Greetings, my name is Vanessa Moore
I am a CCNY grad student in my very last class of my grad student career. I am a Educator at the Friends HighLine Park. I am a Mother and Grand Mother. My latest title that I am proudly claiming is as a teaching artist in an East New York High School
While working in East New York with high school students in an after school program. I observed that when the students arrive their attitudes are down, sad and often irritated. Their body language is slumped, shoulders and head down, eyes down. They say they are feeling blue.
My research is focused on what about creating art helps to improve their attitude. For some, it improves their day. How does creating art help to make them feel better about themselves?
My interest in this research is a result of having worked with youth in many different communities in many different parts of NYC. It is my hope that art has made and continues to make a difference in the lives of the students I have had the pleasure of working with. This research will offer advice to teaching artists on how to improve their experience in the schools they are working in.
I intend on showing how and possibly why visual arts has a positive impact on the students attitudes when they participate in this after school program sponsored by Arts East New York.
This research will contribute to the art education community by encouraging teaching artists to allow students to have a few minutes of “me time” to go over their day, and discuss how working on an art project will, or will try to, help improve their day.
This research will help explain to parents / families why art is so important to students and how art continues to help with their daily lives.
This research will encourage students to advocate for themselves for more after school art programs.
