So in today’s episode is the first of 2 episodes devoted to a subject close to my heart: curiosity. This week I'll be exploring what curiosity is and sharing 3 key ways you can provoke curiosity and wonder with your audiences on your tours and programmes. Next week, I'll be discussing how we can stay curious ourselves as educators, guides and teachers. Curiosity is notoriously difficult to define and it’s even harder to work out how to harness and foster it. It could be defined as an eagerness to encounter what is new or unfamiliar and the desire to learn, to understand new things and to know how they work.We know that artworks, objects and artefacts have the power to inspire, provoke curiosity and interest.  We make unexpected discoveries - find new artists, new artworks we didn’t know about, find out information that we hadn’t heard before, and these new finds take us to new places that we haven’t been before. So how can we really ensure that we are harnessing that power and doing all we can to provoke curiosity and wonder amongst the participants on our tours and programmes?LinksEpisode Web PageMasterclass Art as Perspective 08 FebruaryThe Thinking Museum Membership ProgrammeSupport the Show Ian Leslie's book Curious

This week on the podcast: I’m delighted to be talking to Yaël van Loosbroek - Speck about art and mental healthYaël believes, like me, that everyone can engage with art, and that it all starts with looking - hence the name of her company, ArtSee.About ten years ago Yaël herself suffered from depression and severe anxiety disorder. The only place she could find peace of mind was in front of an artwork. This experience motivated her to create Art as Perspective for people going through the same mental issues as she did.In today’s chat we discuss what Art as Perspective is and how it works. We talk about how to design art programmes for people living with depression & anxiety, the frameworks she uses and the questions she asks. We also talk about how art discussions help people living with depression, anxiety and negative thoughts and the mental health benefits of looking at and discussing art. Yaël also shares some really helpful tips for creating art programmes that have a positive impact on mental health.We had a really lovely chat and I hope you enjoy it. Here it is!LINKSEpisode Web PageMasterclass Art as Perspective 08 FebruaryThe Thinking Museum Membership ProgrammeSupport the Show The Merry Family by Jan SteenArtSee WebsiteYaël’s Instagram

The ability to ask powerful, relevant and incisive questions is one of the most useful skills you can have. With a good questioning technique you can instantly engage people, provoke their curiosity, find out what they already know and make your programmes more interactive.Questioning is not an innate talent for most of us - we have to work hard at developing a good questioning technique. It’s a skill and, like all skills, we need to actively work on it to improve it. So, how exactly can you get better at asking questions? Here are some quick ways to improve your technique.LINKSEpisode web pageSupport the ShowSign up for The TM Weekly newsletter

Today we’re exploring 9 different ways that looking at art can make you a better writer. Throughout the ages, looking at art has been a unique way of finding inspiration and creativity. If you go as far back as the Greeks, you can find examples of writing inspired by art, called ekphrasis, which means “a literary description of or commentary on a visual work of art”Art is a frequent source of inspiration for many writers and poets over the centuries. John Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn” is a famous example and William Blake said that poetry and art are ‘ways to converse with paradise’.But how does this work for us, mere mortals with a keen interest in improving our creative or reflective writing? In this week’s episode I’m exploring 9 ways looking at and discussing art can make you a better writer.

For our last episode of the year, I'm sharing 3 slow looking activities for over the holidays. It’s a busy time of year and we’re all rushed off our feet. There’s also still a huge amount of uncertainty around right now just to add to the levels of stress and anxiety.Slow looking is a wonderful antidote to life in the fast line.Looking at something slowly and carefully is in itself a rewarding process. More than that, slow looking improves your observational skills, helps us to become less distracted and more focused and develop more patience. Ultimately, slow looking is GOOD FOR THE SOUL.I recommend choosing one or all of these activities to do at some point over the festive period - it will give you time out, time to slow down and time to notice the wood for the trees. You can do these activities on your own or with friends and family and children. Each activity should take no more than 10-15 mins. One is based on drawing, one on looking and thinking and one on writing. Choose the one that suits you best or the one that matches how you’re feeling today. I’d love to hear how you get on with any of this activities, Please share your thoughts, photos, sketches and or notes via Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #winterslowlooking

This week I’m delighted to be talking to Claire Bradshaw.Claire is an experienced coach, trainer and facilitator who brings a lot of positive energy and curiosity to her work. In today’s chat we talk about the values that drive her work, listening with full attention, the power of questions, and her passion for outdoor coaching. We talk about the similarities between her work and the work we do facilitating discussions around artworks with participants. We discuss the importance of listening skills and what good listening is. Claire shares a variety of tips for how you can develop your listening skills - including some practical exercises too!LINKSSupport the Show Claire Bradshaw websiteConsciously Connected NewsletterJulian Treasure 5 Ways to Listen BetterNancy Kline’s Time to Think and other booksJohn Whittington’s Systemic Coaching and Constellations: The Principles, Practices and Application for Individuals, Teams and Groups

Awe is an emotion that can be triggered by being around something larger than yourself, that’s not immediately understandable. It's that feeling you get when you look up and see millions of stars in the night sky; witness a beautiful landscape or set eyes on an artwork for the first time. Museums and galleries, historic settings and buildings can all provoke awe. And you can foster more of it in your programmes by thinking carefully about the artworks, objects you include, the questions you ask and the information you share. How about you try to sprinkle some awe-moments throughout your next guided tour or educational programme?So today, I’m talking about what awe is, why it’s important and sharing 6 ways you can create awe-inspiring experiences with art and objects. At the end I’ll be sharing 3 things to look for to check you’ve succeeded in inspiring awe in your audience. LINKSSupport the showDacher Keltner quote taken from Psyche - How to Fill your Life with More Awe Every Day Dacher Keltner & Jonathan Haidt Approaching Awe: A Moral, Spiritual and Aesthetic Emotion Dacher Keltner's 8 Wonders of Modern Life

This week on the podcast: I’m delighted to be talking to Jo-Anne Sunderland Bowe and we're talking about how to teach with objects.  Jo-Anne is director of Heritec Limited, a UK-based heritage education consultancy which works on European collaborative projects. Jo-Anne has a keen interest in object-based learning and creative and critical thinking. in today’s chat we talk about the values that drive her work and her passion for object-based learning and teaching.We talk about what object-based learning means and dive into the processes around it - collective thinking, collaborative action, inquiry dialogue and the acts of wondering. Jo-Anne discusses the many benefits of working with objects and shares her tips for how you can better engage your audience with objects. I hope our chat inspires you to think about how you might use objects of any kind to engage your audiences.LINKSSupport the Show Masterclass - How to use slow listening to engage the senses and make connections with objects Creative SchoolFlinders University Objects in Teaching and Learning wheelJo-Anne Sunderland Bowe on LinkedInHeritec websiteHeritec on Facebook

For our thirtieth episode, I’m delighted to be talking to Catherine Chastney. Catherine is an art educator and owner of social enterprise I Picture This. Catherine’s work focuses on bringing art and the joy of discussing art to older people, from creating conversations in care homes, to creating art cards during lockdown and working with people living with dementia. In this chat we explore the strong values that guide Catherine's work - she is passionate about that anyone can look at and discuss art, she loves using art to bring people together and to improve wellbeingWe talk to about the toolkit she has just published with the Wallace Collection for Looking at Art designed for anyone working or volunteering in care settings and, of course, her work with people living with dementia. Catherine shares some wonderful tips for discussing art with people with dementia - from creating trust seeking permission, active listening and creating space.This conversation will inspire you to think about how you might use art to bring people together, create conversations, forge connections and ultimately improve wellbeing. LINKSSupport the Show Masterclass - A dementia-friendly approach to art I Picture This on InstagramI Picture This on FacebookI Picture This on LinkedInI Picture This websiteToolkit for Looking at Art  

So in today’s episode I’m talking about how to develop a reflective practice in your work. A reflective practice is simply the art of thinking about or reflecting on what you do. It is a way of recognising, capturing and articulating what we’re learning on a moment by moment basis.By following any of the suggestions in this episode, you will develop a questioning approach to your work. You will stop and pause to think about why things are as they are and how they might be in the future. You will consider the strengths and areas of development in your own practice and consider how to develop your skills.First I'll share more about what reflective practice is and the benefits of introducing reflection as a practice into your work. Then I'm going to share 7 different ways you can use to develop your reflective practice  and 3 tips to get you started. LinksSupport the ShowEpisode 6 - 6 thinking routines you should have in your repertoire - including ESP+ICIPD Guide to Reflective Practice

Today I’m focusing on colour. Colour is one of the 7 elements of art along with shape, line, form, texture, value and space. It's a vast subject - but today I don't want to focus on colour theory or the science of colour. Instead, I want to get you thinking about how you approach colour with your audience during an art discussion. I’m going to look at different ways you can create discussion about colour with your groups to get them engaged in artworks. Colour is important because it can make you feel something, even if the artwork itself doesn’t at first glance. Colour is the hook to get audiences curious about artworks and wanting to know more. So, listen in for some different ways that you can engage your audience - any audience - in discussion about colour.LinksSupport the ShowColour Shape LineColour Shape Line videoArt Palette Google Arts and CultureColor Explorer Google Arts and Culture

Today I’m delighted to be talking to Kenia Santos - an educator based in Brazil with specialisations and interests in art history, philosophical inquiry, social and emotional learning, thinking routines and slow looking. We discuss how she uses thinking routines in her work to encourage and develop slow looking,  how she keeps her teenage students engaged for 3 hours in her art classes and how we can develop empathy through slow looking.Kenia is a passionate educator, slow looking enthusiast and a self-described art history nerd; a cat lover, free spirit and a friendly soul. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did! LinksSupport the Show Masterclass - How to Develop Empathy through Slow LookingCLIL - Content and Language Integrated Learning Kenia Santos WebsiteKenia Santos on InstagramKenia Santos on LinkedInKenia Santos Email

The traditional lecture-style guided tour is dead, long live the interactive tour! Well, it’s not actually, it’s still alive and kicking in some quarters, but in my opinion it shouldn’t be the way we think about guided tours in the 21st Century. Traditional lecture-style ‘walk and talk ‘ guided tours with an expert guide are still fairly common and in some places are still a standard way of ‘presenting’ an historic site, a city or a museum to the public.Things have definitely changed in the last 10 years since I started this journey of teaching others how to transition to a more discussion-based approach, but there is still work to be done.If you feel you talk too much on your tours or you overshare information, this podcast episode is for you. If you would like to have more interaction with your participants then today I’m sharing 10 easy ways you can implement NOW to make your tours more interactive - that means more of a two-way conversation rather than a one-way lecture.So, here are 10 easy ways to make your guided tours more interactive.LinksSupport the ShowEpisode 4 The 5 Golden Rules for Asking Brilliant QuestionsEpisode 10 10 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Asking Questions Episode 15 How to Use Artworks to Improve your Questioning SkillsThe TM WEEKLY Newsletter - every Friday in your Inbox!

This week’s episode is inspired by recent classes in the Visible Thinking Membership where we've been exploring the concept of using drawing and sketching for slow looking and observation. When people are learning how to draw, they actually learn how to observe first. And being a sketcher makes you a better observer - it’s as though you are seeing something for the first time when you’re trying to draw it. Today I’m talking about using drawing as an observational exercise. It’s not a test of how good your drawing skills are, it’s a test of how to use your eyes. 👀 Using drawing as a tool for slow looking enriches and enhances what you see. So here are 3 thinking routines that you can use for slow looking, extended observation and drawing. And at the end of this episode I’ll be sharing some ways to get over drawing apprehension - that feeling of nerves when someone asks you to draw. How can you help your group to feel comfortable and enjoy drawing with you? So do stick around to the end for those ideas too!LinksSupport the ShowHow to Use Slow Complexity Capture to Slow Down and Explore ObjectsWays Things Can be ComplexSimon Brooks Education

Today I’m really excited to be chatting to Louise Thompson - a museums and wellbeing consultant as well as the health and wellbeing manager at Manchester Art Gallery for the past 9 years. We’re talking how about art and objects can be used to learn wellbeing skills and improve mental health.Louise has over 12 years experience of arts and health practice and is hugely passionate about using culture and creativity to improve people’s wellbeing.We discuss:Louise’s work and some of the wonderful projects she’s worked on recently - the Becoming a Mum art therapy project during lockdown and the pioneering Mindful Museum at Manchester Art Gallery.how artworks can create a sense of community and how art and cultural collections can make us feel less alone and more connected.how attitudes to mental health have changed over the past few years and how museums, art and objects can play a role in improving wellbeing and mental healthmindfulness and the particular type of mindfulness that informs Louise’s work - trauma-sensitive mindfulness - and how cultural institutions are brilliantly placed to teach mindfulness in a trauma-sensitive way.Louise shares so much value in our chat - make sure you listen to the whole episode to catch it all!LinksSupport the Show - https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebownMasterclass -The Mindful Museum: Using Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness to Engage with Cultural Collections https://thinkingmuseum.com/product/the-mindful-museum/Well Mindful website https://well-mindful.com/Louise Thompson on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/well_mindful_/Louise Thompson on Twitter https://twitter.com/Louise_Tea_Becoming a Mum https://manchesterartgallery.org/learn/becoming-a-mum/Lead art psychotherapist for Becoming a Mum - Sarah Greaves Sarah Greaves Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sarahgreavesart/The Mindful Museum https://manchesterartgallery.org/learn/mindful-museum/

Have you ever asked a question that was greeted with nothing but silence? You look around and all you can see are blank faces.The silence is scary because you don’t know what people are thinking. It could mean anything. You wait a little longer and still nothing happens. Just the sound of tumbleweed rustling by….You've just experienced a 'tumbleweed moment' - a period of dead air or silence. And it’s awkward and uncomfortable - not just for you but also for your participants too. You don't know what people are thinking and your mind races to think of something to fill the silence. But what if you had some steps to work though to help you get over this moment? Well, help is at hand. Today I'm sharing some practical ways to get over a tumbleweed moment.And at the end I’ll be sharing some advice about avoiding these moments in the first place - so stick around and together we’ll make sure you never have to hear the terrifying sound of silence again! LINKSSupport the show! https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebownEpisode 10 - 10 common mistakes to avoid when asking questions - https://thinkingmuseum.com/2021/06/24/10-common-mistakes-to-avoid-when-asking-questions/

In the past week I’ve just started teaching my Visible Thinking in the Museum Online course (VTMO) to a group of international educators excited to start confidently leading  discussions around art and objects. There’s always a buzz when we get going and an enthusiasm to learn as much as you can as quickly as possible. But I always try to slow down participants, so that they can take it one step at a time and build up their practice (and confidence) slowly. So this week’s episode is for all the new VTMO-ers and for anyone who has just started out using thinking routines to engage their audiences with art. Here are my top 13 tips for getting started!LINKSSupport the show https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebown

Today I’m really excited to be introducing our first guest chat on the podcast - Samantha Boffin.Samantha is a voice actor, director and audio drama coach working with clients on voice technique, voiceover and communication.⁠Your voice is one of your biggest assets when it comes to storytelling, entertaining and engaging your audience. In this episode, you will discover how to look after it, use it and make the most of it with simple, fun and actionable techniques. Samantha shares some wonderful tips and techniques that we can all use to make the most of our voice and use it in the best way possible.We discuss:Why your voice is importantTips / techniques for optimising your voice before you start a session (e.g an art discussion or a guided tour or a classroom lesson for teachers!)How to use your voice to ENGAGE your audienceHow the voice can be a tool in your educator toolbox to keep your audience tuned in, curious and eager to participate.Sam is very generous with her advice and shares lots of gold here – so you might need to make notes! LinksFind Samantha's Masterclass 'Your voice: How to Look after it, use it and engage your audience' in my membership programmewww.samanthaboffin.co.ukLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-boffin/Instagram   https://www.instagram.com/samanthaboffin/Taking Creative podcast https://samanthaboffin.co.uk/talkingcreative/ 

Today I’m talking about the 6 core elements in my popular Visible Thinking in the Museum Online (VTMO) course - elements that you should also have in your educator repertoire to connect with your audience and engage them with art and objects. I'm sharing with you:How the course came about during the start of the pandemic in 2020How it was designed and whyThe 6 core elements of the course and why they're important to youWhat you will get out of VTMONext week,  I’m teaching VTMO for the final time in the Visible Thinking membership. We start on 20 September!LINKSSupport the show https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebownVisible Thinking in the Museum Online (VTMO) course - www.thinkingmuseum.com/vtmo

Would you love to learn how to design and lead engaging discussions around art and objects in just 4 days? On Monday through to Thursday next week, I’ll be sharing 4 principles that are key 🔑 for creating engagement and connection when you're designing and leading art discussions. ⁠In this BONUS podcast episode (a first for The Art Engager!) you’ll learn everything you need to know about what happens when you join the challenge, who it's for and how it will work. Join in the 4 day Art of Engagement Challenge next week to make concrete progress on your journey to designing and leading engaging discussions around art and objects. So, what are you waiting for? Take some steps today and join me for the challenge on Monday - sign up today via the link below!LINKJoin The Art of Engagement Challenge - SIGN UP HERE https://mailchi.mp/4fc80dab0b8a/artofengagement

Today I’m sharing some thoughts about how you can successfully design and lead engaging discussion-based programmes around art and objects. I’ll be talking briefly about the difference between different types of 'talking' in museum education - conversations, discussions and dialogue - before moving into 11 tips for success in creating conversations around art and objects.LinksSupport the Show - https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebownSign up for The Art of Engagement Challenge - https://mailchi.mp/4fc80dab0b8a/artofengagementEpisode 18 Common Fears Around Leading Discussion-Based Programmes ( and How to Deal with Them)https://thinkingmuseum.com/2021/09/01/common-fears-around-leading-discussion-based-programmes-and-how-to-deal-with-them/Episode 9 - Creating a Great Group Dynamic in the 'New Now' https://thinkingmuseum.com/2021/06/16/creating-a-great-group-dynamic-in-the-new-now/'Teaching in the Art Museum: Interpretation as Experience' - Rika Burnham and Elliot Kai-Kee

Leading tours and educational programmes that are based on discussion, inquiry and interaction can be a scary business. Both for you and for your participants.And if you’re about to take your first steps, it might seem really daunting. However, do remember that any concerns you have are perfectly normal and you’re not alone (we’ve all been there and had to start somewhere). Take it one step at a time and with time, practice and guidance, it will get easier (I promise!).In this podcast episode, I’m going to summarise the most common fears and concerns about leading discussion-based programmes that I’ve heard over the last 20 years, along with suggestions for ways to overcome them.LINKSSupport the Show - https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebownVisible Thinking in the Museum Online (VTMO) - www.thinkingmuseum.com/vtmoThe Art Engager, Episode 12: Best Practices for Sharing Information - https://player.captivate.fm/episode/edd22a39-daa0-46f4-9444-5d6eb656164bThe Art Engager, Episode 4: The 5 Golden Rules for Asking Questions - https://player.captivate.fm/episode/8de302e0-94ce-4c79-8486-b0b92f83210d

Over the past year, I’ve attended some fantastic interactive online sessions and I’ve led hundreds of my own.⁠I’ve also attended some pretty dull one-way presentations and long lectures.No matter what type of session you are leading - be it a virtual tour, an online art discussion, an online class or course - you need to keep your session interactive to stop participants from tuning out. You need to find a variety of ways to engage people throughout the session. Online experiences that emphasise personalisation, active learning, interaction and engagement will be here to stay. If you haven't levelled up your skills yet, it's time you took some actionWhen it’s done right, online sessions are JUST as (and in some cases MORE) rewarding and engaging online. ⁠But how do you make it interactive and keep everyone fully engaged? Here are my 13 ways to get you started...LINKSSupport the Show! https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebownRecorded Masterclass: Zoom Confidence for Educators - https://thinkingmuseum.com/product/zoom-confidence-for-educators/Episodes 4 - The 5 Golden Rules for Asking Brilliant Questions - https://player.captivate.fm/episode/8de302e0-94ce-4c79-8486-b0b92f83210dEpisode 10 - 10 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Asking Questions https://player.captivate.fm/episode/be7953c3-9b54-4de4-9ed2-e793caef6851Episode 15 How to Use Artworks to Improve your Questioning Skills - https://player.captivate.fm/episode/8868cace-a070-4eef-806b-c12324b15246

Today I’m doing a deep dive on the most famous and well-known thinking routine of them all - See Think Wonder. I’m going to share with you how you can use this thinking routine in your art discussions and why it’s one of the best routines for getting started with Visible Thinking in the Museum - my method for engaging and connecting with audiences, art and ideas. It’s actually the first thinking routine that I teach when I do a training with teams of educators or guides in a museum and the first routine that I teach on my popular VTMO course. STW is a GREAT thinking routine to use when you are new to Visible Thinking and a really good one to use at the beginning of a guided tour or museum programme. But what is it, how can you use it and, importantly, what's so special about it? All will be revealed today in episode 16!LinksSupport the show The Ultimate Thinking Routine List Visible Thinking in the Museum Online (VTMO) Course

How can you improve your questioning skills without resorting to reading long lists of tips and techniques and do's and don'ts? What can you use to help you create, sort and evaluate better questions? The simple answer is: ART. I’ve been using artworks for years to help me to brainstorm, sort, re-word and improve my questions.Artworks (and objects) provide an engaging and focused way to work on your questioning skills. I’m not an ‘expert questioner’ by any means and have found that this is a skill that I have had to consistently work at to improve. But by using artworks, I really enjoy the process too. In today’s episode I’m going to share with you some practical ways you can use art as a tool to become a better questioner! NOTESSupport the Show: https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebownWikiart.org - https://www.wikiart.org/ How to Ask Brilliant Questions Masterclass https://thinkingmuseum.com/product/how-to-ask-brilliant-questions-that-get-results/

Today I’m sharing 5 simple slow looking ideas for the summer. In our fast-paced society, we scan, we skim and we scroll. We have forgotten what it’s like to really look at something.Slow looking is a wonderful alternative to life in the fast lane. The 5 activities I'll be sharing in this episode are simple, effective ways to slow down, improve your observational skills and focus and notice more details around you. You can use these slow looking activities throughout the summer - either on your own or with friends and family and children. All of the activities are designed to help you develop your ability to see - and in doing so, spark creativity, curiosity and improve focus.By the end of this episode you’ll have a range of great ideas to keep yourself and others engaged in slow looking in a range of different environments (outside and inside), some involve art and some do not. All are designed to help improve your observation skills and help you to slow down and relax.Which activity are you going to try? I’d love to hear how you get on with any of this activities, Please share your thoughts, photos, sketches and or notes via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter using the hashtag #summerslowlookingLINKSSupport the show https://www.buymeacoffee.com/clairebownThinking Museum website https://thinkingmuseum.com

Today I’m talking all about how to use the ‘Unveiling Stories’ thinking routine to investigate multiple layers of meaning with a photograph. This is part of a new series of episodes on the podcast where I share a thinking routine with you and all the insights for how you might be able to use it with an artwork or object with groups - either in-person or online.Unveiling Stories was our ‘thinking routine of the month’ for June in my Membership Programme. Every month we have a specialist thinking routine online class that gives us the opportunity to discover a new thinking routine or to dig a bit deeper into one we already know. Discover in this episode:What is ‘Unveiling Stories’ thinking routine?5 Steps of Unveiling Stories About ‘Unveiling Stories’How we structured the discussion using 'Cross-Border Love' - a photograph by Roland SchmidMy key takeaways and tips for using this thinking routineLINKSSupport the showRoland Schmid, ‘Cross-Border Love’ (25 April, 2020 )Courtesy of World Press Photo https://www.worldpressphoto.org/collection/photo/2021/41420/1/Roland-SchmidThe Thinking Museum MembershipULTIMATE THINKING ROUTINES LIST

Many of us are experts in our field - possibly art historians, historians or archaeologists - and want to share that incredible knowledge with the groups we lead in our programmes.But knowing what information to share, how to share it and when to share it is often tricky – especially on interactive, discussion-based programmes. And what happens when you add too much information? And how much is too much?Sharing information that is engaging and memorable (without overloading your participants) is a great skill to master.In this week's episode I'm sharing some thoughts on information delivery and 6 best practices for how to share your knowledge AND keep your audience engaged and curious (as opposed to bored and frustrated).Make your knowledge work for you. Learn how to use information as a tool to create curiosity and engagement in episode 12!LINKSSupport the showMini-Course From Monologue to dialogue: How to Share Information to Engage and delight your Audience available in my membership programme Patterson Williams, Object‐Oriented Learning in Art Museums Nina Simon, Museum 2.0, 2010, Making Museum Tours Participatory

Perspective-taking is about seeing a situation or understanding a concept from an alternative view point, such as that of someone else. It is a skill that needs to be encouraged - particularly in children. Your brain has to work quite hard to get good at perspective-taking. And in the opposite direction of what it is hard-wired to do - which is to place YOU at the centre of everything. Engaging in perspective-taking means moving away from this starting point in order to understand others. THE GOOD NEWS is that like most things, it gets easier with practice and our perspective-taking skills do improve.  In today's episode I'm going to introduce you to 4 thinking routines that are specifically designed to foster this disposition. You can  use these thinking routines with artworks to create discussions that consider multiple solutions to a problem and look at situations or people from multiple perspectives. LinksSupport the show https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebown Ellen Galinsky ‘Mind in the Making’

So, this week in honour of our 10th episode I’m talking about 10 common traps to avoid when asking questions! For some people questioning comes easily. But for the majority of us, we are not asking enough questions AND we’re not phrasing them in the best way. The good news is that we can all become better questioners with time and practice. To become a better questioner, it’s really important first all to avoid these 10 common mistakes. Which ones of these are you guilty of? I’ve certainly done a few of these in the past! And stay tuned until the end where I’m sharing a follow-up exercise you can do to work on your own questioning skills!LINKSSupport the show https://buymeacoffee.com/clairebown

Welcome back to the Art Engager podcast! Today I’m talking about building rapport and creating a great group dynamic in the 'new now'. Creating a great group dynamic is even MORE important now after the last year or so. We will need to take extra care to create social comfort and psychological safety, we will also need to build trust and social interaction. In this episode I'm talking about :what group dynamics arethe different types of groups you might come acrossthe roles people play in groupsthe size of groupshow to use spaceI'll end by talking about how to still create a great group dynamic even when you’re wearing a face mask, so stay tuned for that at the end of this episode. So, the big questions for today’s episode are:how we are going to lead engaging in-person group experiences around art and objects going forwards?how might we make our audience, our participants feel socially comfortable – what will group dynamics look like now? And how CAN we create a great group dynamic with awareness and sensitivity for how people feel right now. Throughout this episode think about how some of the ideas might work for you or how they could be adapted to your organisation or environment. There is unfortunately not a one-size-fits-all approach to this, but I'm hoping some of these suggestions might help you to think about how you can lead engaging, enjoyable and safe group experiences going forwards. LINKSPriya Parker, ‘The Art of Gathering’ Refresher Course for Teams https://thinkingmuseum.com/refreshercourse/ULTIMATE THINKING ROUTINES LIST

Today I’m talking all about how to use the ‘See Think Me We’ thinking routine to create personal and community connections with artworks. This is part of a new series of episodes on the podcast where I share a thinking routine with you and all the insights for how you might be able to use it with an artwork or object with groups - either in-person or online. See Think Me We was our ‘thinking routine of the month’ recently in the Visible Thinking Membership. Every month we have a specialist thinking routine online class that gives us the opportunity to discover a new thinking routine or to dig a bit deeper into one we already know. Here’s how we used See Think Me We thinking routine to discuss Kerry James Marshall's ‘SOB, SOB’ (2003). LINKSKerry James Marshall, ‘SOB, SOB’ (2003) https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/sob-sob-7874Andrew Wyeth, ‘Christina's World’, (1948) https://www.moma.org/collection/works/78455Amy E Herman, 'Visual Intelligence: Sharpen Your Perception, Change Your Life' Visible Thinking MembershipULTIMATE THINKING ROUTINES LIST

Slow looking is not only an important part of my work, it is also a personal practice - something that I’ve been doing regularly for the last few years. I’m really interested in developing my observational skills and I’m also fascinated by what happens when we spend a longer period of time looking at something. Our general approach to looking is, however, flawed and we try to look at things as briskly and efficiently as possible. We need to slow our looking down and give our brain the time and space to focus on what is in front of us. Developing a daily slow looking practice will enable you to improve your observational skills and start noticing more details. And if we are better at this ourselves, as educators, then we are in a far better position to guide others through the process of slow looking too.So, here are 6 ways you can start to develop your own daily slow looking practice - I’ve included a number of ideas, some outside, some inside, some to do with art, some not. The idea is that you pick one of these activities and you do it every day for a few days and see what happens. After a few days you should start to notice a difference! LinksThe Intelligent Eye, David PerkinsHow to Use your Eyes, James ElkinsOn Looking: 11 Walks with Expert Eyes, Alexander Horowitz

In this episode, I’m discussing 6 essential thinking routines you should have in your educator repertoire. These are thinking routines that you can use to create engaging discussions with art or artefacts or routines that will help you develop and grow in your work as an educator. I’ve found it really hard to select just 6 thinking routine out of the 100+ routines out there, but I’ve come up with a list that every educator should have in their repertoire to draw upon in different situations or for different purposes.I’ve chosen :An all-rounder thinking routineA thinking routine to focus on observation and descriptionA thinking routine for perspective-taking & opening up thinkingA routine to help capture the heart and summarise A thinking routine for formulating and sorting questionsA thinking routine that will foster meaningful reflection To find out which 6 thinking routines I chose, listen to this week’s episode!Plus, if you’d like a copy of my newly updated Ultimate Thinking Routines list, I've put a link below in the show notes so you can sign up for your own copy of this resource with 100+ thinking routines in one place. It’s a really useful reference document for any educator interested in creating engaging discussions with art, objects and ideas. LinksThe Ultimate Thinking Routine List - https://mailchi.mp/21a87a092bdd/thinking-routine-listSee Think Wonder https://thinkingmuseum.com/2020/01/01/see-think-wonder-visible-thinking/Looking Ten Times Two https://thinkingmuseum.com/2020/01/05/visible-thinking-routine-of-the-week-looking-ten-times-two/Step Inside https://thinkingmuseum.com/2020/01/11/visible-thinking-routine-of-the-week-step-inside/Creative Questions https://thinkingmuseum.com/2020/05/27/using-thinking-routines-to-formulate-better-questions/ESP+I https://thinkingmuseum.com/2020/07/03/the-power-of-reflection-in-online-learning/

Facilitation is a key part of creating engaging and interactive discussions around art and museum objects. But developing the skills of a good facilitator is an art form in itself – it requires practice, patience and the best facilitators MAKE IT LOOK SO EASY. Sometimes people wonder why I chose the word 'facilitator' - rather than guide, educator, teacher, docent, or interpreter - to describe people who lead participative, discussion-based experiences around art and objects.It’s certainly not the easiest word to say, but it does sum up what we do. As a facilitator, you are guiding the process, creating participation and activating the learning and engagement. In this week's episode, I’m talking about facilitation - how can you develop the skills of a good facilitator (and make it look like you were born to do it), and what are the different roles you will be expected to play? 

In this week's episode, I’m sharing my 5 golden rules for asking brilliant questions. But what is a brilliant question? Asking more questions is one way to get more interaction and engagement in your programmes. But asking the wrong types of questions can actually shut down the discussion and stop people participating at all. So, in this episode, I'm sharing 5 rules that will help you to ask questions that create interaction and engagement, open up discussions and encourage everyone to participate fully!LinksThe Art of Questioning - Improve your questioning technique with tools and exercises for creating, sorting, and evaluating brilliant questions.

Thinking routines are an essential part of the Visible Thinking in the Museum method and my core course, Visible Thinking in the Museum Online (VTMO).They have been a magical ingredient in helping me to confidently create engaging discussions around objects and artworks over the past 10 years.They’ve also been a great way to engage audiences to get them really interested in art and objects, making them curious and asking questions and, of course, getting them thinking. But what are thinking routines and how can you use them? And where does the magic happen? That’s what we’re discovering in episode 3!LinksThe Ultimate Thinking Routine List https://mailchi.mp/4dd4fbc3e870/ultimatethinkingroutinelistMaking Thinking Visible : How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners By Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church, and Karin MorrisonThe Power of Making Thinking Visible: Practices to Engage and Empower All Learners by Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church Artful Thinking http://www.pz.harvard.edu/projects/artful-thinkingAgency by Design http://www.agencybydesign.org/Out of Eden Learn https://learn.outofedenwalk.com/Visible Thinking in the Museum Online www.thinkingmuseum.com/VTMOFREE CLASS : Getting Started with VTM Friday 7 May 15.00 hrs - sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/f2269441d126/springvtm

I believe engagement starts with slow looking.I’ve been practising the art of slow looking for the last 10 years as a personal practice and with groups of all ages with a variety of objects, artworks, situations and places. Slow looking has played a pivotal role in the most engaging discussions I've led over the last 10 years. Slow looking has played a pivotal role in the most engaging discussions I've led over the last 10 years. Recently, slow looking has become more popular with Tate ‘recommending’ slow looking for their Bonnard exhibition and the National Gallery offering slow looking art sessions for lockdown. In this podcast I’m going to take you right back to the basics and walk you through an introduction to slow looking - what it is, why it matters and how you can get started - and I'll be sharing lots of practical tips and suggestions too! LinksJennifer Roberts The Power of Patience https://harvardmagazine.com/2013/11/the-power-of-patiencePeter Clothier - One hour One painting video https://peterclothier.com/one-hour-one-painting/video-demonstration/James Elkins ‘How to Use your Eyes’Alexandra Horowitz ‘On Looking: Eleven Walks with Expert Eyes’Shari Tishman ‘Slow Looking: The Art and Practice of Learning Through Observation’