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Release the Imagination: Maxine Greene's top tips for teaching In-Person
What kind of classrooms would you like to cultivate? What are your hopes for your students’ learning? In this session we will look at Maxine Greene’s recommendations for meaningful learning experiences, through the arts. Greene, a philosopher of education, argued that the arts are not merely valuable in themselves but are crucial tools for fostering critical awareness, self-reflection, and social responsibility. She challenges traditional educational approaches that compartmentalize knowledge and promote passive reception, advocating instead for a curriculum that enables individuals to interpret their experiences, generate meaning, and envision alternative realities.
- Date:
- Monday, July 7, 2025
- Time:
- 9:30am - 10:30am
- Time Zone:
- Mountain Time - US & Canada (change)
- Location:
- CTL-Kaltura
- Audience:
- Faculty New Faculty (recommended)
- Categories:
- Active Learning & Engagement Instructional Skills
Maxine Greene’s work explored the profound connection between imagination, the arts, and human experience, particularly in an educational context. She argued that engaging with various art forms like literature, painting, music, and dance is crucial for fostering imagination, which she defined as the capacity to envision possibilities beyond the given. Greene contrasted "aesthetic education" with mere "art appreciation" or "art education," advocating for an active, personal engagement with art that allows individuals to develop empathy and critical awareness. She contended that this activated imagination is essential for countering indifference and fostering a sense of responsibility in a complex, often troubling world, encouraging individuals to become "wide-awake" to their surroundings and the potential for change. Ultimately, Greene believed the arts can enrich understanding and prompt individuals to challenge existing realities and envision a better future. For more about Greene see https://maxinegreene.org/about/maxine-greene