In the fall of 2013 I received word of a program called Encounters: Art in the City. I, along with four other art history majors, signed on to teach this pilot program at the local magnet school, Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy (SciTech). By visiting local Oakland public artworks such as the Stephen Foster Memorial and Richard Serra’s Carnegie, as well as participating in interactive classroom activities, the group of high school students will leave this course with a greater understanding of the art that surrounds them. One of the program’s main goals is to help get us closer to the answer to the question, “why does art history matter?”
By using Encounters as a case study, I plan to evaluate this program and allow it to act as the template upon which I create another similar program that can be implemented in another public high school. Throughout the course of Encounters, I will analyze the various activities and lessons, looking specifically at ways in which I can make improvements for a more successful future course. Ultimately, the information I gather will aid in my tailoring of a program that will work to both introduce a group of high school students to art in their city, as well as bring me closer to an answer to the question of “why does art history matter?”
Find out more about Danny Augenbraun.