Savva and Trimis

Trimis and Savva present the study of children's chrotopos as a visual art project. This study involves both the physical and cultural threads that weave together the environment that the students are exposed to nearly on a daily basis. There are four crucial steps to this study; preliminary, enrichment, production and reflection. Art is being made during both enrichment and production, and is then collected and reviewed for reflection.

My question is procedural. Should experiencing the sight be entirely preliminary, or would it be effective to create the works there within the environment of study?



I apologize to group 2. I am for some reason unable to comment on your blogs directly, so I’m just going to have to respond to your questions on my page.
Sara:
q: Why is the aesthetic sensitivity of persons ability to relate to cultural environment based on the idea of producing and perceiving art, if the main idea and goal of the project is to experience the materials encountered in a variety of environments?
a: I think the producing of art is more of a tool or method for encouraging the students to think more deeply about the environment around them. For example, most people are familiar with the presence of and the out appearance of let's say a pine cone. But if they are given art materials, and are then asked to build a pine cone, they'll certainly have to study a pine cone in far more depth than they'ed probably ever study one otherwise. I beleive this is what Savva and Trimis referred to as enrichment.
Aesthetically, art can be used to furthur student's communication. For example, many people live in the exact same environment, however, they experience it very differently. Two students could be asked to visually represent the same chorotopos. Together, they could view their own and eachother's works, gaining new perspective on how two different people are effected differently by the same setting. Aesthetically, one student's work may be easy on the eyes, and warm in colors, while the other's is chilling and represented as unwelcomng. Savva and Trimis would probably consider this reflection.

Shannon:
These same questions and concerns occured to me. Unfortunately, there is a necessity for many chaperones. I would say one chaperone for every 4 students is needed (at least for elementary students and younger.) This way, a chaperone can silently moniter what kind of artifacts thier students are gathering. When the students do come accross something not safe to handel, this is when a sketch book or camera comes in handy.
For inner city explorations, I think bringing a camera is perfect. Sadly, litter and trash may be good artifacts the students could gather, if that is what they seem to come across in their chrotopos, which would be an honest way of carrying out the study.

Amanda:
a) I think this project is perfect for students all over the world today. I remember feeling so disconnected from the outside world when I was in ellementary school. In high school, I had my own connections to the outside world, but there was no connection between school and the community. School should be a place where students not only read to read and write, but where they learn how they can make an impact on their community, not just how they can make an impact on thier school grounds. I think the study of the chrotopos is a fantastic beginning for schools emerging with outer community. As the students study their surroundings, they'll begin to develop a perspective on it. They may begin thinking about ways they can influence, change or contribute to society, which I find to be far more enriching than the kinds of studies I did in elementary school. b) I don't think these ideas are put forth in the regular school curriculum. "Social" studies study the past, not current culture and society. c) I believe art does specifically work for influencing the students to think more deeply about their surroundings. If not visual art, perhaps musical art, dance or poetry could stand in. However, I do believe visual art is a good method because it is physical. The students can build it, observe it, hold it, and view it for reflection again and again. d) I don't think this is the kind of lesson a teacher would need to present to the students with an example first. What holds the students' attentions is the element of exploration. This way, they have to freedom to truly obsorb their chrotopos, gain a genuine perspective on it, so they can make whatever they please of it. e) I'd say this is the natural path of the critical thinker, and that art is just the tool and method to further the studies, and to explore their thoughts and ideas.

Michelle:
For your first two questions, refer to Shannon's blog, because she had some good ideas about city exploration involving the gathering of man-made objects, and photographic documentation.
Regarding older students, I'd imagine their studies would be much more personal, emotion and possibly even more scientific. For older students, I would still fallow the first four steps outlined by Trimis and Savva (preliminary, enrichment, production, reflection.) Then, I would instruct the students to do research of their chrotopos that go beyond sensorty observation, weather this be researching historical documents, current news, or perhaps interviewing neighbors in the community. This could then lead the way for producing more art. Then reflection could be more interesting also, because the students would be able to compare their own personal experiences with their chrotopos with the larger communities experience with in that same chrotopos. This reflection could possibly lead to even more art production.