurs in nursing homes, retired veteran homes, daycare centers and

residency facilities (Barret, 1993).

While there are various reasons why elderly people enlist in activity classes, this case

study conducted at the Senior Activity Center in Keller, Texas, will focus on the importance of

socialization within art programing for seniors and how art curricula can effectively serve the

elderly population.

Before I delve further into documentation, it is important to first begin with a short story

of one of the seniors I met while conducting my observations.

Finnie, a long time member of the Keller Senior Activity

Center, provided me insight on why the ceramic class at Keller

Senior Community Center is so critical for her. Finnie

mentioned to me that after her husband passed away in 2008,

life became very different for her. Spending the days and nights by herself, she started to feel

alone and isolated. To combat her grief, she asked her son-in-law to search the Internet for

something she could do. Already familiar with ceramics, her son-in-law discovered that the

Keller Senior Activity Center offered a ceramics class. She signed up and started attending not

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knowing what to expect. What she found was the catalyst for her healing process. After asking

what the course meant to her, she paused, looked up and surveyed the other women in the room

and said, “This class has been a blessing. These women have been a blessing. The support we

give each other has helped us all live fuller lives.” As I scanned the room, I noticed many other

ladies were shaking their heads in unison with Finnie. Other women then went on to share their

stories and reminisce with their friends in the class.

Finnie’s story definitely touched me. It is clear that her ceramics class provides her

invaluable emotional support. I agree with Hoffman (1977) that a social support system is vital

to elderly art programing. However, I found myself questioning if there was more educational

depth beyond casual chatting. I wanted to discover how art could provide meaningful

conversations among the elders.

Supporting Literature

It is without a doubt that one of the chief motives of why elderly people attend art classes

is for socialization. Hoffman (1977) states, “a major reason for classroom attendance by the

elderly is the opportunity such activity offers to break the despair of forced isolation” (pg. 6).

Hence, it is important for art educators to consciously understand that art programing not only

depends upon content, but how the class allows elders to connect, mingle and feel part of a

community.

However, Barret (1993) and Kauppinen (1990) helped inform me that higher social

engagement and dialog can be enhanced if the art experience allows for abstract thinking and

creative stimulation. For example, curricular art themes that allow for self-reflection, memories

and searching for meaning of their lives have the ability to heighten dialog and conversations

between participants (Kauppinen, 1988). Unfortunately, research indicates that the majority of

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art programing for seniors focus on stereotypical craft making such as latch hook rugs and

holiday decorations; which offer little intellectual stimulation among participants (Barret, 1993).

Furthermore, craft making is usually “[an] exercise in technique and production rather than art

experiences which results in work expressive of the individual” (Barret, 1993, p. 134).

Reflecting back on my observational field notes at the Keller Activity Center, I witnessed

both high and low level curricular engagements. For example, in the ceramics class, only basic

dialog occurred, because women did not create original artwork. Rather, seniors order pre-

fabricated bisqueware from a catalog and painted it (See http://ceramicsandroses.com).

Unfortunately, this stereotypical approach is precisely what Barret (1993) mentions.

Conversations were limited to everyday chatter, because the subject matter didn’t allow the

seniors to explore original thoughts, creative solutions, and self-reflection.

In a stark contrast from the ceramic class, I observed conceptual themes leading to rich

interchange in the quilt making class. Elaine, ironically the instructor for both ceramics and

quilting, described an engrossed project that involved the seniors being paired up with a 9/11

family to make quilts. One of the quilt projects was particularly striking. Its theme was based on

a culinary chef, who lost his life in the Windows of the World restaurant complex in Tower 1 of

the World Trade Center. Personal belongings to include in the quilt were donated through a

church program. Quilt tiles included one of his executive chef coats, casual business work shirts

along with several culinary patches and pockets that provide a historical context of his career.

The woman was emotionally moved to tears while sharing her story with me (Elaine, personal

communication, September 8, 2015).

Interestingly, an ability that is enhanced with advanced aging is to transform knowledge

into meaning. “Older adults have a unique strength which assists them in the learning process.

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A lifetime of personal experience is their foremost asset and distinguishes them from other age

groups” (Kauppinen, 1990, p. 100). Their age and experience can actually be superior to youth

in identifying different cultural motifs (Kauppinen, 1988).

Countless experiences contribute to their wisdom and enable them

to have heightened conversations. Hence, this transformative

ability is an important role in understanding art and responding to

it (Kauppinen, 1988).

While socialization is one of the main aspects of why seniors attend activity classes,

Jones (1980) suggest that some also sign up for classes to learn new skills. Sometimes it is “to

keep the mind active, use the brain, exercise the mind, stay mentally stimulated, grow, attain

goals, constantly learn [and] never stop” (Jones, 1980, p. 218). In addition, Jones further

mentions, “in old age a person tends to select activities which reaffirm his role” (1980, p. 16).

Along with retirement, individuals are faced with finding a new identity and discovering ways

they can contribute to society. Such was the case with a woman I met in the quilting class.

Darleen informed me that she was recently retired and wanted to keep her mind busy and learn

something new (Darleen, personal communication, September 18, 2015). Sometimes this

educational desire is referred to as the transcendence need. Transcendence needs involve an

elderly person’s desire to learn something new and “overcome one’s previous role and

definitions of self to accept the past and let it go” (Kauppinen, 1990, p. 101).

Overview

The city of Keller, Texas is approximately forty-five minutes northwest of Dallas, Texas.

Comprised of eighteen square miles it holds an estimated population of 42,000, making the

community the perfect balance between country and city living (City of Keller, 2015, para 1).

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Manicured parks, lakes and trails provide a beautiful backdrop for many of the activities that the

City provides. Although the majority of the population is comprised of families and middle age

adults ranging 35-54, the senior population of 65 and older makes up 9% of the total population

(United States Census Bureau, 2015, para 1).

One of the main attractions for the elderly population is the Keller Senior Activity

Center. Built in the early 1990s, it is centrally located, close to the town hall and library, making

it a desirable location for senior citizens to drive to and from. As you approach the building, it is

hard not to notice the attractive lush landscaping, river rock beds, archways, pergolas and rose

gardens. The facility is as beautiful inside as it is on outside. There are a variety of large and

small banquet areas, a computer lab, a kitchen and a bistro area that provides complimentary

coffee and tea through out the day.

Staffed by two recreational specialists and a site manger, the center emits positive energy

as multiple classes occur simultaneously. Both funded and managed by the City of Keller, the

facility is open Monday through Friday to any resident who is 55 or better. With a minimal

annual membership fee of just $25, seniors have access to the facility

and some classes that are included in the membership fee. Other

courses are charged a monthly amount, depending upon supplies and

instructor costs, ranging from $5 to $25. While the facility only offers

two fine art classes (ceramics and painting), they also have a few craft courses such as knitting,

quilting and wreath making. In addition to art classes, seniors may also sign up for an

assortment of card games, health and wellness classes and tour-group vacations. (E. Rautio &

M. Adler, personal communication, September 15, 2015) & (See

http://www.cityofkeller.com/services/parks-recreation/keller-senior-activities-center).

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The senior art and crafts room comfortably seat 15

members. There are six large rectangular tables protected

by plastic sheets and two tall storage cabinets against the

back wall. The cabinets contain a variety of donated art

supplies for all courses to use. In the back of the

classroom, there is a door that leads to another small art room. This area is designated to store

paint and glazing supplies. In addition, there are cubby areas for in-progress ceramics works, a

large sink and a separate kiln room. The kiln is fairly new and in good working condition.

There are a few stilts and shelves for firing ceramic work.

Description and Discussion

During my first visit, I observed the ceramics class. The class size

was fairly small comprised of only five women. Elaine, the ceramics

instructor and a senior citizen herself, gave me a tour of the facility and

helped answer questions I had. I was very excited to see that the facility

actually had the necessary supplies mentioned in the overview section to

conduct effective art lessons.

An interesting note is that the class is self-directed. Elaine serves more as a facilitator in

that she allows the women to select what they want to do. The seniors select a pre-fabricated

bisqueware piece from a catalog, pay for it themselves and then paint or glaze

in class. Having been a former ceramics teacher myself, I was deflated when

I heard that the women didn’t make original artwork and partake in hand-

building clay construction. However, considering that this was my first visit

to the facility, I did not want to probe Elaine on her pedagogy methods.

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Rather, I felt it was important to listen, learn, observe and more importantly, develop a good

relationship with her and the seniors in the class. For this reason, I also made the choice not to

formally read questions off a sheet of paper, but to engage in chat conversations to help the

seniors become comfortable with me.

For my second observation, I returned to the ceramics class again. However, reflecting

on my first observation notes along with reading Ribbins (2007) and Tollefson-Hall (2013), I

realized that I was lacking pertinent information for my case study. This time around I was able

to gather a lot of additional information, because I was more prepared. I developed a list of

prearranged questions that helped me to stay focused and dig deeper for information. While I

still welcomed casual chats and divergent conversations, formally asking a list of pre-determined

questions allowed me to be more effective.

Fortunately, I was able to have one of my biggest questions answered during my second

observation. An opportunity arose where I was able to politely ask Elaine if she ever considered

using wet clay instead of purchasing bisque molds. She replied by saying, “We have talked

about it… but haven’t done it yet.” Probing further, I then asked her if the facility would mind if

the class used wet clay. She replied by saying, “I don’t think it would be a problem as long as

we clean up. I have thought about doing it outside when the weather cools off” (personal

communication, September 15, 2015). Knowing already from a previous interview question,

Elaine has been the ceramics instructor since 2006. Considering these findings, I have concluded

that she has made the pedagogical decision not to use clay because of the messy nature of the

media and being comfortable teaching the course the way it is.

Another interesting thing that happened during this observation was how much the

women started to open up to me. It was at this time that I learned Finnie’s story, and I

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understood how important socializing was for these senior women. Also, after interviewing one

of the recreational specialists, I learned the facilities mission statement and believe they are very

true to their mission. They really do make seniors feel part of collective group and help foster a

rich environment so that they can connect. A portion of their

mission statement reads: “To encourage individuals and groups to

connect with one another creating a welcoming diverse and fun

environment” (E. Rautio & M. Adler, personal communication,

September 15, 2015).

For my third observation, because I felt I captured the essence of the ceramic class with

my previous observations, I decided to observe a different senior activity class, quilting. While I

don’t know how to quilt, I appreciate the craft and was excited to learn about something new.

However, my enthusiasm was soon subdued the moment I walked in. Unfortunately, there was

only one person, Darleen, in the class that day. Darleen informed me that the instructor was out

of town for a funeral and she suggested that might be the reason why attendance was down.

Although Darleen was kind and hospitable, I was unable to get some of my questions answered

because she was fairly new to quilting.

As I mentioned earlier, Elaine happened to be the instructor for both ceramics and the

quilting class. During my first observation, I luckily had a conversation with Elaine regarding

the 9/11 quilt she made. I found it interesting that while she teaches both classes, the curricular

approaches were polar opposites. The quilting class provided rich opportunities for the women

to engage in dialog about memories and meaningful themes, the ceramic class focused solely on

technical production.

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However, to be fair, I only observed this field site a handful of times. Perhaps conceptual

themes do happen in the ceramics class. Given the opportunity to return to observe more, maybe

I will witness conceptual topics as I did in the quilting class. Also, more time would allow me to

give my professional advice to the ceramics instructor on how to effectively manage clay clean

up. This could potentially change her mind about the messiness of clay.

Implications for the Field of Art Education

One of the very first things I noticed during my field observations was that there was a

lack of higher order thinking and creative solutions for seniors to engage in. This was evident in

the ceramics class I illustrated earlier. On one hand, I enjoyed seeing that the class was self-

directed and the instructor acted more like a facilitator. I find this approach attractive because it

allows for more exploration and it caters to the individual. On the other hand, the instructor was

limiting creative exploration because she made a pedagogical decision not to introduce wet clay

construction to the class.

While digging for research about art pedagogy for the elderly, Barret (1993) helped me to

understand that the “kit” or stereotypical art and craft approach is fairly common among elderly

art education settings. While I’m not sure why this occurs, I can only make the assumption that

it might be because the instructor lacks training in art education. Or perhaps it is because there

are not enough trained professionals to meet the demands of the baby boomers who are now

enlisting in art classes.

Several researchers (Barret, 1993; Hicks, 2013; Kauppinen, 1990) have concluded that

research for elderly art education is in the infancy stages and more scholarship is needed in the

field. I wonder if a lack of art education scholarship is a result of art educators not being familiar

with teaching elderly people? I personally, have never taught art education to the elderly

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population, nor was I trained specifically for elderly during my

undergraduate art education degree. Perhaps the same holds true

for other art educators? Nevertheless, it appears that the senior

population is underserved. Experienced art educators have the

ability to enhance curricular methods so that rich meaningful

dialog can occur between seniors.

My final finding relates to the individuals who wish to

teach art to the elderly population. Jones (2010) suggests that art

educators might need to make pedagogical adjustments. Previous educational methods that work

in the traditional school setting might not be well suited for the elders. For example, one highly

important variable is time and pace. As I discovered during my site visits, the elderly tend to

work a lot slower than my former high school students. Individual pacing works well, because

they can’t attend always regularly attend class due to travel or physician appointments.

Therefore, projects that are customized to the senior will most likely be more appealing than a

structured curricular schedule. In addition, educators need to be conscious of the physical or

mental limitations of some individuals. Sometimes

activities need to be adjusted so that the senior can

successfully complete tasks on their own. Completing

projects on their own will help them feel as sense of

accomplishment, show their own pride and wncourage

them to return for the next class. Also, teachers should try

to mirror a facilitator’s role rather than a lecturer. The class needs to be engaging, fun and is

hospitable to conversations. Enjoyment and conversing with their friends is what causes them to

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return to class the next week. As stated before, socialization is a top motivator for the elderly,

so art projects need to welcome rich dialog among participants. It is clear that properly designed

art curriculum can help change the general perceptions that exist. The older generation can

engage in deeper meaning and enrich their lives instead of stare into space knitting yet another

sweater that will never be worn.

References

Boulton-Lewis, G. M. (2010). Education and learning for the elderly: Why, how, what. Educational Gerontology, 36, 213-228.

City of Keller. (2015). Population and demographics. Retrieved from   http://www.cityofkeller.com/doing-business/planning-zoning/population-and-

demographics  Barret, D. B. (1993). Art programming for older adults: What's out there? Studies in Art

Education, 34(3), 133-140. Hoffman,  D.  (1977).  Stimulating  the  elderly  to  explore  the  arts.  National  Art  Education  

Association,  30(4),  4-­‐6.  Jones, J. E. (1980). The elderly art student: Research and the participants speak. Art Education,

33(7), 16-20. Kauppinen, H. (1988). Discussing art with older adults. National Art Education Association,

41(6), 14-19. Kauppinen, H. (1990). Changing perspectives on older adults' mental abilities and educational

needs: Implications for art education. Studies in Art Education: A Journal of Issues and Research, 31(2), 99-105.

Ribbins, R. (2007). Interviews in education research: Conversations with purpose. In A. Briggs and M. Coleman (Eds.), Research Methods in Educational Leadership and Management. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 207-223.

Tollefson-Hall, K. (2013). Case study research. In Buffington, M. L., & Wilson McKay, S. (Eds.) Practice theory: The power of art teacher researchers. Co-written and edited book. Reston, VA: National Art Education Association, 204-208.

United States Census Bureau. (2015). State and county quick facts. Retrieved from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4838632.html