Teen Lab
Teen Lab is a program offered through After School Matters. I was a Teaching Assistant for the Fall 2013 and Spring 2014 sessions. We met three times a week, after school, where the participants got to explore the museum, connect with works of art and artists, and experiment with a wide range of art making techniques like drawing, video, and 3-D printing. We took field trips to other art galleries, museums, and schools; went behind-the-scenes in the museum; met and networked with different staff from around the museum. The session ended with an exhibition of their work in the museum’s Ryan Education Center in an followed by a reception for family, friends, and ASM and museum staff.
During the Fall semester, I was Teen Programs Assistant as part of my internship through my university. I was able to contribute to the weekly lesson planning as well as classroom setup and supply management. I was graduating from the undergraduate program at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago at the time and was able to take the group to the Fall BFA Show where I had my work on display. I developed a lesson where I paired each student with an artwork from the show based on their interests and gave them prompts to consider and respond to. It was a very successful activity because I had known these students for nearly 15 weeks and was able to make the lesson personal and intimate and the students appreciated it and were engaged.
I was brought back in the Spring to assist in classroom setup and 3D Printing. I focused more on technical assistance but was still able to engage with the students individually. I was included in the process of discussing their final project proposals and was able to provide them with feedback.
During the Fall semester, I was Teen Programs Assistant as part of my internship through my university. I was able to contribute to the weekly lesson planning as well as classroom setup and supply management. I was graduating from the undergraduate program at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago at the time and was able to take the group to the Fall BFA Show where I had my work on display. I developed a lesson where I paired each student with an artwork from the show based on their interests and gave them prompts to consider and respond to. It was a very successful activity because I had known these students for nearly 15 weeks and was able to make the lesson personal and intimate and the students appreciated it and were engaged.
I was brought back in the Spring to assist in classroom setup and 3D Printing. I focused more on technical assistance but was still able to engage with the students individually. I was included in the process of discussing their final project proposals and was able to provide them with feedback.
Fall 2013 |
Spring 2014 |
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
"Welcome. Our job is to discover how and why objects make us feel connected to each other and to our own personal and public histories. An object can be your phone, a drawing, a coin from ancient Rome with a picture of Cleopatra on it, or a piece of gum that has the DNA of another human being that is stuck to the bottom of your shoe. We think this idea of connection can be split into 4 catagories: Connecting to yourself Connecting to an object Connecting to another person Connecting to an institution We will engage in a number of experiences that might not lead to a single answer or a clear map of what connection means. Through our discussions, art making, museum romping, performances, searching, field trips, etc. we will become connected." Teen CouncilAs stated on The Art Institute of Chicago's website:
"The Art Institute Teen Council is a group of 15 creative teens who meet weekly at the museum to design engaging and meaningful programs for youth. Teens on the council represent schools and neighborhoods throughout Chicagoland and have a shared passion for the arts and for making the Art Institute more welcoming, accessible, and relevant for all youth." I worked with this group on occasion. It was led by the council members so the majority of my work was archiving their meetings and discussions. 
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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
"Welcome to Teen Lab. Our job is to look at, think about, and make objects. We are going to consider what they are and why we make them, and why some of them are called “art” and some of them are called “cookies”. Objects can be made out of anything, and sometimes this material is important to what the object does (you would not eat a cookie made out of deodorant). We are going to consider the difference between a single object, like a ancient sculpture, and a reproducible object, like a coffee cup. We are interested in objects because of the way we interact with them. This experience can be universal, for example we all recognize an object that is shaped like a woman as being a woman. It can also be cultural, many people recognize and can describe ideas symbolized by the statue of liberty, or by a small group like a family who treasures a particular vase. Perhaps you can think of objects that you have that contain meaning that is only understood by you. Objects contain information, and are made using information. We are going to make lots of objects in lots of different ways, using lots of different materials."
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