In the beginning…

My initial thesis question:

How can curriculum and teaching practices of art educators working with children with learning disabilities be informed by brain research, historic examples of artists with learning disabilities and the study of children’s picture books?

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Background: Why I first chose this topic

• I work at a school for students with learning disabilities

• One of my sisters has cognitive disabilities

• Interests:– art education strategies for

students with learning disabilities

– Brain research

– Artists with learning disabilities

– Children’s picture books/storytelling

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I soon realized

This was FAR TOO MANY ideas all clumped together

And

I was no longer interested in brain research

And

I did not see how to make the picture book connection.

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I started my research for my Annotated Bibliography

New interests:• All disabilities• Perceptions of disability

in art• Art instructional strategies

for general academic subjects

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I had some new ideas that really interested me but I was ….

blown off course.

The more research I did, the more I started to hone in on a newly revised topic.

First

I had abandoned the brain research component.

I felt overwhelmed by the scientific data. A science centric approach was not for me.

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Second

I changed:

“Examining artists with learning disabilities”

to

“Perceptions of disability in art”

Third

I still want to examine how art educators teach students with learning disabilities AND (I’ve added) other disabilities.

Fourth

I have added: art as a way of providing instruction and product options for students

struggling in their general academic subjects.

New Thesis Question

How can art education for individuals with disabilities change society’s perceptions of disability?

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Social Change

Differentiated Learning

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Choice Awareness

Supporting Question

How can art education play a role in the developmental and academic growth of a student

with disabilities?

Supporting Question

How do you assess a student’s performance in a class with a choice-based, differentiated, art curriculum?

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Supporting Question

What are some examples of:– Artworks– Literature– Movies– Music

that challenge traditional perceptions of disability in art?

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Supporting Question

How can art affect social change for any marginalized group?

Moving Forward

This thesis topic is directly related to my current full time job.

– Beneficial for me to learn about teaching strategies for students with disabilities

– Improve upon art program that is already in place

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Moving Forward

Collecting and organizing different presentation learning strategies

Studio-based art center for adults and children

•Opportunities for individuals with disabilities to work and make art

•Gallery to show artwork made at studio

•Venue for live performances

•School involvement

•Community involvement

Maybe someday…________________________________________________________