Developing the Self-Artist Through Reflection

Modeling and Asking the "Big Questions":

• Reflection begins with modeling how to look within knowledge and extract the process by which that knowledge was attained.
• Asking a Big Question like "what is art?" gives the instructor a jumping-off point for modeling how to reflect.
• Perhaps we could begin with a simple photograph or painting, one we are unfamiliar with.  The unfamiliarity of the example gives us an open-forum for critical thinking.
• As we begin reflecting on the knowledge we internalize by examining the sample, we must remind ourselves that reflection is not engaging in art criticism (though this may be part of it) but an examination of how we reach conclusions.  Reflection is a narrative of the process, not the product.
• Engage in discussion of how this narrative was reached, using tools of metacognition to show the steps in thinking rather than showing input/output.

Forming an Identity Through Reflection:

• Reflection not only helps define the personal aspects of a student's portfolio, this practice helps serve as the connector between the personal and the academic.
• Course work can be designed to influence the growth of the student's identity.
• Consistent reflection on assignments and learning signals to the instructor (through holistic assessment) if the course assignments are engaging a student in critical thinking and pushing them to form a professional, academic, and personal identity.