Jamie Higgins

Unit Paper 5

Amber Ward

11/2/17

Both authors, Pink and Eisner, touch on the big idea of structures and systems in

their articles. Eisner touches on structure by listing the ten major ways to teach art. Eisner

(2002) expresses how art can be seen in many forms and there are different ways to

interpret and observe. Another lesson Eisner expresses through the ten lessons is, The

arts teach students small differences can have large effect. The arts traffic in

subtleties(Eisner, 2002). In Pinks chapter, he connects to the big idea of systems by the

idea of symphony. Symphony, as I call this aptitude, is the ability to put together the

pieces. It is the capacity to synthesize rather than to analyze; to see relationships between

seemingly unrelated fields(Pink, 2006). Pink (2006) makes an interesting point when

his teacher asks him to flip the paper upside down when recreating their own Picasso so

that their left brain is tricked into not knowing what the right brain is doing in order to see

relationships freely. The two readings connect because the authors express how it is

important to see things differently and not be so hard on the analyzing aspect of the art.

I will find use for structures and systems in my classroom in many ways. All of

Eisners lessons on the arts of teaching are a very well thought out system to think about

while being an art teacher. Also Pink makes great points throughout the Symphony

chapter about challenging students but keeping an open mind to what they come up with.

As a teacher, I will ask my students to challenge themselves, have them look at the small

differences and the large effects, and have them think about the pieces rather than the big

picture.
 References

Eisner, E. (2002). The arts and the creation of mind. New Haven, CT: Yale University

Press.

Pink, D. (2006). A whole new mind: Why right-brainers will rule the future. New York,

NY: The Berkeley Group.