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NEWSLETTER

Did you know that I have a weekly newsletter?

Every Friday I share a weekly dose of curated inspiration. It might be things I’ve read, things I’ve listened to or things I’ve watched.

Hear about my latest podcast episode and read useful tips, recommendations and things that genuinely float-my-boat.

You’ll also get first dibs on new courses and classes!

No spam, no fluff or email bombardment, guaranteed.

Join below.

Curated newsletter from Claire Bown

How to Look at Art Slowly

FREE GUIDE – HOW TO LOOK AT ART SLOWLY

Sign up with your email address to receive my new 17-page guide sharing 30+ different ways that you can look at art or objects in museums. 

It can be used by anyone looking for new ways to engage with what they’re seeing.

SLOW LOOKING AT ART: THE VISIBLE THINKING APPROACH

COMING 2023! Visible Thinking in the Museum is an approach developed by Claire Bown over the last 12 years that provides a flexible structure around which to explore and discuss a wide variety of materials – in particular museum and heritage collections and their stories.

Slow Looking at Art: The Visible Thinking in the Museum Approach is a practical guide to implementing the approach and covers the 3 foundational elements plus the 8 practices associated with the method.

The book will be published in 2023 as an e-book and a print edition too!

The Ultimate Thinking Routine List

Sign up with your email address to receive your free handy resource with a list of 100+ thinking routines all in one place. Newly updated for 2023!

Thinking Routines for Observation

This free resource bundle includes cheatsheets for the following thinking routines that focus on observation and description:

  • Looking Ten Times Two
  • The Elaboration Game
  • Yes, and..
  • Colour Shape Line
  • Nouns Verbs Adjectives
  • Name Describe Act
  • Slow Complexity Capture
  • Memory Draw
  • Parts Purposes Complexities

Perspective-Taking Cheatsheets

If you are leading any type of programme with groups around art or objects, then you need to have a perspective-taking thinking routine in your repertoire.

This free resource includes cheatsheets for the following thinking routines:

  • Step Inside
  • Point of View
  • Step In Step Out Step Back
  • Gaining New Perspectives
  • 3 Y’s
  • Circle of Viewpoints

VTM Taster Session

If you’d like to learn more about my VTM method, then a look at the FREE TASTER SESSION  that I ran recently. In this FREE 50 minute class, you will:

  • be introduced you to the principles of my Visible Thinking in the Museum (VTM) method & how it can be applied
  • experience a mini art inquiry with thinking routine See Think Me We. ⁠
  • get an introduction to my VTMO course – what to expect and how it works

Latest Podcast Episodes

I publish a new podcast episode and blog every week on all aspects of engaging your audience with art and ideas – from Visible Thinking in the Museum techniques and ideas, to helping you to develop your questioning or facilitation skills and new tools to experiment with.

I have a guest for you today on the show. I’m really happy to be talking to Hannah Cushion about her work as an artist and educator. Hannah is an artist and museum educator working in London and Oxfordshire in the UK. Her work is interested in themes around archiving and preservation. She’s interested in why… Read...
Today I’m exploring play in museum education practice. How can we create and lead playful museum programmes? How can we bring more opportunities for play into our guided tours and educational programmes? I was inspired for today’s post by our new theme in the Slow Looking Club. Every two weeks we have a new theme… Read...
Today I’m returning to one of my favourite subjects – questions.  I’m going to explore open-ended questions in detail – not just what they are, but why they are important and when you can use them for the best engagement. Plus, how can you get better at asking open ended questions and ask more of… Read...

BOOKS

Visible Thinking

‘Making Thinking Visible’ by Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church and Karin Morrison, Jossey-Bass 2011

A great introduction to using Visible Thinking with a practical and useful introduction to thinking routines with details of a variety of thinking routines including suggestions for use.

‘The Thinking Classroom’ by Shari Tishman, David N. Perkins and Eileen Jay, Allyn and Bacon 1995

An earlier book focusing on the 6 dimensions of good thinking. Useful information on the language of thinking and teaching for transfer of knowledge and skills from one context to another.

Museum Education

‘The Intelligent Eye: Learning to Think by Looking at Art’ by David N. Perkins, Getty Publications 1994

‘Teaching in the Art Museum’ by Rika Burnham and Elliott Kai-Kee, Getty Publications 2011

‘Looking at Art in the Classroom’ by Rebecca Shulman Herz, Teachers College Press 2010

‘Visible Thinking and Interpretation’ by Claire Bown in ‘Interpreting the Art Museum’ edited by Graeme Farnell, Museumsetc 2015

ARTICLES

‘Making Thinking Visible’ Ritchhart, R. & Perkins, D. N. (2008). Educational Leadership, 65 (5), 57-61

‘The Object of their Attention’ Tishman, S (2008). Educational Leadership, 65(5), 44-46

‘Cultivating a Culture of Thinking in Museums’ Ritchhart, R. (2007).  Journal of Museum Education, 32 (2), 137-154.

‘Thinking Routines: Replicating Classroom Practices within Museum Settings’ Rochelle Ibañez Wolberg and Allison Goff, Journal of Museum Education, Volume 37, Issue 1 p59-68 Spr 2012.

‘Thinking Through Art: Transforming Museum Curriculum’ Margaret Burchenal and Michelle Grohe, Journal of Museum Education, Volume 32, Issue 2 (01 June 2007), pp. 111-122

‘Field Trips that Teach Thinking Skills’ Claire Bown, Museum Questions Blog, October 2014.