Darcy Hicks | Smith College (original) (raw)

Papers by Darcy Hicks

Published as an op-ed in the Stamford Advocate following the shooting of teenage students in Park... more Published as an op-ed in the Stamford Advocate following the shooting of teenage students in Parkland, Florida and the subsequent suggestion that we arm teachers as a solution to gun violence in schools.

Doorways to Thinking is an approach to teaching art and writing which relies on students experien... more Doorways to Thinking is an approach to teaching art and writing which relies on students experiencing sensory input. Teachers provide experiences and dedicated time to the students during class time to explore their ideas, develop vocabulary, and discover authentic writing topics. The element of choice is evident throughout the process.

As a teacher, an artist and writer, I have spent much of my life committed to the idea that devel... more As a teacher, an artist and writer, I have spent much of my life committed to the idea that developing our voices is crucial to communicating what we have to share. For the last five years I have participated in a partnership between the Yale British Art Center and the New Haven public schools, taking part in the development of a teaching approach which addresses how the creative process happens (Levenson and Hicks, 2015). The power of our individual voices - how we communicate in a way that shows who we are - is an essential part of writing. However, in the American public school setting, the time spent on the creative process, which helps to develop the voices of developing writers, has been nudged aside by standardized curriculum and testing, and both students and their teachers have suffered as a result. We must take a hard look at our classrooms, and at how much time is spent on these crucial steps in the creative process. After teaching in both the regular classroom and in the art room at a public school, as well as coaching teachers across the grades, I know that we can make room for every student’s voice.

“Doorways” is the learning approach I developed in order to bring structure to the valuable steps in the creative process - steps which teachers find challenging to fit into the school day, especially during writing time. I use the this approach to bring my own voice into the classroom, and to invite students to do the same. The Doorways approach begins with sensory experiences, stimulating the mind so that we can explore what we have to say and how to best express ourselves. It then relies on making art to explore our topics, allowing us to develop our ideas and make decisions about how to express ourselves. It results in written pieces about individual topics, improved vocabulary, increased description and detailed language, and clear story structures. In addition, it engages students in the writing process on their own terms, creating enthusiasm and confidence even in previously disengaged writers. The sharing of this type of personal writing creates a trusting, empathetic environment and involves students in their own learning and self-discovery.

Books by Darcy Hicks

Darcy Hicks and Cyra Levenson present their findings from their partnerships between the Yale Cen... more Darcy Hicks and Cyra Levenson present their findings from their partnerships between the Yale Center for British Art and the New Haven Public Schools. Together with the Child Studies Center they present a model for guiding the creative process in the classroom, called P.I.E. (Perception, Interpretation and Expression). Hicks outlines her use of the Doorways to Thinking approach in order to meet the goals of the P.I.E. model in the classroom, and it's place in the Visual Literacy process.

Published as an op-ed in the Stamford Advocate following the shooting of teenage students in Park... more Published as an op-ed in the Stamford Advocate following the shooting of teenage students in Parkland, Florida and the subsequent suggestion that we arm teachers as a solution to gun violence in schools.

Doorways to Thinking is an approach to teaching art and writing which relies on students experien... more Doorways to Thinking is an approach to teaching art and writing which relies on students experiencing sensory input. Teachers provide experiences and dedicated time to the students during class time to explore their ideas, develop vocabulary, and discover authentic writing topics. The element of choice is evident throughout the process.

As a teacher, an artist and writer, I have spent much of my life committed to the idea that devel... more As a teacher, an artist and writer, I have spent much of my life committed to the idea that developing our voices is crucial to communicating what we have to share. For the last five years I have participated in a partnership between the Yale British Art Center and the New Haven public schools, taking part in the development of a teaching approach which addresses how the creative process happens (Levenson and Hicks, 2015). The power of our individual voices - how we communicate in a way that shows who we are - is an essential part of writing. However, in the American public school setting, the time spent on the creative process, which helps to develop the voices of developing writers, has been nudged aside by standardized curriculum and testing, and both students and their teachers have suffered as a result. We must take a hard look at our classrooms, and at how much time is spent on these crucial steps in the creative process. After teaching in both the regular classroom and in the art room at a public school, as well as coaching teachers across the grades, I know that we can make room for every student’s voice.

“Doorways” is the learning approach I developed in order to bring structure to the valuable steps in the creative process - steps which teachers find challenging to fit into the school day, especially during writing time. I use the this approach to bring my own voice into the classroom, and to invite students to do the same. The Doorways approach begins with sensory experiences, stimulating the mind so that we can explore what we have to say and how to best express ourselves. It then relies on making art to explore our topics, allowing us to develop our ideas and make decisions about how to express ourselves. It results in written pieces about individual topics, improved vocabulary, increased description and detailed language, and clear story structures. In addition, it engages students in the writing process on their own terms, creating enthusiasm and confidence even in previously disengaged writers. The sharing of this type of personal writing creates a trusting, empathetic environment and involves students in their own learning and self-discovery.

Darcy Hicks and Cyra Levenson present their findings from their partnerships between the Yale Cen... more Darcy Hicks and Cyra Levenson present their findings from their partnerships between the Yale Center for British Art and the New Haven Public Schools. Together with the Child Studies Center they present a model for guiding the creative process in the classroom, called P.I.E. (Perception, Interpretation and Expression). Hicks outlines her use of the Doorways to Thinking approach in order to meet the goals of the P.I.E. model in the classroom, and it's place in the Visual Literacy process.