Step Inside is a wonderful thinking routine to explore different perspectives, open up thinking and imagine things, events, problems, or issues differently.
This routine works well in combination with a routine that encourages observation. Remember: good observation stops hasty judgements and interpretations! I like combining Step Inside with thinking routine ‘Looking Ten Times Two‘.
It can be used with any kind of visual art, also photo journalism, objects or text and you can use Step Inside to bring abstract concepts, pictures or events to life. This routine magically encourages empathic thinking – helping participants to make a more personal connection to a theme, artwork or object.
This routine used to be called Perceive, Know, Care About and this is evident from the three questions:
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What can the person or thing perceive ?
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What might this person or thing know?
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What might the person or thing care about ?
As I’ve said, we start this thinking routine with a thorough observation of the object or artwork, as this sparks ideas, curiosity and stops participants going into the perspective-taking ‘cold’, it helps to get them thinking about it first.
I then like to divide into 3 smaller groups and have participants discuss the 3 questions as a smaller group.
You could also divide into 3 and give each group a separate question to think about.
The questions literally ask you to ‘step inside the shoes’ of the object or artwork and imagine things from their perspective. We often round up by asking each group to present their person or object from a first-person perspective, acting out their role!
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